Install cake with Homebrew, scoop

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• cake

Project history

The project describes itself as a free and open source build automation system with a C# DSL for compiling code, copying files, running tests, packaging NuGet artifacts, and similar release tasks. The official repository release stream shows early 0.x releases in 2015 and later release notes document the long migration through Mono-era .NET tooling, .NET Core, .NET global tools, Cake Frosting, and Cake.Sdk.

Cake joined the .NET Foundation ecosystem and expanded beyond a single runner into several supported modes: Cake .NET Tool, Cake Frosting, and Cake SDK. Official release notes show recurring updates for new C# language versions, new .NET target frameworks, NuGet client behavior, and CI provider integrations.

Adoption history

Cake gained adoption among .NET projects that wanted build definitions checked into source control but preferred C# over MSBuild targets, PowerShell, FAKE scripts, or ad hoc shell scripts. Its README and website advertise cross-platform CI usage across Windows, Linux, and macOS, with build server integrations including Azure Pipelines, GitHub Actions, GitLab, TeamCity, Jenkins, AppVeyor, Bitrise, and others.

The official site emphasizes its addins and modules ecosystem, which helped Cake spread through package-manager workflows: users install the tool, add build.cake or Cake SDK project files, then pull in task-specific addins for packaging, signing, test runners, coverage tools, and deployment.

How it is used

Package users usually install the `cake` executable and run it in a repository containing a Cake script or Cake SDK/Frosting project. The tool is commonly used in local development and CI to normalize build, test, pack, and release commands across operating systems.

The `cake.config` file is the documented project-level configuration surface for runner settings, while larger builds typically keep most behavior in C# build scripts and addins.

Why package nerds care

Cake is notable because it sits at the intersection of package management, build orchestration, and language-native scripting: it made NuGet-delivered build logic feel normal to C# developers before the modern .NET CLI fully standardized many project workflows.

For package nerds, the interesting bit is its long survival through major .NET packaging changes: NuGet.exe, Mono, project.json/DNX/DNU-era tooling, .NET Core, global tools, and modern target frameworks all show up in its release notes.

Timeline

• 2015: Early 0.x releases published on GitHub, including 0.2.0 in March 2015.
• 2016: Release notes add Cake configuration file support and additional CI integrations.
• 2021: Cake 1.0.0 released after a long 0.x stabilization period.
• 2023: Cake 4.0.0 adds .NET 8-era updates.
• 2024: Cake 5.0.0 adds .NET 9 and C# 13 support.
• 2025: Cake 6.0.0 adds .NET 10 and C# 14 support.
• 2026: Cake 6.2.0 released according to the official site banner and release notes.

Related projects

• Cake is related to FAKE, Nuke, MSBuild, dotnet CLI, NuGet, Cake Frosting, Cake.Tool, and Cake.Sdk. In package-manager terms it belongs to the family of build tools that are installed as developer CLI dependencies but execute project-specific build code.

Sources

• https://api.github.com/repos/cake-build/cake/releases
• https://cakebuild.net/
• https://github.com/cake-build/cake/blob/develop/README.md
• https://github.com/cake-build/cake/blob/develop/ReleaseNotes.md