Overview of xdgdir

I built a small Rust crate called xdgdir. It’s a simple tool that helps you find the correct directories for your application’s config, data, and cache files based on the XDG Base Directory Specification.

I needed a library like this for my own projects, and I had a few key goals in mind when I wrote it.

• Zero I/O. I wanted a library that only works with paths and never touches the filesystem. This makes it super fast and predictable. It just gives you the PathBuf you need, and that’s it.
• Follow the Spec. It had to correctly check for environment variables like $XDG_CONFIG_HOME and fall back to the right defaults (like $HOME/.config) if they aren’t set.
• Simple API. I didn’t want to mess with complex builders or configuration. The API should be small and easy to use.

How it Works

The most common thing you’ll do is get a set of paths for your application. You just give xdgdir your app’s name, and it figures out the rest.

Here’s a quick example.

use xdgdir::BaseDir;

fn main() {
    let dirs = BaseDir::new("my-app").unwrap();

    // Prints something like /home/user/.config/my-app
    println!("Config files go here: {}", dirs.config.display());

    // Prints something like /home/user/.local/share/my-app
    println!("Data files go here: {}", dirs.data.display());

    // Prints something like /home/user/.cache/my-app
    println!("Cache files go here: {}", dirs.cache.display());
}

It’s important to know that xdgdir does not create these directories for you. It only tells you where they should be. It’s up to you to create them if they don’t exist.