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Task

A task runner like Make, written in Go, configured with a Taskfile YAML file.

GitHub Download v3.54.0
Stars
16.3k
Forks
940
Licence
MIT
Language
Go
Last update
4 days ago
Type
Dev tool

What it is

Task is a command-line tool that runs project tasks such as builds, tests, and scripts, similar in purpose to Make. You describe the tasks in a Taskfile, and Task runs them across Linux, macOS, Windows, and other systems. The README describes it as fast, cross-platform, and designed for modern workflows.

  • Define build, test, and lint commands in one Taskfile and run them by name
  • Run the same project tasks on a Windows laptop and a Linux CI server
  • Chain tasks so one task depends on others finishing first

Great for

  • Developers who want a simpler alternative to Makefiles for project scripts
  • Teams that work across Linux, macOS, and Windows and need one task runner
  • Projects that already use Go or want a single binary with no runtime dependencies
  • People automating repetitive build, test, or deployment steps

Not ideal for

  • People who only need a one-off shell script, since a Taskfile adds setup overhead
  • Users who rely on existing Makefile-specific syntax and do not want to rewrite it
  • Non-developers, because the tool is aimed at people who manage software projects
Step-by-step guide: how to use TaskInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    See the README

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/go-task/task
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install Task using the instructions at https://taskfile.dev/docs/installation
    • Create a Taskfile.yml in your project directory
    • Run task with a task name from your Taskfile
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the getting started guide at https://taskfile.dev/docs/getting-started
    • Use the docs at https://taskfile.dev/docs/guide for the full Taskfile reference
    • Use the official Discord or GitHub project for questions and updates

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubRelease v3.54.08 files incl. task_windows_arm64.zipOfficial website & docstaskfile.dev

Strengths

  • Distributed as prebuilt binaries for many operating systems and architectures in the latest release
  • MIT licensed and actively maintained, with a recent push to the repository
  • Widely starred project with official documentation at taskfile.dev

Trade-offs

  • The README provided is truncated, so detailed feature and syntax claims could not be verified here
  • Adds another tool that each contributor must install
  • Its Taskfile format differs from Make, so existing Makefiles need translation

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
task (this)16.3kDev toolbeginner4 days agoDevelopers who want a simpler alternative to Makefiles for project scripts
act72.5kDev toolintermediate5 days agoDevelopers who edit .github/workflows files and want faster feedback than commit-and-push cycles
turborepo31.3kDev toolintermediate5 days agoTeams maintaining a JavaScript or TypeScript monorepo with several apps or packages
nx29.4kDev toolintermediate4 days agoTeams with several related JavaScript or TypeScript projects in one repository
floci27.7kDev toolbeginner4 days agoDevelopers who want to test AWS code locally without cloud costs
vite83.7kDev toolintermediate4 days agoFrontend developers starting a new modern web project

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.