Rake

What Rake is

Rake is a Ruby-based task runner for defining work and the dependencies between tasks. Its Rakefiles use standard Ruby syntax, so task definitions can use familiar Ruby code. A task may list prerequisite tasks, and rule patterns can create implicit tasks when a matching rule applies. Flexible FileLists work like arrays for manipulating file names and paths. Rake also includes packaged tasks, including tasks for building tarballs, and can run tasks in parallel. The documentation illustrates a default task that invokes a test task to run a Ruby unit test file. Rake runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and the project lists Ruby 2.0.0 or later as a requirement. Installation uses RubyGems with the command `gem install rake`. Rake is free under an MIT-style license. The project credits Jim Weirich as its original creator and Hiroshi SHIBATA as maintainer of Rake 10 and later. The project provides the software without express or implied warranties.

Who it suits

Rake suits developers who want to describe task workflows and dependencies in Ruby, including workflows that run tests or build tarballs. It is also suited to teams that need parallel task execution across Linux, macOS, or Windows.

Getting started

1. Open the Rake project website.
2. Install Ruby 2.0.0 or later.
3. Install Rake with `gem install rake`.
4. Define tasks and prerequisites in a Rakefile using Ruby syntax.
5. Run a task, such as a default task that invokes a test task.

Verdict

Choose Rake if you want a free, Ruby-based way to define tasks, prerequisites, and file handling, with packaged tasks and parallel execution. It suits Ruby environments on Linux, macOS, and Windows; it requires Ruby 2.0.0 or later.