What is just?

just is a handy command runner written in Rust by Casey Rodarmor. It saves and runs project-specific commands, called recipes, stored in a file named justfile with a syntax inspired by make. Unlike make, just is not a build system: recipes are simply commands to run, so there are no phony targets and no dependency on file modification times. With over 25k GitHub stars, it has become the go-to task runner for modern projects.

😤 Traditional make Pain Points: Tired of .PHONY declarations everywhere? Fed up with tab-versus-space errors and implicit build rules that fire when you least expect them? just keeps the familiar recipe feel of a Makefile but drops the build-system baggage — every recipe is just a command.

            🚀 Why Latest Versions Matter: just is actively developed with frequent releases containing new attributes, expression functions, shell integrations, and quality-of-life improvements. The latest versions include enhanced completion scripts, new built-in functions, better error messages, and expanded cross-platform support.
        

⚡ Key Features of just

📝 Make-Inspired Syntax

Write recipes in a familiar, readable justfile. If you know Makefiles, you already know most of just — minus the quirks.

🧩 Recipe Parameters

Recipes accept arguments and have default values, so a single recipe can adapt to many invocations without extra scripting.

🐚 Any Shell or Language

Write recipes in sh, bash, Python, Node, or anything else with a shebang line. just runs each recipe with the interpreter you choose.

📋 List & Discover

Run just --list to see every recipe with its documentation comment. Newcomers can explore a project's tasks instantly.

🔐 .env & Variables

Load environment files, define variables, and interpolate them into recipes. Keep configuration tidy and out of your commands.

🌍 Cross-Platform

A single static binary that works the same on Linux, macOS, and Windows — no runtime, no interpreter, no quirks.

🏆 Productivity Benefits

Save Time: Run any project task with just <recipe> instead of remembering long commands
Self-Documenting: just --list shows every task and its description
Consistent: The whole team runs the same commands the same way
No Build Quirks: Recipes are commands, not targets — no stale-timestamp surprises
Portable: One justfile works across Linux, macOS, and Windows

🆕 What's New in just 1.56.0+

New Functions: Additional built-in expression functions for paths, strings, and the environment
Recipe Attributes: More attributes for controlling how and when recipes run
Better Completions: Improved bash, zsh, and fish completion scripts
Clearer Errors: More helpful parse and runtime error messages
Cross-Platform: Continued improvements for Windows and shell handling
Man Page: Up-to-date just.1 man page shipped with the package

📦 Installation from deb.griffo.io

Step 1: Add Repository

sudo install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://deb.griffo.io/EA0F721D231FDD3A0A17B9AC7808B4DD62C41256.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg] https://deb.griffo.io/apt $(lsb_release -sc 2>/dev/null) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deb.griffo.io.list > /dev/null
sudo apt update
                

install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://deb.griffo.io/EA0F721D231FDD3A0A17B9AC7808B4DD62C41256.asc | gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/deb.griffo.io.gpg] https://deb.griffo.io/apt $(lsb_release -sc 2>/dev/null) main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deb.griffo.io.list > /dev/null
apt update
                

Step 2: Install just

# Install latest just
sudo apt install just

# Verify installation
just --version
                

# Install latest just
apt install just

# Verify installation
just --version
                

Step 3: Create Your First justfile

# Create a justfile in your project
cat > justfile <<'EOF'
# Build the project
build:
    cargo build --release

# Run the tests
test:
    cargo test

# Say hello to someone
hello name='world':
    echo "Hello, {{name}}!"
EOF

# List available recipes
just --list

# Run a recipe
just build
just hello just
            

🎯 Basic Usage Examples

Running recipes:

# Run the first recipe in the justfile (the default)
just

# Run a specific recipe
just test

# Pass an argument to a recipe
just hello Dario

# List every recipe with its documentation
just --list
        

Working with justfiles:

# Show the resolved value of a variable
just --evaluate

# Print a recipe without running it
just --show build

# Use a justfile in another directory
just --justfile ~/project/justfile --working-directory ~/project build

# Choose a recipe interactively (needs a chooser like fzf)
just --choose
        

Shell completions:

# Completions for bash, fish and zsh are installed with the package.
# Generate them manually for any shell if you need to:
just --completions bash
just --completions zsh
just --completions fish
        

🚀 Why Choose deb.griffo.io?

📊 Repository Comparison:

Official Ubuntu: Available but often outdated versions
Cargo Install: Requires Rust toolchain and compilation
Install Script: Manual updates and no package management
deb.griffo.io: Latest version (1.56.0+) with automatic updates

✅ Latest Features: Get the newest recipe attributes and functions
✅ No Rust Compilation: Pre-built binaries, no toolchain needed
✅ Automatic Updates: Packages updated within hours of upstream releases
✅ Complete Package: Includes shell completions and the man page
✅ Multi-Distribution: Works on Jammy and Noble
✅ Easy Maintenance: Standard apt commands for updates

📦 Package Build Repository

The Ubuntu packages are automatically built and maintained in this GitHub repository:

🤖 just-debian - Latest release builds

🔗 Related Packages

Also available from deb.griffo.io:

fzf Fuzzy Finder - Powers just --choose for interactive recipe selection
Jujutsu - A modern, Git-compatible version control system
Helix Editor - A post-modern modal editor for editing your justfiles

            🎯 Perfect for: Developers who juggle many project commands, teams that want a single consistent task runner, anyone who likes Makefiles but not make's quirks, and power users who value a fast, portable, self-documenting workflow.
        

💝 Support This Project

If this repository saves you time and effort, please consider supporting it!

⭐ Star on GitHub 🐦 Share on Twitter

🤖 Install Latest just on Ubuntu