Definitions

Environment

State of your computer from which commands are executed.

• consists of the name of your current directory, your current user, its permissions, the variables accessible to it and the commands it can run at the moment.

Environment variable

A variable that can be read by executables and CJTaskrunner.

• Set in your shell before CJTaskrunner runs, or
• Set using the @env directive.
• Globally available within a taskfile execution context.

Runtime variable

A variable whose value can be read only by CJTaskrunner inside of a task.

• Set in a task using the @set directive.
• Accessible only in CJTaskrunner.
• Lasts the duration of the task context and is passed to subordinate tasks as a snapshot.
• Will override other variables with the same name for the duration of the task. Most recent definition wins.
• Can be promoted to an exported variable.

Exported variable

A variable that has the same properties of an environment variable but originated as a runtime variable.

• A runtime variable that is used in an @export directive.
• As a shortcut can be defined directly in the @export directive.
• Exported values are shared across the taskfile execution context. A task can still shadow the same name with @set inside its own task context, or overwrite the shared value with another @export.

Task context

The environment that spans the execution of a single task.

• This is the narrowest and most isolated context.
• It starts as a copy of the taskfile execution context from which the task is run.
• A copy of it is propagated to subordinate task runs using @task and @await.
• Unexported variable changes are discarded when the task ends, as well as working directory changes.

Taskfile execution context

the environment that exists from the moment you run a CJTaskrunner task until it finishes.

• Starting as a snapshot of your shell environment, it holds any environment variable references and exported variables and makes them available to task contexts.
• Ultimately, all environment changes made in a taskfile execution context are discarded after CJTaskrunner completes its run.

Variable

A named container holding a value.

• You refer to a variable by its name, such as MR_VAR.
• Variables are further divided into runtime variables, environment variables, and exported variables.
• The name must consist of ascii letters, digits or an underscore. It cannot start with a digit.
• If you put a $ in front of the variable name, CJTaskrunner will exchange the whole thing for the variable’s value. This is what is called “interpolating” or “dereferencing”.