feat: forward Cargo commands through Meta CLI

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -87,9 +87,10 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Verify binaries
         run: |
-          ls -lh target/debug/meta target/debug/meta-git
+          ls -lh target/debug/meta target/debug/meta-git target/debug/meta-rust
           ./target/debug/meta --version
           ./target/debug/meta-git --meta-plugin-info | jq .name
+          ./target/debug/meta-rust --meta-plugin-info | jq .name
         shell: bash
 
       - name: Install bats

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ jobs:
           cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p meta
           cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p meta_git_cli
           cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p meta_project_cli
+          cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p meta_rust_cli
           cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p meta-mcp
           cargo build --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} -p loop_cli
 
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ jobs:
           cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/${{ matrix.binary_name }} dist/
           cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/meta-git dist/
           cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/meta-project dist/
+          cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/meta-rust dist/
           cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/meta-mcp dist/
           cp target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/loop dist/
           cd dist
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ jobs:
           copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\${{ matrix.binary_name }} dist\
           copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\meta-git.exe dist\
           copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\meta-project.exe dist\
+          copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\meta-rust.exe dist\
           copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\meta-mcp.exe dist\
           copy target\${{ matrix.target }}\release\loop.exe dist\
           cd dist
@@ -283,6 +286,10 @@ jobs:
         run: cargo publish -p meta --token ${{ secrets.CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
         continue-on-error: true
 
+      - name: Publish meta_rust_cli
+        run: cargo publish -p meta_rust_cli --token ${{ secrets.CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
+        continue-on-error: true
+
       # Tier 3: Depends on meta
       - name: Publish meta_git_lib
         run: cargo publish -p meta_git_lib --token ${{ secrets.CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
@@ -374,6 +381,7 @@ jobs:
               bin.install "meta"
               bin.install "meta-git"
               bin.install "meta-project"
+              bin.install "meta-rust"
               bin.install "meta-mcp"
               bin.install "loop"
             end

README.md

@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ Most multi-repo tools solve the *cloning* problem. Meta solves the *working* pro
 
    This clones the meta repo and all child repositories defined in its `.meta` file.
 
-2. **Run commands across all repos:**
+2. **Run workspace commands:**
 
    ```bash
    meta git status
    meta git pull
    meta exec npm install
-   meta exec cargo test
+   meta cargo test
    ```
 
 3. **Filter by tags:**
@@ -274,6 +274,36 @@ This enables impact analysis ("what breaks if I change shared-utils?"), topologi
 | `meta git snapshot list` | List snapshots |
 | `meta git snapshot restore <name>` | Restore workspace to snapshot |
 
+### Rust/Cargo Plugin
+
+`meta cargo` is an explicit plugin namespace. The Rust plugin selects directories that contain a
+`Cargo.toml` and runs the requested command in each one; Cargo remains responsible for validating
+built-in commands, aliases, and installed `cargo-*` extensions. `meta rust` is an alias that
+produces the same canonical `cargo` command.
+
+```bash
+meta cargo clean
+meta cargo check --all-targets
+meta cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings
+meta cargo nextest run
+meta rust test
+```
+
+Put Meta options before the `cargo` or `rust` namespace:
+
+```bash
+meta --include api --dry-run cargo check
+meta --dry-run --sequential cargo clean --recursive
+```
+
+In this first pass, `--recursive` before Cargo's `--` remains a Meta scope control, including
+postfix usage such as `meta cargo clean --recursive`.
+
+The Rust plugin treats `-h` and `--help` before Cargo's `--` separator as side-effect-free
+namespace help. For command-specific Cargo help, run
+`cargo help <command>` directly (for example, `cargo help check`). Meta never inspects or removes
+arguments after Cargo's `--` separator.
+
 ### Plugin Management
 
 | Command | Description |
@@ -349,7 +379,7 @@ Plugins are standalone executables that extend meta. They're discovered automati
 |--------|-------------|
 | `git` | Clone, status, update, commit, snapshots, SSH multiplexing |
 | `project` | Project health checks and sync |
-| `rust` | Cargo build, test, and command passthrough |
+| `rust` | Cargo commands across Rust projects; `meta rust` aliases `meta cargo` |
 
 ### Writing Plugins
 

distribution/homebrew/meta-cli.rb

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def install
     bin.install "meta"
     bin.install "meta-git"
     bin.install "meta-project"
+    bin.install "meta-rust"
     bin.install "meta-mcp"
     bin.install "loop"
   end

docs/advanced_usage.md

@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ meta exec --exclude legacy-app -- npm install
 # Tag filter + directory filter
 meta --tag backend git status --include api
 
-# For non-plugin commands, use exec
-meta exec --tag backend --include api -- cargo test
+# Cargo commands use the Rust plugin namespace directly
+meta --tag backend --include api cargo test
 ```
 
 **Filter precedence:**
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ By default, commands run sequentially with live output. Use `--parallel` for con
 
 ```bash
 meta git status --parallel
-meta exec --parallel -- cargo test
+meta --parallel cargo test
 ```
 
 ### Parallel Mode Behavior

docs/architecture_overview.md

@@ -151,9 +151,10 @@ Project management plugin:
 ### meta_rust_cli
 
 Rust/Cargo plugin:
-- Workspace-aware builds
-- Test execution
-- Cargo command passthrough
+- Owns the explicit `cargo` and `rust` namespaces
+- Selects Meta project directories that contain `Cargo.toml`
+- Canonicalizes both namespaces to shell-safe `cargo` execution plans
+- Leaves command validation, aliases, and installed `cargo-*` extensions to Cargo
 
 ## Plugin System
 
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ When you run `meta <command>`:
 4. **Otherwise** - Show "unrecognized command" error
 
 **Important:** Bare commands like `meta npm install` are not supported. You must either:
-- Use a plugin command: `meta git status`, `meta rust build`
+- Use a plugin command: `meta git status`, `meta cargo check` (`meta rust check` is an alias)
 - Use explicit exec: `meta exec -- npm install`
 
 Special case commands (like `meta git clone`) are fully handled by the plugin rather than passed through to all repos.

install.ps1

@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function Install-Meta {
 
     # Install binaries
     Write-Info "Installing to $InstallDir..."
-    $expectedBinaries = @("meta.exe", "meta-git.exe", "meta-project.exe", "meta-mcp.exe", "loop.exe")
+    $expectedBinaries = @("meta.exe", "meta-git.exe", "meta-project.exe", "meta-rust.exe", "meta-mcp.exe", "loop.exe")
     foreach ($binary in $expectedBinaries) {
         $binaryPath = Join-Path $tempDir $binary
         if (Test-Path $binaryPath) {

install.sh

@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ install_meta() {
 
     # Install binaries
     info "Installing to ${INSTALL_DIR}..."
-    local expected_binaries=("meta" "meta-git" "meta-project" "meta-mcp" "loop")
+    local expected_binaries=("meta" "meta-git" "meta-project" "meta-rust" "meta-mcp" "loop")
     for binary_name in "${expected_binaries[@]}"; do
         local binary="$tmp_dir/$binary_name"
         if [ -f "$binary" ]; then