---
title: "Copier Tasks | Python templating post run task"
description: "Copier allows you to run post render tasks, just like cookiecutter. These are defined as a list of in your . They are simply shell commands to run."
date: 2022-01-22
published: false
tags:
  - python
  - cli
  - linux
  - copier
template: til
---


Copier allows you to run post render tasks, just like cookiecutter. These are
defined as a list of `tasks` in your `copier.yml`.  They are simply shell
commands to run.

The example I have below runs an `update-gratitude` bash script after the
copier template has been rendered.

``` yaml
# copier.yml
num: 128
_answers_file: .gratitude-copier-answers.yml
_tasks:
  - "update-gratitude"
```

I have put the script in `~/.local/bin` so that I know it's always on my
`$PATH`.  It will reach back into the `copier.yml` and update the default
number.

``` bash
#!/bin/bash
# ~/.local/bin/update-gratitude
current=`awk '{print $2}' ~/.copier-templates/gratitude/copier.yml | head -n 1`
new=`expr $current + 1`
echo $current
echo $new
sed -i "s/$current/$new/g" ~/.copier-templates/gratitude/copier.yml
```