tooltotool

Tooltotool is an open-source, cross-platform command-line utility that aims to orchestrate software toolchains and automate development workflows. It provides a single interface to invoke, configure, and compose various tools such as compilers, language runtimes, package managers, and build systems, with an emphasis on reproducibility and interoperability.

The project adopts a plugin-based architecture that enables core commands to be extended by community plugins. Tooltotool uses a declarative configuration file, typically tooltotool.yaml, to define toolchains, tasks, and dependencies. It emphasizes isolation of tool versions and environments, supporting containerized execution and environment management across different operating systems.

Key features include centralized orchestration of multi-tool workflows, multi-language support, caching of tool downloads and build results, and reproducible environments. The plugin system allows integration with popular ecosystem tools and CI systems. It also provides commands for installation, discovery, and upgrade of tools within a project context.

Typical usage involves installing the tooltotool binary, initializing a project with a configuration file, listing available tools, and running defined tasks. Example commands include tooltotool init, tooltotool install, and tooltotool run build. The tool is designed to fit into existing development pipelines and to complement existing package managers and build tools.

Tooltotool is maintained by an international community of volunteers and is distributed under a permissive open-source license. It has been adopted in various open-source and enterprise projects seeking to standardize tool provisioning and to reduce friction in cross-tool workflows. See also related topics such as build tools, package managers, and workflow automation.