Just Command Runner
The Just task runner is a handy command runner or “task runner” written in Rust that helps organize and execute project-specific commands. It works similarly to Make, but is designed to be simpler and more ergonomic. Here’s a brief overview:
Key Features
Command Simplification: Just allows you to define and document tasks (or commands) in a justfile. These tasks can range from simple shell commands to complex scripts, making it easy to automate repetitive actions.
Cross-Shell Compatibility: Commands can be written in any shell, making it flexible to work across different environments.
Recipes: Tasks in a justfile are called recipes. Each recipe is a command or series of commands that you define and can run quickly.
Variables and Functions: You can define variables and simple functions within the justfile, making it more versatile for tasks requiring dynamic values.
Arguments: Recipes can accept arguments, allowing you to pass in values when running commands, making them customizable.
Dry Run & Verbose Modes: You can run tasks in a dry-run mode (–dry-run) to see what will happen before executing, or in a verbose mode (–verbose) for more detailed output.
Example justfile
# Define a simple recipe
build:
echo "Building project..."
# A recipe with an argument
test test_type:
echo "Running tests of type {{test_type}}..."
# Recipe depending on another recipe
deploy: build
echo "Deploying project..."
Running Tasks
Run the build task: just build
Run the test task with an argument: just test unit
Chain tasks: just deploy
Benefits
- Simple syntax for defining tasks
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Supports command chaining and dependencies between tasks
In short, Just helps streamline task management in projects, allowing developers to automate frequently used commands easily.