Install Task Command Runner on Ubuntu 24.04

Task is a command runner and build tool that is written in the Go programming language. It is designed to automate and streamline the execution of commands and scripts, making it easier to manage complex workflows and development processes. Task is a modern alternative to traditional make command. This tutorial explains how to install Task command runner on Ubuntu 24.04.

Install Task

Download the tar.gz file from the releases page of the Task repository:

wget -qO task.tar.gz https://github.com/go-task/task/releases/latest/download/task_linux_amd64.tar.gz

Extract executable to /usr/local/bin directory:

sudo tar xf task.tar.gz -C /usr/local/bin task

We can verify the Task version in the following manner:

task --version

Remove the downloaded file:

rm -rf task.tar.gz

Testing Task

To start using Task, create a taskfile.yml file and define your commands (tasks) following its syntax. Example:

printf "version: '3'\ntasks:\n  hello:\n    cmds:\n      - echo 'Hello world'" > taskfile.yml

Next, execute the command to run the task created earlier:

task hello

It will execute the hello task defined in taskfile.yml, resulting in the output "Hello world":

task: [hello] echo 'Hello world'
Hello world

Uninstall Task

To remove Task, delete the associated file:

sudo rm -rf /usr/local/bin/task