I am getting ready to embark on a project mainly for experimenting with languages, but also with a hint of usefulness. It will consist of a server-application, written in Erlang, and client-libraries in a number of languages. Initially I will want to write clients in Java, Ruby and Python. The actual protocol for communication will be Thrift.

I'm looking for a build system that will allow me to build the server and all the client libraries in one go, running unit-tests in each language, then packaging up a releasable artifact of some sort in whatever way is the "standard" for each language.

That means a Jar for Java, a RubyGem and a distribute/setuptools tarball for Python. Erlang probably has something too, but I'm not yet familiar with that. It should also be able to run the Thrift compiler to generate the various Thrift-stubs in each language.

On the pad at the start is Maven. I'm fairly certain Maven can do all I need, but I fear it's too Java-centric, and leaves me with a ton of work for every new language I need to add.