What is it?
What it is
A retro TUI IDE for Rust projects inspired by classic DOS environments, enabling file editing, project browsing, and Cargo command execution.
Why it exists
To provide Rust with a nostalgic blue-screen IDE experience, fulfilling a creative need for retro-style development tools.
Who should use it
Rust developers who prefer a terminal-based workflow, enjoy retro/TUI interfaces, and want a lightweight IDE with basic Cargo integration and debugging.
Who should avoid it
Users needing a full-featured graphical IDE, beginners unfamiliar with Rust or terminal workflows, and those requiring stable, production‑ready tooling.
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How trust works
Step 1 of 3
You interact with it
Open trust, send a request, or connect it to your stack.
Features
Advantages
- Familiar nostalgic interface for Rust developers
- All Cargo workflow available within a single TUI
- Lightweight and minimal dependencies
- Optional rust-analyzer for performance‑sensitive use
- Debugging support with LLDB integration
- Keyboard and mouse navigation in a terminal
- No external IDE required
- Open‑source MIT license
Disadvantages
- Experimental and unstable; use at own risk
- Limited language server features (build scripts, proc macros disabled)
- Not feature‑complete compared to full IDEs
- Potential data loss; rely on manual saves
- Requires terminal with ratatui support
- Debugger limited to LLDB only
- No GUI, only terminal interface
- May struggle with very large projects
- No plugin or extension system
Installation
native
cargo run -- /path/to/rust/project
FAQ
Why was TRUST created?
Because Rust deserves a blue-screen IDE from the olden days and someone had to do this.
How do I save my work in TRUST?
Press F2 or Ctrl+S; dirty buffers are marked with * in the editor title.
Is TRUST affiliated with any classic DOS IDE vendor?
No. TRUST is an independent nostalgia project inspired by classic DOS development environments.
Can opening a project in TRUST execute code?
Opening a project is passive; code only runs when you explicitly use Cargo run, build, test, or debug commands (or enable rust-analyzer).
How do I start TRUST on a Rust project?
Run `cargo run -- /path/to/rust/project`; if no path is given, TRUST opens the current directory.
How do I enable rust-analyzer powered autocomplete?
Use the menu `Project > Enable rust-analyzer` to start the language server with build scripts and proc macros disabled.
Featured in Videos
YouTube tutorials and walkthroughs for trust
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