Notes and readme

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Casey Rodarmor 2016-10-30 19:15:43 -07:00
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j just
= ====
`j` is a handy way to run project-specific commands. `just` is a handy way to run project-specific commands.
getting started getting started
--------------- ---------------
Get `j` from cargo, the [rust language](https://www.rust-lang.org) package manager: Get `just` from cargo, the [rust language](https://www.rust-lang.org) package manager:
1. Get rust and cargo from [rustup.rs](https://www.rustup.rs) 1. Get rust and cargo from [rustup.rs](https://www.rustup.rs)
2. Run `cargo install j` 2. Run `cargo install just`
3. Add `~/.cargo/bin` to your PATH 3. Add `~/.cargo/bin` to your PATH
`j` depends on `make` or `gmake` to actually run commands, but if you're using unix, a make is probably already installed on your system. If not, you can get it from your friendly local package manager. `just` depends on `make` or `gmake` to actually run commands, but if you're using unix, a make is probably already installed on your system. If not, you can get it from your friendly local package manager.
Unfortunately, the dependency on `make` makes `j` difficult to run on windows. A possible future goal is to stop depending on make and use a custom file format, discussed in [issue #1](https://github.com/casey/j/issues/1). Unfortunately, the dependency on `make` makes `just` difficult to run on windows. A possible future goal is to stop depending on make and use a custom file format, discussed in [issue #1](https://github.com/casey/just/issues/1).
Once you can run `j`, create a file called `justfile` in the root of your project, and start adding recipes to it. See an example `justfile` [here](https://github.com/casey/j/blob/master/justfile). Once you can run `just`, create a file called `justfile` in the root of your project, and start adding recipes to it. See an example `justfile` [here](https://github.com/casey/j/blob/master/justfile).
The first recipe in the `justfile` will be run when `j` is called with no arguments, which makes it a good candidate for the command that you run most often, for example building and testing your project. Other recipes can be run by supplying their name as an argument, for example `j build` to run the `build` recipe. The first recipe in the `justfile` will be run when `just` is called with no arguments, which makes it a good candidate for the command that you run most often, for example building and testing your project. Other recipes can be run by supplying their name as an argument, for example `just build` to run the `build` recipe.
After that, the sky is the limit! After that, the sky is the limit!
@ -35,21 +35,21 @@ Ideas for recipes include:
how it works how it works
------------ ------------
`j` looks upward from the current directory for a file called `justfile` and then runs `make` with that file as the makefile. `j` also sets the current working directory to where it found the justfile, so your commands are executed from the root of your project and not from whatever subdirectory you happen to be in. `just` looks upward from the current directory for a file called `justfile` and then runs `make` with that file as the makefile. `just` also sets the current working directory to where it found the justfile, so your commands are executed from the root of your project and not from whatever subdirectory you happen to be in.
Makefile targets are called "recipes", and are simply lists of commands to run in sequence, making them very concise. Recipes stop if a command fails, like if you do `set -e` in a shell script. Recipes also print each command before running it. If you would like to supress this, you can prepend a line in a recipe with `@`. Makefile targets are called "recipes", and are simply lists of commands to run in sequence, making them very concise. Recipes stop if a command fails, like if you do `set -e` in a shell script. Recipes also print each command before running it. If you would like to supress this, you can prepend a line in a recipe with `@`.
With no arguments `j` runs the default recipe: With no arguments `just` runs the default recipe:
`j` `just`
Adding one argument specifies the recipe: Adding one argument specifies the recipe:
`j compile` `just compile`
Multiple recipes can be run in order: Multiple recipes can be run in order:
`j lint compile test` `just lint compile test`
Arguments after `--` are exported to environment variables`ARG0`, `ARG1`, ..., `ARGN`, which can be used in the justfile. To run recipe `compile` and export `ARG0=bar` and `ARG1=baz`: Arguments after `--` are exported to environment variables`ARG0`, `ARG1`, ..., `ARGN`, which can be used in the justfile. To run recipe `compile` and export `ARG0=bar` and `ARG1=baz`:
@ -58,16 +58,16 @@ Arguments after `--` are exported to environment variables`ARG0`, `ARG1`, ..., `
further ramblings further ramblings
----------------- -----------------
`j` is a trivial program, but I personally find it enormously useful and write a `justfile` for almost every project, big or small. `just` is a trivial program, but I personally find it enormously useful and write a `justfile` for almost every project, big or small.
For one, `j` is a full 5 characters shorter than `./main`, and 3 characters shorter than `make`. For one, `just` is a full 5 characters shorter than `./main`, and 3 characters shorter than `make`.
On a big project with multiple contributers, it's very useful to have a file with all the commands needed to work on the project. There are probably different commands to test, build, lint, deploy, and the like, and having them all in one place is useful and cuts down on the time you have to spend telling people which commands to run and how to type them. And, with an easy place to put commands, it's likely that you'll come up with other useful things which are part of the project's collective wisdom, but which aren't written down anywhere, like the arcane commands needed for your project's revision control workflow, for updating dependencies, or all the random flags you might need to pass to the build system. On a big project with multiple contributers, it's very useful to have a file with all the commands needed to work on the project. There are probably different commands to test, build, lint, deploy, and the like, and having them all in one place is useful and cuts down on the time you have to spend telling people which commands to run and how to type them. And, with an easy place to put commands, it's likely that you'll come up with other useful things which are part of the project's collective wisdom, but which aren't written down anywhere, like the arcane commands needed for your project's revision control workflow, for updating dependencies, or all the random flags you might need to pass to the build system.
Even for small, personal projects, it's nice to be able to go into an old project written in some random language with some mysterious build system and know that all the commands you need to do whatever you need to do are in the justfile, and that if you type `j` something useful will probably happen. Even for small, personal projects, it's nice to be able to go into an old project written in some random language with some mysterious build system and know that all the commands you need to do whatever you need to do are in the justfile, and that if you type `just` something useful will probably happen.
If you have a feature request, do open an issue and let me know. If you have a feature request, do open an issue and let me know.
I hope you enjoy using j, and find great success and satisfaction in all your computational endeavors! I hope you enjoy using `just`, and find great success and satisfaction in all your computational endeavors!
😸 😸

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notes
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todo todo
---- ----
- change name back to 'just', suggest j as alias . link to docs, cargo badge, crates
- redirect j to just in crates.io . start with an short example justfile
. recipes, dependencies, assignments, backticks
. make this justfile runnable as a test
- include just.sh . suggest j as alias
- readme: . users can email me or open an issue for help, bowing emoji
. just a command runner or just do it just because open issue for feature requests
. link to docs, cargo badge, crates . ask users to contribute their justfiles as tests
. start with an example justfile
. make it clear it's beta, mention that, as a command runner . make it clear it's beta, mention that, as a command runner
there is probably a higher than normal chance of disaster there is probably a higher than normal chance of disaster
. installation instructions
. long guide . installation instructions
. talk about all command line flags
. vim and emacs syntax hilighting (use makefile syntax hilighting for now) . vim and emacs syntax hilighting (use makefile syntax hilighting for now)
. `` strips a single newline
. habit of using clever commands and writing little scripts - command line flags
. alias .j='just --justfile ~/.justfile --working-directory ~'
- advanced recipes
. long example justfile, make runnable as a script
. very low friction to write a script (no new file, chmod, add to rcs) . very low friction to write a script (no new file, chmod, add to rcs)
. `` strips a single newline
. polyglot recipes + habit of using clever commands and writing little scripts
. note that shell is invoked with -u . note that shell is invoked with -u
. users can email me for help
. make list of contributors, include travis
. ask users to contribute their justfiles as tests
. please open an issue for feature requests
- big example justfile
. justfile.example or example.justfile
. lots of comments
. parse them
. update tarball dep . update tarball dep
. check version string
. clean . clean
. update logs (repetitive git flow) . update logs (repetitive git flow)
. check version string
. quine . quine
- rewrite grammar.txt . link to grammar.md
. mention extras/just.sh
. alias .j='just --justfile ~/.justfile --working-directory ~'
- try to get some users - try to get some users
. travis . travis