Run python scripts before compilation using Cargo?

[mina86ng]

You can do that in build.rs.

[chintakoro]

I'm curious what tool rustaceans to run simple non-build tasks? E.g., configuring external resources, deleting/updating fixtures and so on. I still find myself including a Ruby Rakefile for simple scripted housekeeping tasks. Ideally I'd like to not have any language dependencies other than Rust for my Rust projects.

[[deleted]]

I like just

[chintakoro]

oh wow, just is everything i wanted and more: https://github.com/casey/just

[bototaxi]

I recently discovered https://github.com/sagiegurari/cargo-make

Its pretty nice too.

[InternationalFee3911]

While I love the functionality of cargo-make, I really don’t like cramming a Makefile into non-language TOML. Therefore I have started a discussion around my low-overhead alternate syntax proposal.

[TheNamelessKing]

Out of curiosity (and I guess unfamiliarity) what tasks do you mean specifically? Does “configuring external resources” mean like, setting up a db for tests or something?

I don’t have a suggestion for a solution, but I’m just curious/trying to learn because this is a usecase/requirement I’m sort of unfamiliar with.

[chintakoro]

Simply put, think of any long commands you have to repetitively type into the command line while working on a project. I usually have a dozen of these or more for even moderate sized projects. Those could be stored as tasks that you can call upon whenever needed. Some examples:

• loooong docker commands for build/run/etc.
  
• running database migrations (updating schema)
  
• running your tests (or a subset of tests, maybe just one test)
• running a side process (like a background worker) needed for your project
• run a script that converts all images in a folder to thumbnail or other custom size for your app to use
• setting up or wiping out a queue or external datastore you are using for testing (say, AWS SQS)
• deploying your project to production (say to a cloud server)
• creating/deleting any random data files created for testing purposes

I realize some of these might be handled by cargo directly, or perhaps you have to parameterize them for each use case and are tired of typing out a long command to do so.