ScriptsApr 11, 2026·1 min read

Just — A Modern Command Runner and Makefile Alternative

Just is a command runner, like Make but for modern dev workflows. Write recipes in a Justfile, run them with `just recipe-name`. Simpler syntax than Make, no obscure behaviors, cross-platform, and works great for project tasks.

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Quick Use

Use it first, then decide how deep to go

This block should tell both the user and the agent what to copy, install, and apply first.

# Install
brew install just                           # macOS
cargo install just                          # Rust
scoop install just                          # Windows

Create justfile in your project root:

# List recipes
default:
  @just --list

# Run tests
test:
  npm test

# Build for production
build:
  npm run build
  @echo "Build complete"

# Deploy with arg
deploy env="staging":
  ./scripts/deploy.sh {{env}}

# Multi-line recipe
release version:
  git tag v{{version}}
  git push --tags
  cargo publish

# Recipe with dependencies
ci: test build
  echo "CI passed"

Run:

just              # default recipe
just test         # run tests
just deploy prod  # with argument
just ci           # runs test then build then echo
Intro

Just is a command runner, inspired by Make but built for modern developer workflows. Written in Rust by Casey Rodarmor, it offers cleaner syntax, cross-platform support, and avoids Make quirks (tab-only indentation, .PHONY gotchas, shell escaping). Perfect for project task automation.

What Just Does

  • Recipes — named task definitions in a justfile
  • Arguments — positional and named with defaults
  • Dependencies — recipes can depend on other recipes
  • Shebang recipes — run entire recipe with python/node/bash
  • String interpolation — {{var}} substitution
  • Env vars — dotenv support via set dotenv-load
  • Conditional — if os == "macos" { ... }
  • Private recipes — prefix with _
  • Groups — organize recipes into groups

Architecture

Parses the justfile, builds a DAG of recipes, and runs them via the configured shell (sh by default, or any shebang). No make-style file timestamps or incremental logic — simpler and more predictable.

Self-Hosting

Single Rust binary.

Key Features

  • Modern clean syntax
  • Cross-platform (macOS, Linux, Windows)
  • Recipe arguments with defaults
  • Dependencies and groups
  • Shebang recipes for multi-language tasks
  • Env var integration
  • Nice error messages
  • just --list auto-help
  • Tab or space indentation

Comparison

Tool Language Scope Strengths
Just Rust Task runner Simple modern syntax
Make C Build + tasks Ubiquitous, incremental
Taskfile Go Task runner YAML-based
npm scripts JS Node projects Built into npm
mise tasks Rust Task runner Integrated env manager
cargo-make Rust Rust projects Rust-focused

常见问题 FAQ

Q: 和 Make 区别？ A: Just 不做增量构建（无文件时间戳追踪），专注于任务运行。语法更干净，无 tab 强制、无 .PHONY 坑。适合 project tasks，不适合 C/C++ 大型构建。

Q: 可以在 CI 用吗？ A: 非常合适。CI 上 just ci 一行跑所有检查，开发者本地完全一样的体验。

Q: 支持 include 吗？ A: 支持 import 语法（v1.14+）来复用 recipes。

来源与致谢 Sources

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