arpx 0.4.1

Automate and relate multiple processes.
arpx-0.4.1 is not a library.
Visit the last successful build: arpx-0.5.0

arpx runs PROCESSES as they are defined in PROFILES. PROFILES allow for the configuration of PROCESSES, MONITORS, and ACTIONS, which work together to execute commands, watch for triggering conditions, and respond to those triggering conditions with new commands.

PROFILES can be run entirely or a single PROCESS can be run from within a PROFILE. If no PROFILE is defined, arpx will look for a file named arpx.yaml within the current working directory to run. PROCESSES can be configured to execute alone (blocking), run concurrently, depend on other PROCESSES, and perform ACTIONS when specific conditions are met.

General program information

Command Info
-h, --help Output a usage message and exit.
-V Output the version number of arpx and exit.

Options

Command Info
-f PROFILE, --file=PROFILE Execute a PROFILE at the given filepath. Defaults to ./arpx.yaml.
-p PROCESS, --process=PROCESS Execute a single PROCESS from within the current PROFILE.

Profile configuration

PROFILES can be named arpx.yaml or formatted as <my-prefix>.arpx.yaml. PROFILES are currently the primary mode of configuration for arpx runtimes, at least until a more scriptable/less verbose interface is developed.

entrypoint: [NAME OF PROCESS]       // Configure a single PROCESS to be run as an "entrypoint" to the profile.

processes:                          // Define PROCESSES.
  - name: [NAME OF PROCESS]         // Add a unique name to identify the PROCESS within the arpx runtime.
    command: [COMMAND]              // The command to execute.
    color: [COLOR]                  // Output color. Receives [ black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, <ansi 256 number>, <rgb in format 255,255,255> ]
    cwd: [PATH]                     // Directory in which to execute command.
    blocking: [TRUE|(FALSE)]        // Whether the PROCESS should block the main thread or run concurrently.
    silent: [TRUE|(FALSE)]          // Whether to silence logs for the PROCESS.
    onsucceed: [ACTION]             // ACTION to execute if PROCESS exits with success. To execute an existing PROCESS, use `process:` followed by the PROCESS name.
    onfail: [ACTION]                // ACTION to execute if PROCESS exits with failure. To execute an existing PROCESS, use `process:` followed by the PROCESS name.

monitors:                           // Configure MONITORS for specific PROCESSES.
  - process: [NAME OF PROCESS]      // Specify the PROCESS to MONITOR.
    condition: [COMMAND]            // Define bash condition which, on successful exit, triggers ACTIONS.
    actions:                        // Specify ACTIONS to execute when triggering conditions are met.
      [ACTIONS]                     // See `Actions` section below for an overview on built-in and custom ACTIONS.

actions:                            // Define custom ACTIONS which can be activated by MONITORS under triggering conditions.
  - name: [NAME OF ACTION]          // Add a unique name to identify the ACTION within the arpx runtime.
    command: [COMMAND]              // The command to execute.
    color: [COLOR]                  // Output color. Receives [ black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, <ansi 256 number>, <rgb in format 255,255,255> ]
    cwd: [PATH]                     // Directory in which to execute command.
    silent: [TRUE|(FALSE)]          // Whether to silence logs for the ACTION.
    stdin: [STDIN]                  // Enter some stdin when the ACTION is triggered.
    onsucceed: [ACTION]             // ACTION to execute if ACTION exits with success. To execute an existing PROCESS, use `process:` followed by the PROCESS name.
    onfail: [ACTION]                // ACTION to execute if ACTION exits with failure. To execute an existing PROCESS, use `process:` followed by the PROCESS name.

Example profile - script.arpx.yaml:

processes:
  - name: loop1
    color: red
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop1 $i"
      done
  - name: loop3
    color: blue
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop3 $i"
      done

monitors:
  - process: loop1
    condition: '[[ "$LOG_LINE" =~ "Loop1 5" ]]'
    actions:
      - loop2

actions:
  - name: loop2
    color: green
    command: |
      for i in {1..3}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop2 $i"
      done
      exit

Example arpx concurrent output

processes:
  - name: loop1
    color: red
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop1 $i"
      done
    blocking: true                  // Added
  - name: loop3
    color: blue
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop3 $i"
      done

monitors:
  - process: loop1
    condition: '[[ "$LOG_LINE" =~ "Loop1 5" ]]'
    actions:
      - loop2

actions:
  - name: loop2
    color: green
    command: |
      for i in {1..3}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop2 $i"
      done
      exit

Example arpx blocking output

entrypoint: loop1                   // Added

processes:
  - name: loop1
    color: red
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop1 $i"
      done
    onsucceed: process:loop2        // Added
  - name: loop2
    color: green
    command: |
      for i in {1..3}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop2 $i"
      done
      exit
    onsucceed: process:loop3        // Added
  - name: loop3
    color: blue
    command: |
      for i in {1..5}
      do
        sleep 1
        echo "Loop3 $i"
      done

Example arpx entrypoint output

Processes

PROCESSES are the primary commands arpx will manage. PROCESSES can be run blockingly or concurrently, and can be run one at a time with the -p option.

To run an individual PROCESS named my-process contained in a file named arpx.yaml in the current working directory, execute:

$ arpx -p my-process

To run individual PROCESSES named my-process-1 and my-process- contained in a file named arpx.yaml in the current working directory, execute:

$ arpx -p my-process-1 my-process-2

To run all PROCESSES (or entrypoint PROCESS) contained in a file named my.arpx.yaml, execute:

$ arpx -f ~/path/to/my.arpx.yaml

Process properties:

  • name: Name of the PROCESS.
  • command: Command to execute when PROCESS is initiated.
  • color Output color. Receives [ black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, <ansi 256 number>, <rgb in format 255,255,255> ].
  • cwd: Working directory in which to execute PROCESS command.
  • blocking: Whether the PROCESS should block the main thread or run concurrently. Blocking PROCESSES will run in the order in which they are defined in arpx.yaml, so long as they precede any non-blocking PROCESSES. Non-blocking PROCESSES will run concurrently to to other PROCESSES and will therefore not block the main thread from initiating the remainder of the defined PROCESSES. Setting blocking to true makes it possible to run PROCESSES in order, rather than concurrently.
  • silent: Whether the PROCESS should propagate stdout and stderr from the command to the arpx stdout.
  • onsucceed: An ACTION to initiate if the current PROCESS command exits successfully. To execute an existing PROCESS, use process: followed by the PROCESS name.
  • onfail: An ACTION to initiate if the current PROCESS command exits with failure. To execute an existing PROCESS, use process: followed by the PROCESS name.

Monitors

MONITORS watch for conditions in a given PROCESS and perform ACTIONS if/when those conditions are met. MONITORS are configured by defining a condition and actions to execute when the condition exits successfully.

Monitor properties:

  • process: Name of the PROCESS that this MONITOR's CONDITION should apply to.
  • condition: Shell condition which, upon a successful exit status, triggers ACTIONS. Conditions are checked with each line a program logs from stdout or stderr. The output of the current line is available within the condition script via the $LOG_LINE variable.
  • actions: List of ACTIONS to initiate if this MONITOR's CONDITION exits with success.

Actions

ACTIONS are new PROCESSES which can be executed when triggered by a MONITOR. There are built-in actions available to all MONITORS specified below. Custom ACTIONS can also be defined.

Built-in actions

  • exit: Exit arpx.
  • kill: Exit the current PROCESS. Does not work with onsucceed or onfail.
  • respawn: Exit and restart the current PROCESS. If used with onsucceed or onfail on an ACTION, arpx will attempt to spawn a PROCESS with a name matching the current ACTION.
  • silence: Silence the current log. Does not work with onsucceed or onfail.

Custom

Custom ACTIONS can define new tasks to be executed if/when triggering conditions are met. Currently, the only type of ACTION available is shell, which allows for defining a shell command to run when the current ACTION is activated. If ACTION is called via onsucceed or onfail, stdin will not apply.

Custom action properties:

  • name: Name of the ACTION.
  • command: Command to execute when ACTION is initiated.
  • color Output color. Receives [ black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, <ansi 256 number>, <rgb in format 255,255,255> ].
  • cwd: Working directory in which to execute ACTION command.
  • silent: Whether the ACTION should propagate stdout and stderr from the command to the arpx stdout.
  • stdin: Enter some stdin. Allows for automatically replying to prompts from a PROCESS. stdin does not apply to ACTIONS called by onsucceed or onfail.
  • onsucceed: An ACTION to initiate if the current ACTION command exits successfully. To execute an existing PROCESS, use process: followed by the PROCESS name.
  • onfail: An ACTION to initiate if the current ACTION command exits with failure. To execute an existing PROCESS, use process: followed by the PROCESS name.

Some potential applications:

  • Selectively silence logging output for programs or scripts
  • Automate build process
  • Run multiple programs or scripts concurrently
  • Manage local development environment with multiple dependent services as one process
  • Run scripts in a particular order
  • Automate spinning up multiple processes which depend on each other
  • Handle errors in scripts automatically

arpx is useful for automatically handling errors, suppressing stdout/stderr output, scheduling processes relative to each other, and more. It was originally concieved for the purpose of automatically handling errors while running a local development environment with multiple dependent services. The goal is that arpx should be generally useful, so please open issues for enhancements with a mind toward powerful, general utility.

This project is my first program in Rust. It's rough around the edges and has not been styleguided yet, but "simplicity" and "clarity" are words that come to mind when I envision what it should look like down the road. Contributions and suggestions should reflect the Unix Philosophy.

Integrations

Programmatic

  • arpxjs: Programmatic process automation, relation, and multiplexing for Node.js