rust-lang/cargo · error

`cargo run` does not support glob pattern `{}` on package se

Error message

`cargo run` does not support glob pattern `{}` on package selection

What it means

From run::exec (src/bin/cargo/commands/run.rs:57-66). `cargo run` must compile and execute exactly one binary, so it explicitly disallows glob patterns in -p/--package selection. It checks each package spec with util::restricted_names::is_glob_pattern and bails on the first match. Other commands (build/test) accept globs, but run does not because it cannot pick a single target from a glob.

Source

Thrown at src/bin/cargo/commands/run.rs:60

        .arg_ignore_rust_version()
        .arg_unit_graph()
        .arg_timings()
        .after_help(color_print::cstr!(
            "Run `<bright-cyan,bold>cargo help run</>` for more detailed information.\n\
             To pass `--help` to the specified binary, use `<bright-cyan,bold>-- --help</>`.\n",
        ))
}

pub fn exec(gctx: &mut GlobalContext, args: &ArgMatches) -> CliResult {
    let ws = args.workspace(gctx)?;

    let mut compile_opts =
        args.compile_options(gctx, UserIntent::Build, Some(&ws), ProfileChecking::Custom)?;

    // Disallow `spec` to be an glob pattern
    if let Packages::Packages(opt_in) = &compile_opts.spec {
        if let Some(pattern) = opt_in.iter().find(|s| is_glob_pattern(s)) {
            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
                "`cargo run` does not support glob pattern `{}` on package selection",
                pattern,
            )
            .into());
        }
    }

    if !args.contains_id("example") && !args.contains_id("bin") {
        let default_runs: Vec<_> = compile_opts
            .spec
            .get_packages(&ws)?
            .iter()
            .filter_map(|pkg| pkg.manifest().default_run())
            .collect();
        if let [bin] = &default_runs[..] {
            compile_opts.filter = CompileFilter::single_bin(bin.to_string());
        } else {
            // ops::run will take care of errors if len pkgs != 1.

View on GitHub (pinned to 0e07a15537)

Solutions

1. Name the exact package: `cargo run -p my-bin`.
2. Use --bin/--example to pick the target explicitly.
3. Run `cargo run` with no -p in a workspace whose default-run package is set in Cargo.toml.

Example fix

// before
cargo run -p 'mycli_*'

// after
cargo run -p mycli-server   # or: cargo run --bin mycli-server

// Reject glob patterns in -p for `cargo run`
fn run_package_ok(spec: &str) -> bool {
    !spec.contains(|c: char| matches!(c, '*' | '?' | '['))
}

if !pkgs.iter().all(|p| run_package_ok(p)) {
    eprintln!("cargo run needs an exact package name, not a glob");
}

fn is_exact_package_name(s: &str) -> bool {
    !s.contains(|c: char| matches!(c, '*' | '?' | '[' | ']'))
}

When it happens

Trigger: `cargo run -p 'serde_*'` or `cargo run -p '*derive*'` — any -p value containing glob metacharacters (* ? [ ]).

Common situations: Reusing a `cargo build -p '<glob>'` invocation for run; shell glob expansion leaking a `*` into the argument; copying package-selection patterns from build/test scripts.

Related errors

• running the file `{cmd}` requires `-Zscript`
• {}package pattern(s) `{}` not found in workspace `{}`
• argument for --color must be auto, always, or never, but fou
• subcommand is required, add a subcommand to the command alia
• alias {} has unresolvable recursive definition: {} -> {}

AI-assisted analysis of rust-lang/cargo@0e07a15537 (2026-08-06). Data as JSON: /data/errors/8c35ff2912c74680.json. Report an issue: GitHub.