$ pip install pynt

$ easy_install pynt

#!/usr/bin/python

import sys
from pynt import task

@task()
def clean():
    '''Clean build directory.'''
    print 'Cleaning build directory...'

@task()
def _copy_resources():
    '''Copy resource files. This is a private task. "pynt -l" will not list this'''
    print('Copying resource files')

@task(clean, _copy_resources)
def html(target='.'):
    '''Generate HTML.'''
    print 'Generating HTML in directory "%s"' %  target

@task(clean, _copy_resources, ignore=True)
def images():
    '''Prepare images.'''
    print 'Preparing images...'

@task(html,images)
def start_server(server='localhost', port = '80'):
    '''Start the server'''
    print 'Starting server at %s:%s' % (server, port)

@task(start_server) #Depends on task with all optional params
def stop_server():
    print 'Stopping server....'

@task()
def copy_file(src, dest):
    print 'Copying from %s to %s' % (src, dest)

@task()
def echo(*args,**kwargs):
    print args
    print kwargs
    
# Default task (if specified) is run when no task is specified in the command line
# make sure you define the variable __DEFAULT__ after the task is defined
# A good convention is to define it at the end of the module
# __DEFAULT__ is an optional member

__DEFAULT__=start_server

$ pynt -h
usage: pynt [-h] [-l] [-v] [-f file] [task [task ...]]

positional arguments:
  task                  perform specified task and all its dependencies

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -l, --list-tasks      List the tasks
  -v, --version         Display the version information
  -f file, --file file  Build file to read the tasks from. Default is
                        'build.py'

$ pynt -l
Tasks in build file ./build.py:
  clean                       Clean build directory.
  copy_file                   
  echo                        
  html                        Generate HTML.
  images           [Ignored]  Prepare images.
  start_server     [Default]  Start the server
  stop_server                 

Powered by pynt - A Lightweight Python Build Tool.

$ pynt #Runs the default task start_server. It does exactly what "pynt start_server" would do.
[ example.py - Starting task "clean" ]
Cleaning build directory...
[ example.py - Completed task "clean" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "html" ]
Generating HTML in directory "."
[ example.py - Completed task "html" ]
[ example.py - Ignoring task "images" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "start_server" ]
Starting server at localhost:80
[ example.py - Completed task "start_server" ]

$ pynt cle ht cl
[ example.py - Starting task "clean" ]
Cleaning build directory...
[ example.py - Completed task "clean" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "html" ]
Generating HTML in directory "."
[ example.py - Completed task "html" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "clean" ]
Cleaning build directory...
[ example.py - Completed task "clean" ]

$ pynt "copy_file[/path/to/foo, path_to_bar]"
[ example.py - Starting task "clean" ]
Cleaning build directory...
[ example.py - Completed task "clean" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "copy_file" ]
Copying from /path/to/foo to path_to_bar
[ example.py - Completed task "copy_file" ]

$ pynt start[port=8888]
[ example.py - Starting task "clean" ]
Cleaning build directory...
[ example.py - Completed task "clean" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "html" ]
Generating HTML in directory "."
[ example.py - Completed task "html" ]
[ example.py - Ignoring task "images" ]
[ example.py - Starting task "start_server" ]
Starting server at localhost:8888
[ example.py - Completed task "start_server" ]

$ pynt echo[hello,world,foo=bar,blah=123]
[ example.py - Starting task "echo" ]
('hello', 'world')
{'blah': '123', 'foo': 'bar'}
[ example.py - Completed task "echo" ]

from deploy_tasks import *
from test_tasks import functional_tests, report_coverage

$ ./b t