ox test
Test and validate a workflow without executing it.
The ox test command resolves the DAG, checks for structural errors, and
optionally simulates execution order — all without running any shell commands.
Use it to catch misconfigurations before committing to a full run.
Usage
ox test # Validate entire workflow
ox test results/report.html # Validate a specific target
ox test --dry-run # Simulate execution order
ox test --json # Output NDJSON diagnostics
Arguments
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
[TARGETS]... | Target files or patterns to test (default: all) |
Options
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
-f, --file <FILE> | Oxymakefile path (default: Oxymakefile.toml) |
-n, --dry-run | Simulate execution order without running |
--json | Output NDJSON |
What It Checks
- Oxymakefile parses without errors
- All wildcards resolve against
[config]values - Dependency graph is acyclic
- Every input is either a source file or produced by a rule
- Wildcard constraints are satisfied
Examples
# Quick validation in CI
ox test || exit 1
# Check a single target's dependency chain
ox test results/{sample}_stats.tsv
# Dry-run to see execution order
ox test --dry-run