camas 0.1.5

Generic parallel/sequential task runner

Camas

Parallel and sequential task-tree runner with matrix expansion and flexible effects all defined as typechecked Python.

Example

# tasks.py
from camas import Parallel, Sequential

ci = Sequential(
  Parallel(
    "ruff format . --check",
    "npx prettier ."
  ),
  Parallel(
    "ruff check .",
    "mypy .",
    "npx eslint src/",
    "pytest",
    "npx tsc --noEmit"
  ),
)

camas ci                           # run the tree
camas ci --dry-run                 # print without running
camas ci --effects='(Summary(),)'  # post-run summary instead of live tree
camas matrix --PY 3.13             # pin a matrix axis from the CLI

The animated tree above is from a live test fixture — see the walkthrough.

Install

pipx install camas

Why camas?

camas is not a build system. camas is for the specific job of running structured trees of shell commands.

	Python task runners†	just	Task	Mage	camas
Project scope	Python projects only	Any	Any	Go projects only	Any
Definition language	pyproject.toml TOML or @task decorator	justfile DSL	YAML	Go	Python (typed AST)
Inline anonymous parallel groups	No	No	No (must be a named task)	No	Yes
Parallel execution	poe yes; Invoke / taskipy no	[parallel] attr	deps: (parallel)	mg.Deps(...)	Parallel(...)
Matrix expansion	No	No	for: + parallel:true	Go loops	matrix=
CLI matrix override (e.g. --PY 3.13)	No	No	No	No	Yes
Live tree output	No	No	prefixed / group modes	No	Termtree (default)
Pluggable output renderers	No	No	3 built-ins	No	--effects
Type checking on task definitions	Partial	No	Editor schema	Yes (Go)	mypy / pyright
First release / status	2013–2020, stable	2016, stable	2017, stable	2017, stable	2026, alpha
Ecosystem	Moderate (Python)	Large	Large	Moderate	None yet

†poethepoet, Invoke, taskipy — pyproject.toml-bound runners that assume a Python project.

If you need...	Reach for
Reproducible, hermetic builds	Nix
Incremental file-based builds (skip when inputs unchanged)	Task
Simple project command menu	just
Parameterized tasks (--env=staging, prompts, vars)	Task
Go project, build logic in Go	Mage
Inline parallel/sequential trees with a live view	camas
Pluggable output effects (live tree locally, summary in CI)	camas
Matrix runs across versions/platforms, overridable from the CLI	camas

CI integration

The renderer is swappable, not the tree. Run the same tasks.py locally with the live Termtree and in CI with the post-run Summary — one flag changes the output, the pipeline definition is unchanged.

- run: uv run camas check --effects='(Summary(SummaryOptions(Fixed(90))),)'

The project's own CI workflow is a working example.

Reference

• Examples — full project layouts under test coverage. The canonical reference for how to structure tasks.py, use [tool.camas.tasks] in pyproject.toml, drive a matrix from .python-version, or scope a 2-axis matrix from the CLI.
• Source — typed Python with thorough docstrings. camas --help and camas <task> --help link back here.
• camas with no args lists tasks; camas <task> --help shows the expanded tree, matrix axes, and override flags.

Walkthrough

The animated tree at the top is generated from this tasks.py:

examples/tauri-app/tasks.py — Rust + TypeScript + Python in one tree

from pathlib import Path

from camas import Parallel, Sequential, Task

src_tauri = Path("src-tauri")
python_sdk = Path("python-sdk")
node = Path("node_modules/.bin")

frontend = Sequential(
    f"{node}/prettier --write .",
    Parallel(
        f"{node}/eslint src/",
        f"{node}/tsc --noEmit",
        f"{node}/vitest run",
    ),
)

backend = Sequential(
    Task("cargo fmt --all", cwd=src_tauri),
    Parallel(
        Task("cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings", cwd=src_tauri),
        Task("cargo test --all-targets --locked", cwd=src_tauri),
    ),
)

sdk = Sequential(
    Task("uv run ruff check --fix .", cwd=python_sdk),
    Task("uv run ruff format .", cwd=python_sdk),
    Parallel(
        Task("uv run mypy .", cwd=python_sdk),
        Task("uv run pytest", cwd=python_sdk),
    ),
)

all = Parallel(frontend, backend, sdk)

fix = Parallel(
    f"{node}/prettier --write .",
    Task("cargo fmt --all", cwd=src_tauri),
    Sequential(
        Task("uv run ruff check --fix .", cwd=python_sdk),
        Task("uv run ruff format .", cwd=python_sdk),
    ),
)

build = Parallel(
    Task("npm run tauri build {FLAG}"),
    matrix={"FLAG": ("-- --debug", "")},
    help="Debug and release builds (FLAG='-- --debug' debug, FLAG='' release)",
)

$ cd examples/tauri-app

List the tasks —

$ camas --list

output

Available tasks from .../tauri-app/tasks.py:
  all       frontend | backend | sdk
  backend   cargo fmt --all, cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings | cargo test --all-targets --locked
  build     Debug and release builds (FLAG='-- --debug' debug, FLAG='' release)  [matrix: FLAG×2 (-- --debug..)]
  fix       node_modules/.bin/prettier --write . | cargo fmt --all | (uv run ruff check --fix ., uv run ruff format .)
  frontend  node_modules/.bin/prettier --write ., node_modules/.bin/eslint src/ | node_modules/.bin/tsc --noEmit | node_modules/.bin/vitest run
  sdk       uv run ruff check --fix ., uv run ruff format ., uv run mypy . | uv run pytest

Preview what all would run —

$ camas --dry-run all

output

all ∥
┃ frontend →
┃ ├─ node_modules/.bin/prettier --write .
┃ └─ node_modules/.bin/eslint src/ | node_modules/.bin/tsc --noEmit | node_modules/.bin/vitest run
┃   ┃ node_modules/.bin/eslint src/
┃   ┃ node_modules/.bin/tsc --noEmit
┃   ┃ node_modules/.bin/vitest run
┃ backend →
┃ ├─ cargo fmt --all  (cwd: src-tauri)
┃ └─ cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings | cargo test --all-targets --locked
┃   ┃ cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings  (cwd: src-tauri)
┃   ┃ cargo test --all-targets --locked  (cwd: src-tauri)
┃ sdk →
┃ ├─ uv run ruff check --fix .  (cwd: python-sdk)
┃ ├─ uv run ruff format .  (cwd: python-sdk)
┃ └─ uv run mypy . | uv run pytest
┃   ┃ uv run mypy .  (cwd: python-sdk)
┃   ┃ uv run pytest  (cwd: python-sdk)

Tree-symbol key: ∥ ends a Parallel header, → ends a Sequential. Children hang off ┃ (parallel siblings, run concurrently) or ├─ / └─ (sequential steps, short-circuit on first failure).

Discover a task's matrix axes and override flags —

$ camas build --help

output

usage: camas build [-h] [--dry-run] [--effects EFFECTS] [--FLAG VAL[,VAL...]]

Debug and release builds (FLAG='-- --debug' debug, FLAG='' release)

runs the 'build' task:
build ∥
┃ npm run tauri build -- --debug [FLAG=-- --debug]: npm run tauri build -- --debug  FLAG=-- --debug
┃ npm run tauri build  [FLAG=]: npm run tauri build   FLAG=

Matrix axes (override with --AXIS VAL[,VAL...]):
  --FLAG  -- --debug,

Pin the matrix from the CLI —

$ camas build --dry-run --FLAG '-- --debug'

output

build ∥
┃ npm run tauri build -- --debug [FLAG=-- --debug]: npm run tauri build -- --debug  FLAG=-- --debug