taskfile-authoring

# Taskfile Authoring Skill Create and maintain Taskfile.yml files for the Task runner (taskfile.dev). This skill provides procedural knowledge for authoring effective Taskfiles, grounded in official documentation. ## Quick start Create a new Taskfile: ```sh task --init ``` Minimal Taskfile structure: ```yaml version: '3' tasks: default: desc: Print a greeting cmds: - echo "Hello, World!" silent: true ``` Run with `task` (default task) or `task <task-name>`. ## Core concepts ### Task definition ```yaml tasks: build: desc: Build the project cmds: - go build ./cmd/main.go env: CGO_ENABLED: "0" dir: ./cmd deps: [clean] preconditions: - test -f main.go generates: - ./bin/app sources: - "*.go" method: checksum ``` ### Variables and templating ```yaml vars: APP_NAME: myapp VERSION: sh: git describe --tags --always tasks: greet: cmds: - echo "Building {{.APP_NAME}} v{{.VERSION}}" ``` ### Environment variables ```yaml env: GOOS: linux GOARCH: amd64 tasks: build: cmds: - go build -o bin/app . ``` ### Includes and namespaces ```yaml includes: docs: ./documentation docker: ./DockerTasks.yml ``` ### Task dependencies and composition ```yaml tasks: test: cmds: - go test ./... lint: cmds: - golangci-lint run ci: deps: [test, lint] desc: Run all CI checks ``` ## Common patterns ### Cross-platform compatibility Task uses mvdan/sh, a native Go sh interpreter. Write sh/bash-like commands that work across platforms. ### Conditional execution ```yaml tasks: deploy: preconditions: - test -f deploy.key - sh: test "$ENV" = "production" msg: "Not in production environment" cmds: - ./deploy.sh ``` ### Watch mode ```yaml tasks: dev: cmds: - npm run dev desc: Start development server run: once ``` ### File operations ```yaml tasks: clean: cmds: - rm -rf dist/ - rm -f *.log desc: Clean build artifacts ``` ## Reference documentation For detailed information, consult these reference files: - **[Installation](references/installation.md)**: All methods to install Task (package managers, binary, script, GitHub Actions) - **[Guide](references/guide.md)**: Comprehensive guide covering Taskfile features, includes, variables, environment, and advanced usage - **[Schema](references/schema.md)**: Taskfile schema reference and supported file names ## Workflow 1. **Identify task requirements**: What commands, environment, dependencies? 2. **Structure the Taskfile**: Use appropriate version, define tasks with clear names 3. **Add metadata**: descriptions, preconditions, generates/sources for incremental builds 4. **Test tasks**: Run `task --list` to verify, `task <name>` to execute 5. **Validate**: Use `task --dry` for dry runs, check for syntax errors ## Best practices - Use `version: '3'` for latest features - Add `desc` to all tasks for discoverability - Use `silent: true` for cleaner output - Define variables at top level for reuse - Use `preconditions` for safety checks - Use `generates` and `sources` for incremental builds - Prefer `deps` over `cmds` for parallel execution - Use `dir` for tasks that need to run in specific directories ## Version Tracking This skill tracks the Taskfile schema version and Task CLI version it supports: - **Skill version**: 0.1.0 - **Taskfile schema version**: 3 - **Task CLI version**: 3.50.0 - **Latest Task CLI version**: 3.51.1 - **Last verified**: 2026-09-13 ### Upgrading Task CLI To update Task CLI to the latest version: ```sh # Using winget (Windows) winget upgrade Task.TaskCommunity # Using Homebrew (macOS) brew upgrade go-task # Using npm npm update -g @go-task/cli # Using install script (Linux/macOS) sh -c "$(curl --location https://taskfile.dev/install.sh)" -- -d -b ~/.local/bin ``` ### Upgrading the Skill When new Taskfile versions are released: 1. **Check the official changelog**: Visit [taskfile.dev/docs/changelog](https://taskfile.dev/docs/changelog) for new features 2. **Compare versions**: Check if `taskfile_schema_version` or `task_cli_version` in this skill's metadata are outdated 3. **Update references**: Update `references/schema.md` with new schema features 4. **Test compatibility**: Verify examples work with the new version 5. **Update metadata**: Bump `version` and update `last_verified` date ### Version Comparison Template When checking for updates, compare: ```yaml # Current skill metadata metadata: version: 0.1.0 taskfile_schema_version: "3" task_cli_version: "3.50.0" latest_task_cli_version: "3.51.1" last_verified: "2026-09-13" # Compare with latest Taskfile release # If schema version > "3" or CLI version > "3.50.0", update this skill ``` ## Troubleshooting - **Task not found**: Check task name with `task --list` - **Variable not expanding**: Ensure proper `{{.VAR}}` syntax - **Command not found**: Task uses mvdan/sh; ensure executables are in PATH - **Cross-platform issues**: Test on target platforms; avoid shell-specific features - **Include not working**: Verify relative paths and schema version compatibility For installation instructions and platform-specific details, see [references/installation.md](references/installation.md). For comprehensive guide and advanced features, see [references/guide.md](references/guide.md).