feat: add content target type for writing literal text to files

Content targets write a string directly to the output file without
invoking any AI provider. They don't require API keys and are not
archived when overwritten.

Example usage in .hokusai.yaml:
  file.txt:
    content: ABC

hokusai/builder.py

@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import httpx
 
 from hokusai.archive import archive_file
-from hokusai.config import DownloadTargetConfig, GenerateTargetConfig, ProjectConfig
+from hokusai.config import (
+    ContentTargetConfig,
+    DownloadTargetConfig,
+    GenerateTargetConfig,
+    ProjectConfig,
+)
 from hokusai.graph import build_graph, get_build_order, get_subgraph_for_target
 from hokusai.prompt import extract_placeholder_files, resolve_prompt
 from hokusai.providers import Provider
@@ -151,12 +156,17 @@ async def _build_single_target(
     # Ensure parent directories exist for targets in subfolders.
     output_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
+    target_cfg = config.targets[target_name]
+
+    # Content targets write literal text — no archiving, no provider needed.
+    if isinstance(target_cfg, ContentTargetConfig):
+        _ = output_path.write_text(target_cfg.content)
+        return
+
     # Archive the existing artifact before overwriting.
     if config.archive_folder is not None:
         _ = archive_file(output_path, project_dir, config.archive_folder)
 
-    target_cfg = config.targets[target_name]
-
     if isinstance(target_cfg, DownloadTargetConfig):
         await _download_target(target_name, target_cfg, project_dir)
         return
@@ -267,6 +277,14 @@ def _is_dirty(
     """Check if a target needs rebuilding."""
     target_cfg = config.targets[target_name]
 
+    if isinstance(target_cfg, ContentTargetConfig):
+        return is_target_dirty(
+            target_name,
+            content=target_cfg.content,
+            state=state,
+            project_dir=project_dir,
+        )
+
     if isinstance(target_cfg, DownloadTargetConfig):
         return is_target_dirty(
             target_name,
@@ -300,7 +318,7 @@ def _has_provider(
 ) -> bool:
     """Check that the required provider is available; record failure if not."""
     target_cfg = config.targets[target_name]
-    if isinstance(target_cfg, DownloadTargetConfig):
+    if isinstance(target_cfg, (DownloadTargetConfig, ContentTargetConfig)):
         return True
     model_info = resolve_model(target_name, target_cfg, config.defaults)
     if model_info.name not in provider_index:
@@ -345,7 +363,14 @@ def _process_outcomes(
         else:
             target_cfg = config.targets[name]
 
-            if isinstance(target_cfg, DownloadTargetConfig):
+            if isinstance(target_cfg, ContentTargetConfig):
+                record_target_state(
+                    name,
+                    content=target_cfg.content,
+                    state=state,
+                    project_dir=project_dir,
+                )
+            elif isinstance(target_cfg, DownloadTargetConfig):
                 record_target_state(
                     name,
                     download=target_cfg.download,

hokusai/config.py

@@ -47,16 +47,26 @@ class DownloadTargetConfig(BaseModel):
     download: str
 
 
+class ContentTargetConfig(BaseModel):
+    """Configuration for a target that writes literal content to a file."""
+
+    content: str
+
+
 def _target_discriminator(raw: object) -> str:
-    """Discriminate between generate and download target configs."""
+    """Discriminate between generate, download, and content target configs."""
-    if isinstance(raw, dict) and "download" in raw:
+    if isinstance(raw, dict):
+        if "download" in raw:
             return "download"
+        if "content" in raw:
+            return "content"
     return "generate"
 
 
 TargetConfig = Annotated[
     Annotated[GenerateTargetConfig, Tag("generate")]
-    | Annotated[DownloadTargetConfig, Tag("download")],
+    | Annotated[DownloadTargetConfig, Tag("download")]
+    | Annotated[ContentTargetConfig, Tag("content")],
     Discriminator(_target_discriminator),
 ]
 

hokusai/state.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class TargetState(BaseModel):
     prompt: str | None = None
     model: str | None = None
     extra_params: dict[str, object] = {}
+    content: str | None = None
     download: str | None = None
 
 
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ def is_target_dirty(
     model: str | None = None,
     dep_files: list[Path] | None = None,
     extra_params: dict[str, object] | None = None,
+    content: str | None = None,
     download: str | None = None,
     state: BuildState,
     project_dir: Path,
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ def is_target_dirty(
     A target is dirty if:
     - Its output file does not exist
     - It has never been built (not recorded in state)
+    - For content targets: the content string has changed
     - For download targets: the download URL has changed
     - For generate targets: any dependency file hash, prompt, model, or extra params changed
     """
@@ -95,6 +98,10 @@ def is_target_dirty(
 
     prev = state.targets[target_name]
 
+    # Content targets only compare the content string.
+    if content is not None:
+        return prev.content != content
+
     # Download targets only compare the URL.
     if download is not None:
         return prev.download != download
@@ -125,11 +132,16 @@ def record_target_state(
     model: str | None = None,
     dep_files: list[Path] | None = None,
     extra_params: dict[str, object] | None = None,
+    content: str | None = None,
     download: str | None = None,
     state: BuildState,
     project_dir: Path,
 ) -> None:
     """Record the state of a successfully built target."""
+    if content is not None:
+        state.targets[target_name] = TargetState(content=content)
+        return
+
     if download is not None:
         state.targets[target_name] = TargetState(download=download)
         return

tests/test_builder.py

@@ -614,6 +614,101 @@ class TestDownloadTarget:
         assert (project_dir / "description.txt").exists()
 
 
+class TestContentTarget:
+    """Tests for content-type targets that write literal text."""
+
+    async def test_content_target_writes_file(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config = write_config({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "ABC"}}})
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=_fake_providers()):
+            result = await run_build(config, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+
+        assert result.built == ["file.txt"]
+        assert (project_dir / "file.txt").read_text() == "ABC"
+
+    async def test_content_target_incremental_skip(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config = write_config({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "ABC"}}})
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=_fake_providers()):
+            r1 = await run_build(config, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r1.built == ["file.txt"]
+
+            r2 = await run_build(config, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r2.skipped == ["file.txt"]
+            assert r2.built == []
+
+    async def test_content_target_rebuild_on_change(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config1 = write_config({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "ABC"}}})
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=_fake_providers()):
+            r1 = await run_build(config1, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r1.built == ["file.txt"]
+
+            config2 = write_config({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "XYZ"}}})
+            r2 = await run_build(config2, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r2.built == ["file.txt"]
+            assert (project_dir / "file.txt").read_text() == "XYZ"
+
+    async def test_content_target_no_archive(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config1 = write_config(
+            {
+                "archive_folder": "archive",
+                "targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "v1"}},
+            }
+        )
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=_fake_providers()):
+            r1 = await run_build(config1, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r1.built == ["file.txt"]
+
+            config2 = write_config(
+                {
+                    "archive_folder": "archive",
+                    "targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "v2"}},
+                }
+            )
+            r2 = await run_build(config2, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+            assert r2.built == ["file.txt"]
+
+        assert (project_dir / "file.txt").read_text() == "v2"
+        assert not (project_dir / "archive").exists()
+
+    async def test_content_target_as_dependency(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config = write_config(
+            {
+                "targets": {
+                    "data.txt": {"content": "some data"},
+                    "output.md": {
+                        "prompt": "Process the data",
+                        "inputs": ["data.txt"],
+                    },
+                }
+            }
+        )
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=_fake_providers()):
+            result = await run_build(config, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+
+        assert "data.txt" in result.built
+        assert "output.md" in result.built
+        assert (project_dir / "data.txt").read_text() == "some data"
+
+    async def test_content_target_no_provider_needed(
+        self, project_dir: Path, write_config: WriteConfig
+    ) -> None:
+        config = write_config({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "ABC"}}})
+        with patch("hokusai.builder._create_providers", return_value=[]):
+            result = await run_build(config, project_dir, _PROJECT)
+
+        assert result.built == ["file.txt"]
+        assert result.failed == {}
+
+
 class TestPlaceholderPrompts:
     """Tests for prompt placeholder substitution in builds."""
 

tests/test_config.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import pytest
 import yaml
 
-from hokusai.config import GenerateTargetConfig, load_config
+from hokusai.config import ContentTargetConfig, GenerateTargetConfig, load_config
 
 
 class TestLoadConfig:
@@ -83,3 +83,14 @@ class TestLoadConfig:
 
         with pytest.raises(Exception):
             _ = load_config(config_path)
+
+    def test_content_target(self, project_dir: Path) -> None:
+        config_path = project_dir / "test.hokusai.yaml"
+        _ = config_path.write_text(
+            yaml.dump({"targets": {"file.txt": {"content": "ABC"}}})
+        )
+        config = load_config(config_path)
+
+        target = config.targets["file.txt"]
+        assert isinstance(target, ContentTargetConfig)
+        assert target.content == "ABC"