Skip to main content
Version: 0.1.0

Invowkfile Format

Invowkfiles are written in CUE, a powerful configuration language that's like JSON with superpowers. If you've never used CUE before, don't worry - it's intuitive and you'll pick it up quickly.

Why CUE?​

We chose CUE over YAML or JSON because:

  • Built-in validation - CUE catches errors before you run anything
  • No indentation nightmares - Unlike YAML, a misplaced space won't break everything
  • Comments! - Yes, you can actually write comments
  • Type safety - Invowk™'s schema ensures your invowkfile is correct
  • Templating - Reduce repetition with CUE's powerful templating

Basic Syntax​

CUE looks like JSON, but more readable:

// This is a comment

// Lists use square brackets
cmds: [
    {
        name: "hello"
        description: "A greeting command"
    }
]

// Multi-line strings use triple quotes
script: """
    echo "Line 1"
    echo "Line 2"
    """

Key differences from JSON:

  • No commas needed after fields (though they're allowed)
  • Trailing commas are fine
  • Comments with //
  • Multi-line strings with """

Schema Overview​

Every invowkfile follows this structure:

// Root level
default_shell?: string  // Optional: override default shell
workdir?: string        // Optional: default working directory
env?: #EnvConfig        // Optional: global environment config
depends_on?: #DependsOn // Optional: global dependencies

// Required: at least one command
cmds: [...#Command]

The ? suffix means a field is optional.

Namespaces via Modules​

Invowkfiles define commands without a namespace. If you want namespacing, put your commands in a module and define the module ID in invowkmod.cue.

See Commands and Namespaces for module naming rules and command prefixes.

Commands Structure​

Each command has this structure:

{
    name: string                 // Required: command name
    description?: string         // Optional: help text
    implementations: [...]       // Required: how to run the command
    flags?: [...]                // Optional: command flags
    args?: [...]                 // Optional: positional arguments
    env?: #EnvConfig             // Optional: environment config
    workdir?: string             // Optional: working directory
    depends_on?: #DependsOn      // Optional: dependencies
}

Implementations​

A command can have multiple implementations for different platforms/runtimes:

{
    name: "build"
    implementations: [
        // Unix implementation
        {
            script: "make build"
            runtimes: [{name: "native"}]
            platforms: [{name: "linux"}, {name: "macos"}]
        },
        // Windows implementation
        {
            script: "msbuild /p:Configuration=Release"
            runtimes: [{name: "native"}]
            platforms: [{name: "windows"}]
        }
    ]
}

Invowk automatically picks the right implementation for your platform.

Scripts​

Scripts can be inline or reference external files:

Inline Scripts​

// Single line
script: "echo 'Hello!'"

// Multi-line
script: """
    #!/bin/bash
    set -e
    echo "Building..."
    go build ./...
    """

External Script Files​

// Relative to invowkfile location
script: "./scripts/build.sh"

// Just the filename (recognized extensions)
script: "deploy.sh"

Recognized extensions: .sh, .bash, .ps1, .bat, .cmd, .py, .rb, .pl, .zsh, .fish

Complete Example​

Here's a full-featured invowkfile:

// Global environment
env: {
    vars: {
        APP_NAME: "myapp"
        LOG_LEVEL: "info"
    }
}

// Global dependencies
depends_on: {
    tools: [{alternatives: ["sh", "bash"]}]
}

cmds: [
    {
        name: "build"
        description: "Build the application"
        implementations: [
            {
                script: """
                    echo "Building $APP_NAME..."
                    go build -o bin/$APP_NAME ./...
                    """
                runtimes: [{name: "native"}]
                platforms: [{name: "linux"}, {name: "macos"}, {name: "windows"}]
            }
        ]
        depends_on: {
            tools: [{alternatives: ["go"]}]
            filepaths: [{alternatives: ["go.mod"]}]
        }
    },
    {
        name: "deploy"
        description: "Deploy to production"
        implementations: [
            {
                script: "./scripts/deploy.sh"
                runtimes: [{name: "native"}]
                platforms: [{name: "linux"}, {name: "macos"}]
            }
        ]
        depends_on: {
            tools: [{alternatives: ["docker", "podman"]}]
            cmds: [{alternatives: ["build"]}]
        }
        flags: [
            {name: "env", description: "Target environment", required: true},
            {name: "dry-run", description: "Simulate deployment", type: "bool", default_value: "false"}
        ]
    }
]

CUE Tips & Tricks​

Reduce Repetition​

Use CUE's templating to avoid repetition:

// Define a template
_nativeUnix: {
    runtimes: [{name: "native"}]
    platforms: [{name: "linux"}, {name: "macos"}]
}

cmds: [
    {
        name: "build"
        implementations: [
            _nativeUnix & {script: "make build"}
        ]
    },
    {
        name: "test"
        implementations: [
            _nativeUnix & {script: "make test"}
        ]
    }
]

Validation​

Run your invowkfile through the CUE validator:

cue vet invowkfile.cue path/to/invowkfile_schema.cue -d '#Invowkfile'

Or just try to list commands - Invowk validates automatically:

invowk cmd

Next Steps​