---
slug: /reference/cli
sidebar_position: 1
---
# CLI Reference
Task CLI commands have the following syntax:
```shell
task [--flags] [tasks...] [-- CLI_ARGS...]
```
:::tip
If `--` is given, all remaining arguments will be assigned to a special
`CLI_ARGS` variable
## Flags
:::
| Short | Flag | Type | Default | Description |
| ----- | --------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-c` | `--color` | `bool` | `true` | Colored output. Enabled by default. Set flag to `false` or use `NO_COLOR=1` to disable. |
| `-C` | `--concurrency` | `int` | `0` | Limit number tasks to run concurrently. Zero means unlimited. |
| `-d` | `--dir` | `string` | Working directory | Sets directory of execution. |
| `-n` | `--dry` | `bool` | `false` | Compiles and prints tasks in the order that they would be run, without executing them. |
| `-x` | `--exit-code` | `bool` | `false` | Pass-through the exit code of the task command. |
| `-f` | `--force` | `bool` | `false` | Forces execution even when the task is up-to-date. |
| `-g` | `--global` | `bool` | `false` | Runs global Taskfile, from `$HOME/Taskfile.{yml,yaml}`. |
| `-h` | `--help` | `bool` | `false` | Shows Task usage. |
| `-i` | `--init` | `bool` | `false` | Creates a new Taskfile.yml in the current folder. |
| `-I` | `--interval` | `string` | `5s` | Sets a different watch interval when using `--watch`, the default being 5 seconds. This string should be a valid [Go Duration](https://pkg.go.dev/time#ParseDuration). |
| `-l` | `--list` | `bool` | `false` | Lists tasks with description of current Taskfile. |
| `-a` | `--list-all` | `bool` | `false` | Lists tasks with or without a description. |
| | `--sort` | `string` | `default` | Changes the order of the tasks when listed.
`default` - Alphanumeric with root tasks first
`alphanumeric` - Alphanumeric
`none` - No sorting (As they appear in the Taskfile) |
| | `--json` | `bool` | `false` | See [JSON Output](#json-output) |
| `-o` | `--output` | `string` | Default set in the Taskfile or `interleaved` | Sets output style: [`interleaved`/`group`/`prefixed`]. |
| | `--output-group-begin` | `string` | | Message template to print before a task's grouped output. |
| | `--output-group-end` | `string` | | Message template to print after a task's grouped output. |
| | `--output-group-error-only` | `bool` | `false` | Swallow command output on zero exit code. |
| `-p` | `--parallel` | `bool` | `false` | Executes tasks provided on command line in parallel. |
| `-s` | `--silent` | `bool` | `false` | Disables echoing. |
| `-y` | `--yes` | `bool` | `false` | Assume "yes" as answer to all prompts. |
| | `--status` | `bool` | `false` | Exits with non-zero exit code if any of the given tasks is not up-to-date. |
| | `--summary` | `bool` | `false` | Show summary about a task. |
| `-t` | `--taskfile` | `string` | `Taskfile.yml` or `Taskfile.yaml` | |
| `-v` | `--verbose` | `bool` | `false` | Enables verbose mode. |
| | `--version` | `bool` | `false` | Show Task version. |
| `-w` | `--watch` | `bool` | `false` | Enables watch of the given task.
## Exit Codes
Task will sometimes exit with specific exit codes. These codes are split into
three groups with the following ranges:
- General errors (0-99)
- Taskfile errors (100-199)
- Task errors (200-299)
A full list of the exit codes and their descriptions can be found below:
| Code | Description |
| ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 0 | Success |
| 1 | An unknown error occurred |
| 100 | No Taskfile was found |
| 101 | A Taskfile already exists when trying to initialize one |
| 102 | The Taskfile is invalid or cannot be parsed |
| 103 | A remote Taskfile could not be downloaded |
| 104 | A remote Taskfile was not trusted by the user |
| 105 | A remote Taskfile was could not be fetched securely |
| 106 | No cache was found for a remote Taskfile in offline mode |
| 107 | No schema version was defined in the Taskfile |
| 200 | The specified task could not be found |
| 201 | An error occurred while executing a command inside of a task |
| 202 | The user tried to invoke a task that is internal |
| 203 | There a multiple tasks with the same name or alias |
| 204 | A task was called too many times |
| 205 | A task was cancelled by the user |
| 206 | A task was not executed due to missing required variables |
These codes can also be found in the repository in
[`errors/errors.go`](https://github.com/go-task/task/blob/main/errors/errors.go).
:::info
When Task is run with the `-x`/`--exit-code` flag, the exit code of any failed
commands will be passed through to the user instead.
:::
## JSON Output
When using the `--json` flag in combination with either the `--list` or
`--list-all` flags, the output will be a JSON object with the following
structure:
```json
{
"tasks": [
{
"name": "",
"desc": "",
"summary": "",
"up_to_date": false,
"location": {
"line": 54,
"column": 3,
"taskfile": "/path/to/Taskfile.yml"
}
}
// ...
],
"location": "/path/to/Taskfile.yml"
}
```