How do I install Orbit on Linux without root access?

Extract the binary to a user directory like ~/.local/bin using tar, then add it to your PATH in ~/.bashrc or similar. The README provides tar commands, but you can avoid sudo by not moving to /usr/local/bin.

Orbit vs Make: which is better for cross-platform tasks?

Orbit excels at cross-platform consistency and template-based file generation with flexible data sources, while Make is stronger for dependency tracking and incremental builds. Choose Orbit if you need uniform behavior across OSes without shell script complexities.

How can I use environment variables in Orbit templates?

Include .env files as a data source via the -p flag, e.g., -p "env,.env", then access variables in templates with {{ .Orbit.env.VAR_NAME }}. Alternatively, use raw data or integrate with shell environment variables by passing them as payloads.

Does Orbit support parallel task execution?

No, Orbit runs tasks sequentially as defined in the run attribute of the YAML configuration. For parallelism, you would need to use external tools or structure tasks to call separate processes, as there's no built-in concurrency support.

Can I integrate Orbit into a CI/CD pipeline?

Yes, Orbit is suitable for CI/CD due to its cross-platform nature; download the binary in your pipeline script and run tasks from orbit.yml. Ensure the binary is in PATH, and use payload files for environment-specific configurations.

How to debug Orbit tasks when they fail?

Use the -d or --debug flag to set logging to debug level for detailed output. Also, verify command sequences in orbit.yml, check that all binaries are in PATH, and use the verbose flag (-v) for info-level logs during execution.

What are Orbit's performance overheads compared to shell scripts?

Orbit has minimal overhead as a compiled Go binary, but for very simple tasks, native shell commands might be faster due to reduced process spawning. The trade-off is acceptable for cross-platform benefits and template capabilities in most automation scenarios.

Open-Awesome

Orbit

MITGov3.3.0

A cross-platform task runner for executing commands and generating files from templates.

GitHub

187 stars10 forks0 contributors

What is Orbit?

Orbit is a cross-platform task runner designed as an alternative to `make` and `sed -i` commands. It automates command execution and generates files from templates using Go's text/template engine, ensuring consistent behavior across Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Target Audience

Developers and DevOps engineers who need a platform-agnostic tool for automating build tasks, file generation, and command sequences without relying on platform-specific scripts like shell scripts or Makefiles.

Value Proposition

Orbit offers a streamlined, elegant solution with built-in template support and flexible data sources, prioritizing cross-platform compatibility and simplicity over the raw power of traditional tools like `make`.

Overview

:satellite: A cross-platform task runner for executing commands and generating files from templates

Use Cases

Best For

Generating configuration files from templates with dynamic data from YAML, JSON, TOML, or .env sources.
Automating multi-step build or deployment tasks that need to run uniformly across Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Replacing platform-specific `make` or shell scripts with a single, cross-platform YAML configuration.
Creating files with custom template logic using Sprig library functions and OS-specific conditions.
Running nested or conditional tasks with a clean YAML-based task definition format.
Integrating file generation and command execution in a single workflow, such as preparing environment-specific configs before a build.

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring advanced shell scripting features like process substitution or signal handling
Build systems that need incremental builds with dependency tracking, similar to make's caching
Teams already using ecosystem-specific task runners like npm scripts or Gradle, where Orbit adds unnecessary abstraction
Environments where quick, package-manager-based installation is preferred over manual setup

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cross-Platform Reliability

Continuous integration badges (Travis CI and AppVeyor) confirm uniform task execution across Windows, Linux, and macOS without platform-specific adjustments, as emphasized in the README's philosophy.

Versatile Template Engine

Uses Go's text/template with Sprig library and custom functions like `os` for OS detection, supporting dynamic file generation from YAML, TOML, JSON, .env, and raw data via the `-p` flag.

Nested Task Orchestration

YAML-based configuration allows defining tasks with nested calls via the `run` function and conditional execution using template logic, enabling complex workflows without external scripts.

Flexible Data Integration

Supports multiple data sources accessible in templates through `{{ .Orbit.my_key.my_data }}`, with an optional `orbit-payload.yml` file for persistent payloads, simplifying configuration management.

Cons

Manual Installation Burden

Requires downloading, extracting, and manually adding the binary to PATH, which is cumbersome compared to package manager installations; the README provides step-by-step instructions but no one-command install.

Go Template Dependency

Users must learn Go's template syntax, and the README primarily references external documentation (Go and Hugo docs), which can be a barrier for those unfamiliar with this ecosystem.

Limited Build Features

Lacks advanced features like dependency tracking or incremental builds, as admitted in the README ('does not aim to be as powerful as make'), making it less efficient for large-scale rebuilds.

Sparse Native Documentation

While functional, the README has limited examples for complex use cases and relies on external resources, potentially increasing the learning curve for troubleshooting or advanced configurations.

Open Source Alternative To

Orbit is an open-source alternative to the following products:

make

Make (or GNU Make) is a build automation tool that automatically builds executable programs and libraries from source code by reading Makefiles.

sed

sed (stream editor) is a Unix command-line utility for parsing and transforming text using a compact scripting language, commonly used for find-and-replace operations in files or streams.

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