There is no perfect solution

Something I've said recently when mentoring bootcamp students and working with Junior Developers is that there isn't a perfect solution to each problem, and there are multiple ways to achieve the same result.

Similarly, there isn't a perfect tool for every situation.

You can use different tools and get the same outcome.

In some of my early emails, I talked about run files and just - two ways to write project-specific commands or aliases that simplify complex commands or group multiple commands together.

Both do the same thing, but each have pros and cons.

run files are files written in Bash, which are more verbose but can run anywhere.

just is its own program that needs to be installed for it to be available, so Developers will need to have it installed, and it will need to be added to a CI pipeline to be available.

I've had CI pipelines fail because they can't download just, and not because of anything in the application code.

I like the simplicity of justfiles, though, and that the files are simpler.

Here's the thing

If there isn't a perfect solution, approach, or tool, it comes down to the pros and cons of each. Which option is best for you, your project, or your team?

There isn't a "one size fits all" solution that works for everyone all the time.