grunt-shell

Run shell commands

A good way to interact with other CLI tools. E.g. compiling Compass compass compile or get the current git branch git branch.

Use StackOverflow for support questions.

Getting Started

If you haven't used grunt before, be sure to check out the Getting Started guide, as it explains how to create a gruntfile as well as install and use grunt plugins. Once you're familiar with that process, install this plugin with this command:

$ npm install --save-dev grunt-shell

Once the plugin has been installed, it may be enabled inside your Gruntfile with this line of JavaScript:

grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-shell');

Tip: the load-grunt-tasks module makes it easier to load multiple grunt tasks.

Documentation

Example config

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {								// Task
        listFolders: {						// Target
            options: {						// Options
                stderr: false
            },
            command: 'ls'
        }
    }
});

grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-shell');
grunt.registerTask('default', ['shell']);

Example usage

Run command

Create a folder named test.

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        makeDir: {
            command: 'mkdir test'
        }
    }
});

The command property supports templates:

grunt.initConfig({
    testDir: 'test',
    shell: {
        makeDir: {
            command: 'mkdir <%= testDir %>'
        }
    }
});

You can also supply a function that returns the command:

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        hello: {
            command: function () {
                return 'echo hello';
            }
        }
    }
});

Which can also take arguments:

module.exports = function(grunt) {
    grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-shell');
    grunt.initConfig({
        shell: {
            greet: {
                command: function (greeting) {
                    return 'echo ' + greeting;
                }
            }
        }
    });
    grunt.registerTask('default', ['shell:greet:hello']);
}

Run command and display the output

Output a directory listing in your Terminal.

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        dirListing: {
            command: 'ls'
        }
    }
});

Custom callback

Do whatever you want with the output.

function log(err, stdout, stderr, cb) {
    console.log(stdout);
    cb();
}

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        dirListing: {
            command: 'ls',
            options: {
                callback: log
            }
        }
    }
});

Option passed to the .exec() method

Run a command in another directory. In this example we run it in a subfolder using the cwd (current working directory) option.

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        subfolderLs: {
            command: 'ls',
            options: {
                stderr: false,
                execOptions: {
                    cwd: 'tasks'
                }
            }
        }
    }
});

Multiple commands

Run multiple commands by placing them in an array which is joined using && or ;. && means run this only if the previous command succeeded. You can also use & to have the commands run concurrently (by executing all commands except the last one in a subshell).

grunt.initConfig({
    shell: {
        multiple: {
            command: [
                'mkdir test',
                'cd test',
                'ls'
            ].join('&&')
        }
    }
});

Config

command

Required
Type: string, function

The command you want to run or a function which returns it. Supports underscore templates.

Options

stdout

Type: boolean
Default: true

Show stdout in the Terminal.

stderr

Type: boolean
Default: true

Show stderr in the Terminal.

stdin

Type: boolean
Default: true

Forward the terminal's stdin to the command.

failOnError

Type: boolean
Default: true

Fail task if it encounters an error. Does not apply if you specify a callback.

callback(err, stdout, stderr, cb)

Type: function
Default: function () {}

Lets you override the default callback with your own.

Make sure to call the cb method when you're done.

execOptions

Type: object

Specify some options to be passed to the .exec() method:

• cwd String Current working directory of the child process
• env Object Environment key-value pairs
• setsid Boolean
• encoding String (Default: 'utf8')
• timeout Number (Default: 0)
• maxBuffer Number (Default: 200*1024)
• killSignal String (Default: 'SIGTERM')

License

MIT © Sindre Sorhus