Fn

Introduction • Getting Started • Contributing • Roadmap

Introduction

Fn is a "function-oriented" general purpose automation tool that aims to be simpler and more flexible than similar tools such as Make, Task, and Rake.

Fn aims to have a human-centered design, with emphasis on usability and aesthetics.

Even the smartest among us can feel inept as we fail to figure out which light switch or oven burner to turn on, or whether to push, pull, or slide a door. The fault lies not in ourselves, but in product design that ignores the needs of users and the principles of cognitive psychology.

The problems range from ambiguous and hidden controls to arbitrary relationships between controls and functions, coupled with a lack of feedback or other assistance and unreasonable demands on memorization.

The rules are simple: make things visible, exploit natural relationships that couple function and control, and make intelligent use of constraints.

The goal: guide the user effortlessly to the right action on the right control at the right time.

-- The Design of Everyday Things

An example to get you started:

fnfile.yml

version: '0.1'
fns:
  hello: echo "Hello, World!"

❯ fn hello
Hello, World

Getting Started

go install github.com/go-fn/fn

Features

✨ Functionality

Feature	Explanation
ui	An interactive UI that makes running fn easy, fun, and informative
cli	POSIX compliant cli for use with automation
templating	Leverage Go Templates as an alternative to shell commands
include	Include content from local or remote fnfile.yml files.
outputs	Tired of reading walls of log output? Fn supports a wide range of options for how output is presented, so you can find what you need, and move on.
watch	Integration with viddy to watch a fn
fwatch	Integration with fsnotify to provide "rerun" functionality when files change
src/gen	Fingerprint files between runs, useful to skip expensive steps

🔑 Keywords

Keyword	Description
fn	A series of steps (aka function)
step	An abstract behavior
sh	A step that runs a shell command
do	A step that runs other steps in sequence
parallel	A step that runs other steps in parallel
defer	A step that is run when the surround fn completes (success or failure)
matrix	Dynamically defined steps
return	A step that triggers the parent step to end early (such as when part of a do)
var	A lazily evaluated (then optionally memoized/cached) value
ctx	A collection of values that are available at different points in an fnfile
ns	A namespace for fn's
serialgroup	Control concurrency of step's or fn's through labelling

Contributing

TBD

Roadmap

Status	Goal	Labels
✅	Create RoadMap
🚧	Implement Basic Step Types	alpha
✅	- Sh (shell out)	alpha
✅	- Do (serial steps)	alpha
✅	- Parallel (parallel steps)	alpha
✅	- Defer (end of parent)	alpha
🚧	- Fn (call another function)	alpha
🚧	Vars Support	alpha
🚧	Env Support	alpha
🚧	Ctx Support	alpha
🚧	Templating Support	alpha
-	CLI Args Support	alpha
-	Linear Output (log-like)	alpha
-	Progress/Spinner Output	alpha
-	Robust Documentation (follows the code)	alpha
-	BubbleTea based UI	beta
-	Viddy/Watch Integration	beta
-	FSNotify Integration	beta
-	Implement Advanced Step Types	beta
-	- Matrix (dynamic steps based on combination matrix)	beta
-	- Return (end early)	beta
-	Other Advanced Features	beta
-	- Ns (namespaces/includes)	beta
-	- SerialGroups (for use with parallel)	beta
-	- Inputs/Outputs (for functions)	beta

Attribution

Function icons created by Freepik - Flaticon