rusk-task
An asynchronous task runner in Rust, aiming to be a “simpler Make.”
Concept
[!NOTE] To read more detailed, Japanese version of the concept, check zenn.dev.
Make is widely used as a task runner, but despite its relatively simple mechanism, it comes with many default settings that can lead to excessive boilerplate or copy-paste usage. rusk-task replaces these default values with more general-purpose ones, offering a “more modern” way to configure tasks in pursuit of a “simpler Make.”
Installation
mise
mise use github:gw31415/rusk-task
Cargo (from source)
cargo install rusk-task
Features
- The configuration file is written in TOML.
- When run with no arguments, rusk-task displays a list of available tasks (there is no default task).
- Task naming conventions determine whether a target is a file or a phony:
- File target: Contains
/or.in its name. - Phony target: Starts with a letter, followed by letters, digits,
-, or_(matching/^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_-]*$/).
- File target: Contains
- Searches for
rusk.tomlconfiguration files in descendant directories.- Relative paths in a config file are resolved from that config file’s location.
- Independently defined tasks run in concurrent whenever possible.
- Supports multiple environments via
deno_task_shell.
Comparison with Alternatives
cargo-make
- cargo-make offers a richer set of features, including a plugin system and the ability to install external dependencies such as crates. In contrast, rusk-task focuses on being a “simpler Make,” purposely minimizing features to keep the design and documentation concise.
- By default, cargo-make is tightly integrated with Rust (though this can be disabled). rusk-task is not tied to any specific language or technology.
- cargo-make tasks can accept arguments, whereas rusk-task currently provides no way to define tasks that accept arguments.
just
- just is a task runner but not a build system. Like Make, rusk-task can include file dependencies and define tasks that generate files.
- just uses its own file format for configuration.
- just tasks can accept arguments, while rusk-task currently does not support defining tasks with arguments.
Make
- rusk-task aims to be a “simpler Make.”
- Make uses its own file format for configuration.
- Make treats targets as file-generating tasks by default. rusk-task switches between file targets and phony targets based on naming conventions.
- Make has many other features and specifications, which can add complexity.
Acknowledgements
Walkmana-25/rust-actions-example- Referenced for setting up GitHub Actions for Rust projects.