just
Run project-specific commands defined in a file
TLDR
View documentation for the command runner
View documentation for the V8 JavaScript runtime
SYNOPSIS
just [options] [recipe...] [arguments...]
PARAMETERS
--choose
Choose a recipe to run from a list.
--clear-defaults
Clear default arguments for recipes.
--dump
Print the justfile to standard output.
--fmt
Format the justfile.
--edit
Open the justfile in your editor.
--evaluate
Evaluate a recipe's variables and print them.
--explain
Explain a recipe.
--init
Create a justfile if one does not exist.
--list
List all available recipes.
--no-dotenv
Don't load `.env` files.
--show
Show a recipe's source code.
--shell
The shell to use for recipes.
--summary
List all available recipes in a compact format.
--uncolor
Disable colored output.
--version
Show just's version.
--help
Show help message.
[recipe]
The recipe(s) to execute.
[arguments]
Arguments to pass to the recipe(s).
DESCRIPTION
Just is a modern, elegant command runner for saving and executing project-specific commands. It's like a `Makefile`, but designed for humans. It's written in Rust, so it's fast and reliable. Instead of arcane make syntax, Just uses a simple, declarative syntax to define recipes, which are named sequences of shell commands.
It is designed to be easy to learn and use, emphasizing simplicity and readability. Just allows you to capture common project tasks like building, testing, deploying, and running development servers in named recipes.
Recipes can take arguments, have dependencies, and access environment variables. Just also provides features like auto-completion and syntax highlighting to improve the developer experience. Justfiles are generally named `justfile` and should reside in the project root. Just aims to replace `Makefile` and improve over `bash scripts` and `npm run` commands.
CAVEATS
Just requires a `justfile` in the current directory or a parent directory. The syntax of the justfile is different than `Makefile` and needs to be learned. Just doesn't support all features of Make, but offers more modern alternatives.
EXAMPLE JUSTFILE
A simple justfile might look like this:
```
build:
cargo build
test:
cargo test
```
To run the `build` recipe, you would type `just build`.
INSTALLATION
Just can be installed using various package managers or by downloading a pre-built binary from the project's website.
HISTORY
Just was created to address the shortcomings of Makefiles as task runners. It aims to be more user-friendly and easier to learn. It has gained popularity due to its simple syntax and clear error messages. It is actively developed and maintained.