What the response contains
Fields worth checking
- Development & Data
- crates.io results
- public source
crates.io
Development & Data · crates.io results · public source
Current public response
Load a fresh response from crates.io; no search term is required.
Search returns crates and pagination metadata
/api/v1/crates accepts q, page, and per_page. The response has a crates list and a meta object; in a serde search, meta contained total and next_page. Use that next path to continue navigation instead of calculating a URL from a count that can change between requests.
- Keep q, page, and per_page visible in shareable filters.
- Use meta.next_page only when it is present.
- Do not present total as a fixed result without recording the search context.
Version, downloads, and description need context
An item can include name, description, downloads, recent_downloads, max_version, updated_at, repository, documentation, and homepage. downloads and recent_downloads are registry usage counts, not a review of security, compatibility, or quality. max_version identifies the highest reported version at that moment; to assess a dependency, open the documentation and repository identified by the crate itself.
- Show the date with updated_at when freshness matters to a reader.
- Do not compare crates by downloads alone.
- Separate the package page from optional external links such as repository and documentation.
Use the crate route to investigate a choice
/api/v1/crates/{crate} returns package details and blocks such as versions, keywords, and categories. The list route is useful for discovery; the crate route is where to check versions and classification before suggesting a dependency. Preserve the exact crate name in the URL and treat a non-200 response as a reason to review the identifier or availability.
- Search before building a detail URL to avoid approximate names.
- Read versions instead of assuming max_version is compatible with your project.
- Do not treat a short description as integration documentation.