---
title: "Just: A quick review"
author: "James Pace"
date: "2024/01/10"
---

[Just](https://just.systems/man/en/) is a command runner that operates kind of like make.

Just lets you define tasks in a simple, human-readable file called a Justfile.
To run a task, simply call `just <task_name>`. Just will automatically find the
Justfile in the nearest parent directory and execute the commands defined for that
task.

For example, given the `Justfile`:

```
build:
    cargo build

test:
   cargo test --features log
```

the command `just test` will call `cargo test --features log` in the current terminal window.

Compared to `make`, `just`:

1. Eliminates the need for manual .PHONY target creation, saving you time and reducing
   clutter in Justfiles compared to Makefiles.
2. Can be called below the directory the `Justfile` is in and still find the `Justfile`
   in the parent directory.

In my recent development where I was calling wasm written in rust in a
web app, I found `just` particularly useful.
Building the app took multiple commands, one command for compiling the rust part and
a second command to bundle the JavaScript.

Combining things under a single `just` target was nice and lead to quicker
iterations.