Invoke (pyinvoke)

1.0.4 verified Tue May 12 auth: no python install: verified quickstart: verified

Invoke, often referred to as pyinvoke to avoid name collision, is a Python task execution tool and library, drawing inspiration from Make and Rake. It enables users to define shell commands within Python functions and execute them via a command-line interface. The current stable version is 1.0.4, with releases occurring periodically to maintain compatibility and add features.

pip install invoke

Common errors

error ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'invoke' ↓

cause The `invoke` package is not installed in the current Python environment.

fix

Run pip install invoke to install the library.

error NameError: name 'task' is not defined ↓

cause The `@task` decorator was used in `tasks.py` without being imported from the `invoke` package.

fix

Add from invoke import task at the top of your tasks.py file.

error TypeError: my_task() missing 1 required positional argument: 'c' ↓

cause A task function was defined without its required `Context` object as the first argument.

fix

Modify the task function signature to accept a Context object, e.g., change def my_task(): to def my_task(c):.

error CommandNotFoundError: The command 'your-command-here' was not found. (or FileNotFoundError) ↓

cause The shell command specified within `c.run()` does not exist or is not in the system's PATH where `invoke` is executed.

fix

Ensure the command is correctly installed and accessible in your shell's PATH, or provide the full absolute path to the executable in c.run().

Warnings

gotcha The PyPI package name is `invoke`, not `pyinvoke`. Always use `pip install invoke` for installation. ↓

fix Use `pip install invoke` to install the library.

breaking Task functions now explicitly require a `Context` object as their first argument. Older examples or codebases might omit this, leading to `TypeError`. ↓

fix Update task definitions to accept a `Context` object, e.g., `@task def my_task(c): ...`.

gotcha Invoke 1.x supports both Python 2.7+ and 3.4+. However, future major versions (e.g., Invoke 2.x) are expected to drop Python 2 support. Plan for migration if still using Python 2. ↓

fix Ensure your development environment uses Python 3.4+ for forward compatibility. Regularly check Invoke's documentation for upcoming breaking changes related to Python version support.

gotcha The way task arguments are defined and parsed (e.g., short/long flags, default values, types) has evolved. Complex argument parsing might require specific syntax or aliases. ↓

fix Refer to the official documentation on task arguments (`docs.pyinvoke.org/en/stable/concepts/tasks.html#argument-parsing`) for the latest and recommended patterns, especially for optional or typed arguments.

Install compatibility verified last tested: 2026-05-12

python os / libc status wheel install import disk

3.10 alpine (musl) - - 0.67s 19.0M

3.10 slim (glibc) - - 0.40s 19M

3.11 alpine (musl) - - 1.05s 21.1M

3.11 slim (glibc) - - 0.68s 22M

3.12 alpine (musl) - - 1.32s 12.9M

3.12 slim (glibc) - - 0.98s 13M

3.13 alpine (musl) - - 1.31s 12.5M

3.13 slim (glibc) - - 0.84s 13M

3.9 alpine (musl) - - 0.46s 18.5M

3.9 slim (glibc) - - 0.48s 19M

Imports

task
```
from invoke import task
```
Collection
```
from invoke import Collection
```
Used for organizing tasks into namespaces.
Program
```
from invoke import Program
```
Used for programmatic execution or custom CLI entry points.

Quickstart verified last tested: 2026-04-23

Create a `tasks.py` file in your project directory. Define tasks as Python functions decorated with `@task`, ensuring they accept a `Context` object (conventionally named `c`) as their first argument. Execute tasks from the command line using `invoke <task_name>`.

from invoke import task

@task
def clean(c):
    """Removes build artifacts."""
    print("Cleaning up build/ directory...")
    # Use '|| true' for robustness in quickstart if 'rm' might fail or not exist
    c.run("rm -rf build/ || true")
    print("Clean complete.")

@task
def greeting(c, name="World"):
    """Says hello to the given NAME."""
    print(f"Hello, {name}!")

@task(aliases=['deploy'])
def push(c):
    """Pushes code to a remote repository (example)."""
    print("Simulating deployment...")
    # For quickstart, a simple echo is safer than an actual deployment command
    c.run("echo 'Deployment simulated!'")
    print("Push complete.")

# To run these tasks:
# 1. Save this code as `tasks.py` in your project root.
# 2. Open your terminal in the same directory.
# 3. Run tasks: `invoke clean`, `invoke greeting --name Pythonista`, `invoke deploy`