Show HN: .cmd, cross-platform build tool manager and task launcher you check in

Category: devtools

Tags: task-runner, cross-platform, dependency-management, lua, build-tool

Score: 6.8/10 (Innovation: 7, Technical: 6, Documentation: 7, Utility: 7)

.cmd is a cross-platform task runner and tool manager that you check into your repository, eliminating system-wide dependencies. It uses a polyglot shell script to bootstrap a self-contained Lua executable, then leverages Lua configuration to define tasks, fetch pinned toolchains, and execute commands reproducibly. It's interesting because it combines zero-install onboarding with hermetic dependency management using SHA-256 pinning, simplifying CI and contributor setup.

Target audience: backend devs, devops, build engineers, contributors to cross-platform projects

Repository: https://github.com/dotcmdhq/dotcmd · Lua · MIT · 4 stars

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