Just

You write a `justfile` with named recipes, and `just build` or `just deploy` runs them. That's it.

CC0 license (public domain), Rust. The syntax is intentionally similar to Make but without Make's tab-sensitivity and implicit rules. Variables, arguments, conditional logic, and shell selection (bash, sh, PowerShell, Python) are built in. Cross-platform.

Fully free. Single binary, no paid tier, no cloud service. Public domain license. Use it however you want. Every developer at every team size benefits. Drop a `justfile` in your repo, document your common commands, and new team members can `just --list` to see everything available. Onboarding time drops immediately.

The catch: Just is only a command runner. It doesn't understand file dependencies. If you need "rebuild only when source files changed," that's Make's strength and Just explicitly doesn't do it. If your project needs real dependency-based builds, Just is the wrong tool. Use it for orchestrating commands, not building software.