source_it

A Rust module for embedding source code directly into compiled binaries: enabling self-contained open-source distribution. Any application with source_it added can reproduce its own source code files.

• cli, Command line application
• module, Add it to rust terminal applications
• vanilla, Vanilla Rust (no 3rd party dependencies)
• MIT, Do what you will with it.

Problem to solve:

Public repositories may not be available, may not be known, or may disappear in time. GitHub & gitlab might not exist in 20 years. Links break. Dependencies vanish. Websites are...not always current. And long-term data storage is (as of 2025) not cared about.

Solution:

Embed your source code directly in your binary. When users run 'your_app --source', they get the complete source code.

Installation & Use

1. Copy the source_it_module.rs file into your project:

2. Set Up in main.rs

• List file each to include. You MUST list each file. There is no auto-detection or auto-inclusion.

Example:

// In main.rs:
mod source_it_module;
use source_it_module::{SourcedFile, handle_sourceit_command};

// Developer explicitly lists files to embed
const SOURCE_FILES: &[SourcedFile] = &[
    SourcedFile::new("Cargo.toml", include_str!("../Cargo.toml")),
    SourcedFile::new("src/main.rs", include_str!("main.rs")),
    SourcedFile::new(
        "src/source_it_module.rs",
        include_str!("source_it_module.rs"),
    ),
    // SourcedFile::new("src/lib.rs", include_str!("lib.rs")),
    // SourcedFile::new("src/algorithms/fft.rs", include_str!("algorithms/fft.rs")),
    // SourcedFile::new("README.md", include_str!("../README.md")),
    // SourcedFile::new("LICENSE", include_str!("../LICENSE")),
    SourcedFile::new(".gitignore", include_str!("../.gitignore")),
];

fn main() {
    // get arguments
    let args: Vec<String> = std::env::args().collect();

    // if --source, then source it...
    if args.contains(&"--source".to_string()) {
        match handle_sourceit_command("my_fft_tool", None, SOURCE_FILES) {
            // print the file path where the source now is...
            Ok(path) => println!("Source extracted to: {}", path.display()),
            Err(e) => eprintln!("Failed to extract source: {}", e),
        }
        return;
    }

    // ...codestuff...
}

3. Use source_it

when installed (or alias)

my_app --source

or, in rust

cargo run -- --source

or, uninstalled binary

./my_app --source

sample output

✓ Source code extracted to: /home/user/source_crate_my_app_20241215_143022
  6 files extracted

Notes:

• Text files only - No binary assets
• Compile-time size - All files embedded at compilation
• Manual listing - No automatic file discovery
• No compression - Files stored as-is (rely on binary compression if needed)
• sha256 checksums created for varification on some POSIX operating systems

Many public code repositories may not last for decades or centuries, but good STEM code can outlive unmaintainable systems.