rosrustext_msgs

Bundled ROS 2 message definitions used by the rosrustext project.

This crate provides pre-generated Rust message types for a small, curated subset of ROS 2 interface packages that are required for tooling and lifecycle parity, without requiring end users to generate messages locally.

What this crate contains

Generated Rust bindings for selected ROS 2 interface packages, currently:

• lifecycle_msgs
• bond
• rcl_interfaces
• builtin_interfaces
• std_msgs (minimal set)

These packages are required to expose canonical ROS-facing services and topics used by:

• lifecycle management (ros2 lifecycle, Nav2)
• parameter services and events
• orchestration and supervision tools

Why this crate exists

Publishing Rust crates that depend on ROS message types presents a tension:

• ROS 2 expects message types to be generated via rosidl and colcon.
• crates.io users expect cargo build to work without a ROS installation.

rosrustext_msgs exists as a temporary compatibility layer that allows:

• rosrustext_core and adapter crates to be published on crates.io
• docs.rs builds to succeed without ROS
• users to explore lifecycle/parameter semantics without setting up a ROS workspace

It is not intended to replace the standard ROS message generation workflow.

Intended usage

This crate is:

• ✅ Used internally by rosrustext_* crates when publishing to crates.io
• ✅ Suitable for documentation builds and ROS-free compilation
• ⚠️ Optional when building in a full ROS workspace

When building in a ROS workspace with generated message crates available (e.g. via ros2_rust / rosidl_generator_rs), downstream crates may instead rely on those generated crates directly.

Stability and guarantees

• Message definitions mirror upstream ROS 2 IDL at the time of generation.
• No semantic extensions or modifications are introduced.
• Updates are intentional and reviewed for parity impact.

However:

This crate does not guarantee perpetual synchronization with upstream ROS message definitions.

For production systems that require strict alignment with a specific ROS distribution, using ROS-generated message crates from a workspace overlay is recommended.

Future direction

rosrustext_msgs is intentionally conservative in scope.

As the Rust ROS ecosystem matures, this crate may:

• remain as an internal publishing aid,
• be reduced to a minimal set of lifecycle-critical interfaces, or
• be retired in favor of generator-based workflows once those are robust and user-friendly.

Any such change will be documented and reflected in the project’s parity specs and TODO tracking.

License

Apache-2.0