j178 · Aug 31, 2026 · Aug 30, 2026 · Aug 31, 2026 · Aug 31, 2026 · Aug 31, 2026
@@ -550,6 +550,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           tool: cargo-llvm-cov
 
+      - name: "Install cargo-binstall"
+        if: ${{ contains(format(' {0} ', matrix.languages), ' rust ') }}
+        uses: taiki-e/install-action@288e746965032cfcc232e09af2daf5f23c14d780 # v2.86.1
+        with:
+          tool: cargo-binstall
+
       # LuaRocks may compile native Lua modules, such as luafilesystem, on Windows.
       - name: "Setup MSVC"
         if: ${{ matrix.os == 'windows-latest' && contains(format(' {0} ', matrix.languages), ' lua ') }}

@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ impl EnvVars {
 
     // Rust related
     pub const PREK_RUST_PROFILE: &'static str = "PREK_RUST_PROFILE";
+    pub const PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL: &'static str = "PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL";
     pub const RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN: &'static str = "RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN";
     pub const RUSTUP_AUTO_INSTALL: &'static str = "RUSTUP_AUTO_INSTALL";
     pub const CARGO_HOME: &'static str = "CARGO_HOME";

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use anyhow::{Context, bail};
 use itertools::{Either, Itertools};
-use prek_consts::env_vars::EnvVars;
+use prek_consts::env_vars::{EnvVars, EnvVarsRead};
 use prek_consts::prepend_paths;
 use tracing::debug;
 
@@ -126,6 +126,46 @@ impl CargoCliDependency {
     }
 }
 
+enum CargoInstaller<'a> {
+    Cargo(&'a Path),
+    Binstall(&'a Path),
+}
+
+impl CargoInstaller<'_> {
+    fn command(&self, install_root: &Path) -> Cmd {
+        let (executable, args): (&Path, &[&str]) = match self {
+            Self::Cargo(cargo) => (cargo, &["install", "--bins"]),
+            Self::Binstall(cargo_binstall) => (cargo_binstall, &["--no-confirm"]),
+        };
+        let mut cmd = Cmd::new(executable);
+        cmd.args(args).arg("--root").arg(install_root);
+        cmd
+    }
+}
+
+fn cargo_binstall_executable() -> anyhow::Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
+    let enabled = match EnvVars.var_as_bool(EnvVars::PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL) {
+        Ok(enabled) => enabled.unwrap_or(false),
+        Err(value) => {
+            bail!(
+                "Invalid value for {}: {value:?}. Expected a boolean value",
+                EnvVars::PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL,
+            );
+        }
+    };
+    if !enabled {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+
+    let executable = which::which("cargo-binstall").with_context(|| {
+        format!(
+            "{} is enabled, but `cargo-binstall` was not found on PATH",
+            EnvVars::PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL,
+        )
+    })?;
+    Ok(Some(executable))
+}
+
 /// Find the package directory that produces the given binary.
 /// Returns (`package_dir`, `package_name`, `is_workspace`).
 async fn find_package_dir(
@@ -264,10 +304,8 @@ async fn install_local_project(
     };
 
     if lib_deps.is_empty() {
-        // For packages without lib deps, use `cargo install` directly
-        Cmd::new(cargo)
-            .args(["install", "--bins", "--root"])
-            .arg(&info.env_path)
+        CargoInstaller::Cargo(cargo)
+            .command(&info.env_path)
             .args(["--path", ".", "--locked"])
             .current_dir(&package_dir)
             .env(EnvVars::PATH, new_path)
@@ -364,25 +402,36 @@ async fn install_cli_dependency(
     cli_dep: &str,
     info: &InstallInfo,
     cargo: &Path,
+    cargo_binstall: Option<&Path>,
     cargo_home: &Path,
     new_path: &OsStr,
     install_cwd: &Path,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let dep = CargoCliDependency::from_str(cli_dep)?;
 
-    let mut cmd = Cmd::new(cargo);
-    cmd.current_dir(install_cwd)
-        .args(["install", "--bins", "--root"])
-        .arg(&info.env_path)
-        .args(dep.to_cargo_args())
-        .arg("--locked");
+    let installer = match (cargo_binstall, &dep) {
+        (Some(cargo_binstall), CargoCliDependency::Crate { .. }) => {
+            debug!(
+                dependency = cli_dep,
+                "Installing CLI dependency with cargo-binstall"
+            );
+            CargoInstaller::Binstall(cargo_binstall)
+        }
+        _ => CargoInstaller::Cargo(cargo),
+    };
 
-    cmd.env(EnvVars::PATH, new_path)
+    installer
+        .command(&info.env_path)
+        .args(dep.to_cargo_args())
+        .arg("--locked")
+        .current_dir(install_cwd)
+        .env(EnvVars::PATH, new_path)
         .env(EnvVars::CARGO_HOME, cargo_home)
         .sanitize_git_repo_env()
         .check(true)
         .output()
-        .await?;
+        .await
+        .context("Failed to install Rust CLI dependency")?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -400,6 +449,7 @@ impl LanguageBackend for Rust {
         reporter: &HookInstallReporter,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<InstalledHook> {
         let progress = reporter.on_install_start(&hook);
+        let cargo_binstall = cargo_binstall_executable()?;
 
         // 1. Install Rust
         let cargo_home = store.cache_path(CacheBucket::Cargo);
@@ -470,8 +520,16 @@ impl LanguageBackend for Rust {
 
         // Install CLI dependencies
         for cli_dep in cli_deps {
-            install_cli_dependency(cli_dep, &info, &cargo, &cargo_home, &new_path, install_cwd)
-                .await?;
+            install_cli_dependency(
+                cli_dep,
+                &info,
+                &cargo,
+                cargo_binstall.as_deref(),
+                &cargo_home,
+                &new_path,
+                install_cwd,
+            )
+            .await?;
         }
 
         info.persist_env_path();

@@ -163,6 +163,106 @@ fn additional_dependencies_cli() {
     ");
 }
 
+/// Test cargo-binstall is used only for crates.io CLI dependencies.
+#[cfg(feature = "ci")]
+#[test]
+fn cargo_binstall_is_used_only_for_crates_io_cli_dependencies() {
+    let context = TestEnv::new()
+        .with_file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            indoc::indoc! {r#"
+                [package]
+                name = "cargo-binstall-test"
+                version = "0.1.0"
+                edition = "2021"
+            "#},
+        )
+        .init_git();
+    let hook_repo = context
+        .create_hook_repo(
+            "rust-cargo-hook",
+            indoc::indoc! {r"
+                - id: cargo-hook
+                  name: cargo-hook
+                  language: rust
+                  entry: prek-cargo-hook
+            "},
+        )
+        .with_file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            indoc::indoc! {r#"
+                [package]
+                name = "prek-cargo-hook"
+                version = "0.1.0"
+                edition = "2021"
+            "#},
+        )
+        .with_file(
+            "Cargo.lock",
+            indoc::indoc! {r#"
+                # This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
+                # It is not intended for manual editing.
+                version = 4
+
+                [[package]]
+                name = "prek-cargo-hook"
+                version = "0.1.0"
+            "#},
+        )
+        .with_file(
+            "src/main.rs",
+            indoc::indoc! {r#"
+                fn main() {
+                    println!("installed from checkout");
+                }
+            "#},
+        )
+        .build();
+
+    context.write_config(indoc::formatdoc! {r#"
+        repos:
+          - repo: {hook_repo}
+            rev: v1.0.0
+            hooks:
+              - id: cargo-hook
+                language_version: system
+                always_run: true
+                verbose: true
+                pass_filenames: false
+          - repo: local
+            hooks:
+              - id: binstall-cli
+                name: binstall-cli
+                language: rust
+                entry: cargo-get package.name
+                additional_dependencies: ["cli:cargo-get:1.4.0"]
+                language_version: system
+                always_run: true
+                verbose: true
+                pass_filenames: false
+    "#});
+    context.git().add(".");
+
+    cmd_snapshot!(context, context.run()
+        .env(EnvVars::PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL, "1"), @r#"
+    success: true
+    exit_code: 0
+    ----- stdout -----
+    cargo-hook...............................................................Passed
+    - hook id: cargo-hook
+    - duration: [TIME]
+
+      installed from checkout
+    binstall-cli.............................................................Passed
+    - hook id: binstall-cli
+    - duration: [TIME]
+
+      cargo-binstall-test
+
+    ----- stderr -----
+    "#);
+}
+
 /// Test that remote Rust hooks are installed and run correctly.
 #[test]
 fn remote_hooks() {

@@ -617,6 +617,8 @@ Gems specified in hook gemspec files and `additional_dependencies` are installed
 
 prek installs binaries via `cargo install --bins --locked` and runs the specified executable. The repository should contain a `Cargo.toml` that produces the binary referenced by `entry`. `additional_dependencies` and `language_version` are supported.
 
+Only crates.io `cli:` dependencies use a preinstalled [`cargo-binstall`](https://github.com/cargo-bins/cargo-binstall) when [`PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL=1`](reference/environment-variables.md#prek_use_cargo_binstall) is set. prek does not install cargo-binstall or change its telemetry settings. cargo-binstall falls back to compiling from source when it cannot find a suitable binary, unless the user disables its `compile` strategy.
+
 !!! note "Using `--locked` flag"
 
     prek uses the `--locked` flag when installing Rust packages to ensure exact dependency versions from `Cargo.lock` are used. This prevents breaking changes from new dependency releases.

@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ See [Ruby language support](../languages.md#ruby) for details.
 Override the `rustup` profile used when installing managed Rust toolchains (`minimal`, `default`, or `complete`). Defaults to `minimal`. Set to `default` to include `rustfmt` and `clippy`.
 See [Rust language support](../languages.md#rust) for details.
 
+### `PREK_USE_CARGO_BINSTALL`
+
+Use a preinstalled [`cargo-binstall`](https://github.com/cargo-bins/cargo-binstall) for crates.io `cli:` dependencies of `language: rust` hooks.
+prek does not install cargo-binstall or override its telemetry and strategy settings. See [Rust language support](../languages.md#rust) for installations that continue to use Cargo.
+
 ## Compatibility fallbacks
 
 ### `PRE_COMMIT_ALLOW_NO_CONFIG`