rake

List all available tasks

$ rake -T

$ rake

$ rake [task_name]

$ rake [namespace]:[task_name]

$ rake [task1] [task2]

$ rake [task_name][[arg1],[arg2]]

$ rake --trace [task_name]

$ rake -m [task_name]

rake [-f rakefile] [-T] [-t] [-v] [-j numjobs] [task_...]

rake is Ruby's make-like build utility. It executes tasks defined in a Rakefile using standard Ruby syntax, eliminating the need for specialized Makefile syntax or XML configuration.
Tasks are defined with dependencies, and Rake automatically determines the correct execution order. The tool supports namespacing for organizing related tasks, file tasks that track modification times, and parallel execution for improved performance.
Rake is included in Ruby's standard library since version 1.9 and is widely used in Ruby projects, especially Rails applications where it handles database migrations, asset compilation, and other development tasks.

-T, --tasks [pattern]

Display available tasks with descriptions, optionally filtered by pattern

Use specified file as the Rakefile

Turn on invoke/execute tracing and enable full backtrace

Log messages to standard output

Do not log messages to standard output

Treat all tasks as multitasks (parallel execution)

Maximum number of parallel tasks (default: CPU cores + 4)

Build all prerequisites, including those up-to-date

Do a dry run without executing actions

Do not search parent directories for the Rakefile

Display tasks and their prerequisites

Describe tasks (show full descriptions)

Show where tasks are defined

Display help message

Rake searches for a Rakefile in the current directory and parent directories by default. Use -N to disable this behavior or -f to specify an explicit path.
Task names with special characters may require quoting in the shell. Arguments to tasks use bracket syntax which may also need escaping.
Parallel task execution (-m, -j) requires tasks to be thread-safe. Shared state between parallel tasks can cause race conditions.

Rake was created by Jim Weirich in 2003 as a Ruby alternative to Make. The name stands for "Ruby Make." It was included in Ruby's standard library starting with version 1.9 in 2007. After Weirich's passing in 2014, the project continues to be maintained by the Ruby community.

make(1), ruby(1), bundle(1), rails(1)