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Mage vs Task: catalog facts
Mage	Task
Best for: Write build tasks as ordinary Go functions	Best for: Run repeatable project tasks with a cross-platform build tool
Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.	Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Build tasks use normal Go code	Cross-platform task execution
Requires a Go development environment.	Projects need task definitions before commands can be run.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: Apache-2.0	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Mage github.com/magefile/mage Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Task github.com/go-task/task Catalog checked September 22, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.