watchexec/README.md

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# watchexec
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[![CI status](https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec/actions/workflows/check.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec/actions/workflows/check.yml)
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[![Crates.io status](https://badgen.net/crates/v/watchexec)](https://crates.io/crates/watchexec)
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[![Docs status](https://docs.rs/watchexec/badge.svg)](https://docs.rs/watchexec)
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Software development often involves running the same commands over and over. Boring!
`watchexec` is a **simple**, standalone tool that watches a path and runs a command whenever it detects modifications.
Example use cases:
* Automatically run unit tests
* Run linters/syntax checkers
## Features
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* Simple invocation and use
* Runs on OS X, Linux, and Windows
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* Monitors current directory and all subdirectories for changes
* Uses most efficient event polling mechanism for your platform (except for [BSD](https://github.com/notify-rs/notify#todo))
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* Coalesces multiple filesystem events into one, for editors that use swap/backup files during saving
* By default, uses `.gitignore` and `.ignore` to determine which files to ignore notifications for
* Support for watching files with a specific extension
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* Support for filtering/ignoring events based on [glob patterns](https://docs.rs/globset/*/globset/#syntax)
* Launches the command in a new process group
* Sets the following environment variables in the process:
* If a single file changed (depending on the event type):
* `$WATCHEXEC_CREATED_PATH`, the path of the file that was created
* `$WATCHEXEC_REMOVED_PATH`, the path of the file that was removed
* `$WATCHEXEC_RENAMED_PATH`, the path of the file that was renamed
* `$WATCHEXEC_WRITTEN_PATH`, the path of the file that was modified
* `$WATCHEXEC_META_CHANGED_PATH`, the path of the file whose metadata changed
* If multiple files changed:
* `$WATCHEXEC_COMMON_PATH`, the longest common path of all of the files that triggered a change
* This can be disabled or limited with `--no-environment` and `--no-meta`
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* Optionally clears screen between executions
* Optionally restarts the command with every modification (good for servers)
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* Does not require a language runtime
## Anti-Features
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* Not tied to any particular language or ecosystem
* Does not require a cryptic command line involving `xargs`
## Usage Examples
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Watch all JavaScript, CSS and HTML files in the current directory and all subdirectories for changes, running `make` when a change is detected:
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$ watchexec --exts js,css,html make
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Call `make test` when any file changes in this directory/subdirectory, except for everything below `target`:
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$ watchexec -i target make test
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Call `ls -la` when any file changes in this directory/subdirectory:
$ watchexec -- ls -la
Call/restart `python server.py` when any Python file in the current directory (and all subdirectories) changes:
$ watchexec -e py -r python server.py
Call/restart `my_server` when any file in the current directory (and all subdirectories) changes, sending `SIGKILL` to stop the command:
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$ watchexec -r -s SIGKILL my_server
Send a SIGHUP to the command upon changes (Note: using `-n` here we're executing `my_server` directly, instead of wrapping it in a shell:
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$ watchexec -n -s SIGHUP my_server
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Run `make` when any file changes, using the `.gitignore` file in the current directory to filter:
$ watchexec make
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Run `make` when any file in `lib` or `src` changes:
$ watchexec -w lib -w src make
Run `bundle install` when the `Gemfile` changes:
$ watchexec -w Gemfile bundle install
## Installation
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### All platforms
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#### Cargo
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Requires Rust 1.40 or later.
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$ cargo install watchexec
#### [Binstall](https://github.com/ryankurte/cargo-binstall)
$ cargo binstall watchexec
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#### Pre-built
Use the GitHub Releases tab to obtain the tarball/zipfile appropriate for your platform and architecture, extract it, and place it in your `PATH`.
### macOS
#### Homebrew
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$ brew install watchexec
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#### Webi
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$ curl -sS https://webinstall.dev/watchexec | bash
### Linux
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PRs for packaging in unsupported distros are welcome.
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#### Debian
A deb package is available for several architectures in the GitHub Releases.
#### Arch Linux
Available in the **community** repository:
$ pacman -S watchexec
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#### Webi
$ curl -sS https://webinstall.dev/watchexec/ | bash
### Windows
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#### Scoop
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#> scoop install watchexec
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#### Chocolatey
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#> choco install watchexec
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#### Webi
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#> curl.exe -A MS https://webinstall.dev/watchexec | powershell
## Shell completions
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Currently available shell completions:
- zsh: `completions/zsh` should be installed to `/usr/share/zsh/site-functions/_watchexec`
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## Credits
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* [notify](https://github.com/passcod/notify) for doing most of the heavy-lifting
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* [globset](https://crates.io/crates/globset) for super-fast glob matching