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# Watchexec CLI
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
* Simple invocation and use
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* Runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, and more
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* Monitors current directory and all subdirectories for changes
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* Uses efficient event polling mechanism (on Linux, Mac, Windows, BSD)
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* Coalesces multiple filesystem events into one, for editors that use swap/backup files during saving
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* By default, uses `.gitignore` , `.ignore` , and other such files to determine which files to ignore notifications for
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* Support for watching files with a specific extension
* Support for filtering/ignoring events based on [glob patterns ](https://docs.rs/globset/*/globset/#syntax )
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* Launches the command in a new process group (can be disabled with `--no-process-group` )
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* Optionally clears screen between executions
* Optionally restarts the command with every modification (good for servers)
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* Optionally sends a desktop notification on command start and end
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* Does not require a language runtime
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* Sets the following environment variables in the process:
`$WATCHEXEC_COMMON_PATH` is set to the longest common path of all of the below variables, and so should be prepended to each path to obtain the full/real path.
| Variable name | Event kind |
|---|---|
| `$WATCHEXEC_CREATED_PATH` | files/folders were created |
| `$WATCHEXEC_REMOVED_PATH` | files/folders were removed |
| `$WATCHEXEC_RENAMED_PATH` | files/folders were renamed |
| `$WATCHEXEC_WRITTEN_PATH` | files/folders were modified |
| `$WATCHEXEC_META_CHANGED_PATH` | files/folders' metadata were modified |
| `$WATCHEXEC_OTHERWISE_CHANGED_PATH` | every other kind of event |
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These variables may contain multiple paths: these are separated by the platform's path separator, as with the `PATH` system environment variable. On Unix that is `:` , and on Windows `;` . Within each variable, paths are deduplicated and sorted in binary order (i.e. neither Unicode nor locale aware).
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This can be disabled or limited with `--no-environment` (doesn't set any of these variables) and `--no-meta` (ignores metadata changes).
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## Anti-Features
* Not tied to any particular language or ecosystem
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* Not tied to Git or the presence of a repository/project
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* Does not require a cryptic command line involving `xargs`
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## Simple 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:
$ watchexec --exts js,css,html make
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:
$ 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:
$ watchexec -n -s SIGHUP my_server
Run `make` when any file changes, using the `.gitignore` file in the current directory to filter:
$ watchexec make
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
Run two commands:
$ watchexec 'date; make'
If you come from `entr` , note that the watchexec command is run in a shell by default. You can use `-n` or `--shell=none` to not do that:
$ watchexec -n -- echo ';' lorem ipsum
On Windows, you may prefer to use Powershell:
$ watchexec --shell=powershell -- test-connection localhost
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## Complex Usage Examples
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Turn a plain converter tool like PlantUML or Pandoc into a powerful live-editing tool, either as a script
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -Eeuo pipefail
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SOURCE="test.puml" # Define source file
TARGET="test.png" # Define conversion target file
CONVERT="plantuml $SOURCE" # Define how to convert source to target
VIEW="feh $TARGET" # Define how to open target file
if [ ! -f $TARGET ]; then $CONVERT; fi # Ensure target file exists for opening
$VIEW & # Open target file in viewer in the background
watchexec --filter $SOURCE -- $CONVERT # Update target file on any source file change
or condensed as a single line
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# Bash
$ SOURCE="test.puml"; TARGET="test.png"; CONVERT="plantuml $SOURCE"; VIEW="feh $TARGET"; if [ ! -f $TARGET ]; then $CONVERT; fi; ($VIEW &); watchexec -f $SOURCE -- $CONVERT
# Zsh
$ SOURCE="test.puml"; TARGET="test.png"; CONVERT="plantuml $SOURCE"; VIEW="feh $TARGET"; if [ ! -f $TARGET ]; then $CONVERT; fi; ($=VIEW &); watchexec -f $SOURCE -- $CONVERT
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Replace [PlantUML ](https://plantuml.com/ ) with another converter like [Pandoc ](https://pandoc.org/ ): `plantuml $SOURCE` turns into `pandoc $SOURCE --output $TARGET` .
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Similarly, replace the [Feh ](https://feh.finalrewind.org/ ) image viewer with another viewer for your target file like the PDF viewer [Evince ](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evince ): `feh $TARGET` turns into `evince $TARGET` .
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## Installation
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### Package manager
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Watchexec is in many package managers. A full list of [known packages ](../../doc/packages.md ) is available,
and there may be more out there! Please contribute any you find to the list :)
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Common package managers:
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- Alpine: `$ apk add watchexec`
- ArchLinux: `$ pacman -S watchexec`
- Nix: `$ nix-shell -p watchexec`
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- Debian/Ubuntu via [apt.cli.rs ](https://apt.cli.rs ): `$ apt install watchexec`
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- Homebrew on Mac: `$ brew install watchexec`
- Chocolatey on Windows: `#> choco install watchexec`
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### [Binstall](https://github.com/cargo-bins/cargo-binstall)
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$ cargo binstall watchexec-cli
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### Pre-built binaries
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Use the download section on [Github ](https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec/releases/latest )
or [the website ](https://watchexec.github.io/downloads/ ) to obtain the package appropriate for your
platform and architecture, extract it, and place it in your `PATH` .
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There are also Debian/Ubuntu (DEB) and Fedora/RedHat (RPM) packages.
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Checksums and signatures are available.
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### Cargo (from source)
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Only the latest Rust stable is supported, but older versions may work.
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$ cargo install watchexec-cli
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## Shell completions
Currently available shell completions:
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- bash: `completions/bash` should be installed to `/usr/share/bash-completion/completions/watchexec`
- elvish: `completions/elvish` should be installed to `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/elvish/completions/`
- fish: `completions/fish` should be installed to `/usr/share/fish/vendor_completions.d/watchexec.fish`
- nu: `completions/nu` should be installed to `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/nu/completions/`
- powershell: `completions/powershell` should be installed to `$PROFILE/`
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- zsh: `completions/zsh` should be installed to `/usr/share/zsh/site-functions/_watchexec`
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If not bundled, you can generate completions for your shell with `watchexec --completions <shell>` .
## Manual
There's a manual page at `doc/watchexec.1` . Install it to `/usr/share/man/man1/` .
If not bundled, you can generate a manual page with `watchexec --manual > /path/to/watchexec.1` , or view it inline with `watchexec --manual` (requires `man` ).
You can also [read a text version ](../../doc/watchexec.1.md ) or a [PDF ](../../doc/watchexec.1.pdf ).