What if method is set to timestamp without specifying generates?

[your-diary]

According to the API documentation, method is described as

Defines which method is used to check the task is up-to-date. timestamp will compare the timestamp of the sources and generates files.

It isn't clear what will happen when you don't explicitly specify generates.

[andreynering]

Hi @your-diary,

With method: timestamp, generates is required for it to work, because Task needs to know with files compare sources to. If not informed, it is a NO-OP: the task will always run.

[your-diary]

Thank you for your comment.

If not informed, it is a NO-OP: the task will always run.

Really?
I tried the YAML below and the task did NOT always run.

version: "3"

tasks:
    build:
        sources:
            - "**/*.go"
        method: timestamp
        cmds:
            - go build

[andreynering]

@your-diary You're right. I forget that there was a change in #977 that added support to using it without the need to set generates:.