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84 lines
4 KiB
Markdown
84 lines
4 KiB
Markdown
[](https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec/actions/workflows/tests.yml)
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# Watchexec
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Software development often involves running the same commands over and over. Boring!
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`watchexec` is a simple, standalone tool that watches a path and runs a command whenever it detects modifications.
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Example use cases:
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* Automatically run unit tests
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* Run linters/syntax checkers
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* Rebuild artifacts
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## Features
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* Simple invocation and use, does not require a cryptic command line involving `xargs`
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* Runs on OS X, Linux, and Windows
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* Monitors current directory and all subdirectories for changes
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* Coalesces multiple filesystem events into one, for editors that use swap/backup files during saving
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* Loads `.gitignore` and `.ignore` files
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* Uses process groups to keep hold of forking programs
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* Provides the paths that changed in environment variables or STDIN
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* Does not require a language runtime, not tied to any particular language or ecosystem
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* [And more!](./crates/cli/#features)
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## Quick start
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Watch all JavaScript, CSS and HTML files in the current directory and all subdirectories for changes, running `npm run build` when a change is detected:
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$ watchexec -e js,css,html npm run build
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Call/restart `python server.py` when any Python file in the current directory (and all subdirectories) changes:
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$ watchexec -r -e py -- python server.py
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More usage examples: [in the CLI README](./crates/cli/#usage-examples)!
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## Install
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<a href="https://repology.org/project/watchexec/versions"><img align="right" src="https://repology.org/badge/vertical-allrepos/watchexec.svg" alt="Packaging status"></a>
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- With [your package manager](./doc/packages.md) for Arch, Debian, Homebrew, Nix, Scoop, Chocolatey…
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- From binary with [Binstall](https://github.com/cargo-bins/cargo-binstall): `cargo binstall watchexec-cli`
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- As [pre-built binary package from Github](https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec/releases/latest)
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- From source with Cargo: `cargo install --locked watchexec-cli`
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All options in detail: [in the CLI README](./crates/cli/#installation),
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in the online help (`watchexec -h`, `watchexec --help`, or `watchexec --manual`),
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and [in the manual page](./doc/watchexec.1.md).
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## Augment
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Watchexec pairs well with:
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- [checkexec](https://github.com/kurtbuilds/checkexec): to run only when source files are newer than a target file
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- [just](https://github.com/casey/just): a modern alternative to `make`
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- [systemfd](https://github.com/mitsuhiko/systemfd): socket-passing in development
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## Extend
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- [watchexec library](./crates/lib/): to create more specialised watchexec-powered tools.
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- [watchexec-events](./crates/events/): event types for watchexec.
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- [watchexec-signals](./crates/signals/): signal types for watchexec.
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- [watchexec-supervisor](./crates/supervisor/): process lifecycle manager (the _exec_ part of watchexec).
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- [clearscreen](https://github.com/watchexec/clearscreen): to clear the (terminal) screen on every platform.
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- [command group](https://github.com/watchexec/command-group): to run commands in process groups.
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- [ignore files](./crates/ignore-files/): to find, parse, and interpret ignore files.
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- [project origins](./crates/project-origins/): to find the origin(s) directory of a project.
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- [notify](https://github.com/notify-rs/notify): to respond to file modifications (third-party).
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### Downstreams
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Selected downstreams of watchexec and associated crates:
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- [cargo watch](https://github.com/watchexec/cargo-watch): a specialised watcher for Rust/Cargo projects.
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- [cargo lambda](https://github.com/cargo-lambda/cargo-lambda): a dev tool for Rust-powered AWS Lambda functions.
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- [create-rust-app](https://create-rust-app.dev): a template for Rust+React web apps.
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- [dotter](https://github.com/supercuber/dotter): a dotfile manager.
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- [ghciwatch](https://github.com/mercurytechnologies/ghciwatch): a specialised watcher for Haskell projects.
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- [tectonic](https://tectonic-typesetting.github.io/book/latest/): a TeX/LaTeX typesetting system.
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