Crater
Crater is an open-source tool developed by the Rust programming language community to perform large-scale compatibility testing of Rust crates (packages) across different compiler versions and platforms. It automatically builds and tests thousands of crates from crates.io to detect regressions or breaking changes in the Rust compiler or ecosystem. This helps ensure stability and backward compatibility in Rust projects by identifying issues before they affect users.
Developers should use Crater when working on Rust compiler development, library maintenance, or large Rust projects to prevent regressions and ensure compatibility across updates. It is particularly valuable for testing changes to the Rust language or standard library, as it provides empirical data on how modifications impact the broader ecosystem. Use cases include validating compiler releases, assessing the impact of new features, and maintaining stable APIs for critical libraries.