# How to create a query module in Rust

To create a query module in Rust for Memgraph, you need to compile your code
into a shared library (`.so` file) that Memgraph can load dynamically at
runtime.

## Development environment options 

You have two main ways to set up your Rust
development environment:

1. **Using your own environment** 

You can compile Rust query modules on your local machine or server, but you’ll
need to manually install Rust tooling and any necessary dependencies (like
`cargo` and system libraries).

2. **Using the MAGE environment** 

The Memgraph MAGE development Docker image (with the `-dev` tag) contains all
required dependencies and provides an isolated environment ideal for
development. 

See the [quickstart to custom query
module](https://memgraph.com/docs/custom-query-modules/rust/rust-example) in Rust for a full guide.

## How the Rust API works 

The Rust API is a wrapper around Memgraph’s C API, providing a more ergonomic
and memory-safe interface while maintaining high performance. Query modules
written in Rust are compiled to shared libraries and loaded by Memgraph at
startup.

- The API includes wrappers for working with graph data, procedures, results,
errors, and more.
- You can define custom procedures using macros like `init_module!`,
`define_procedure!`, and `close_module!`.
- Exception handling in Rust (with `Result` types) ensures better stability, but
unhandled `panic!` calls can still crash Memgraph.

Full reference: [Rust API documentation](https://memgraph.com/docs/custom-query-modules/rust/rust-api).

## Quickstart summary 

To get started quickly:
1. Run Memgraph using the MAGE development Docker image.
2. Install `cargo` inside the container.
3. Copy the query module boilerplate and adjust `Cargo.toml` and `lib.rs`.
4. Build your module using `python3 setup build -p
   /usr/lib/memgraph/query_modules/`.
5. Load the module in Memgraph with `CALL mg.load_all();`.

Follow the [quickstart guide](https://memgraph.com/docs/custom-query-modules/rust/rust-example) for
detailed instructions.