README.rdoc
= RAKE -- Ruby Make
home :: https://github.com/ruby/rake
bugs :: https://github.com/ruby/rake/issues
docs :: https://ruby.github.io/rake
== Description
Rake is a Make-like program implemented in Ruby. Tasks and dependencies are
specified in standard Ruby syntax.
Rake has the following features:
* Rakefiles (rake's version of Makefiles) are completely defined in
standard Ruby syntax. No XML files to edit. No quirky Makefile
syntax to worry about (is that a tab or a space?)
* Users can specify tasks with prerequisites.
* Rake supports rule patterns to synthesize implicit tasks.
* Flexible FileLists that act like arrays but know about manipulating
file names and paths.
* A library of prepackaged tasks to make building rakefiles easier. For example,
tasks for building tarballs. (Formerly
tasks for building RDoc, Gems, and publishing to FTP were included in rake but they're now
available in RDoc, RubyGems, and rake-contrib respectively.)
* Supports parallel execution of tasks.
== Installation
=== Gem Installation
Download and install rake with the following.
gem install rake
== Usage
=== Simple Example
First, you must write a "Rakefile" file which contains the build rules. Here's
a simple example:
task default: %w[test]
task :test do
ruby "test/unittest.rb"
end
This Rakefile has two tasks:
* A task named "test", which -- upon invocation -- will run a unit test file
in Ruby.
* A task named "default". This task does nothing by itself, but it has exactly
one dependency, namely the "test" task. Invoking the "default" task will
cause Rake to invoke the "test" task as well.
Running the "rake" command without any options will cause it to run the
"default" task in the Rakefile:
% ls
Rakefile test/
% rake
(in /home/some_user/Projects/rake)
ruby test/unittest.rb
....unit test output here...
Type "rake --help" for all available options.
== Resources
=== Rake Information
* {Rake command-line}[link:doc/command_line_usage.rdoc]
* {Writing Rakefiles}[link:doc/rakefile.rdoc]
* The original {Rake announcement}[link:doc/rational.rdoc]
* Rake {glossary}[link:doc/glossary.rdoc]
=== Presentations and Articles about Rake
* Avdi Grimm's rake series:
1. {Rake Basics}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-1-basics/]
2. {Rake File Lists}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-2-file-lists-2/]
3. {Rake Rules}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-3-rules/]
4. {Rake Pathmap}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-4-pathmap/]
5. {File Operations}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-5-file-operations/]
6. {Clean and Clobber}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-6-clean-and-clobber/]
7. {MultiTask}[https://avdi.codes/rake-part-7-multitask/]
* {Jim Weirich's 2003 RubyConf presentation}[https://web.archive.org/web/20140221123354/http://onestepback.org/articles/buildingwithrake/]
* Martin Fowler's article on Rake: https://martinfowler.com/articles/rake.html
== Other Make Re-envisionings ...
Rake is a late entry in the make replacement field. Here are links to
other projects with similar (and not so similar) goals.
* https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Bras -- Bras, one of earliest
implementations of "make in a scripting language".
* http://www.a-a-p.org -- Make in Python
* https://ant.apache.org -- The Ant project
* https://search.cpan.org/search?query=PerlBuildSystem -- The Perl Build System
* https://www.rubydoc.info/gems/rant/0.5.7/frames -- Rant, another Ruby make tool.
== Credits
[<b>Jim Weirich</b>] Who originally created Rake.
[<b>Ryan Dlugosz</b>] For the initial conversation that sparked Rake.
[<b>Nobuyoshi Nakada <nobu@ruby-lang.org></b>] For the initial patch for rule support.
[<b>Tilman Sauerbeck <tilman@code-monkey.de></b>] For the recursive rule patch.
[<b>Eric Hodel</b>] For aid in maintaining rake.
[<b>Hiroshi SHIBATA</b>] Maintainer of Rake 10 and later
== License
Rake is available under an MIT-style license.
:include: MIT-LICENSE
---
= Other stuff
Author:: Jim Weirich <jim.weirich@gmail.com>
Requires:: Ruby 2.0.0 or later
License:: Copyright Jim Weirich.
Released under an MIT-style license. See the MIT-LICENSE
file included in the distribution.
== Warranty
This software is provided "as is" and without any express or implied
warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
== Historical
Rake was originally created by Jim Weirich, who unfortunately passed away in
February 2014. This repository was originally hosted at
{github.com/jimweirich/rake}[https://github.com/jimweirich/rake/], however
with his passing, has been moved to {ruby/rake}[https://github.com/ruby/rake].
You can view Jim's last commit here:
https://github.com/jimweirich/rake/tree/336559f28f55bce418e2ebcc0a57548dcbac4025
You can {read more about Jim}[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Weirich] at Wikipedia.
Thank you for this great tool, Jim. We'll remember you.