mirror of
https://github.com/watchexec/watchexec.git
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120 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
120 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
# watchexec
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[](https://travis-ci.org/watchexec/watchexec)
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[](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/watchexec/watchexec)
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[](https://crates.io/crates/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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## Features
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* Simple invocation and use
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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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* Uses most efficient event polling mechanism for your platform (except for [BSD](https://github.com/passcod/notify#todo))
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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` to determine which files to ignore notifications for
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* Support for watching files with a specific extension
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* Support for filtering/ignoring events based on glob patterns
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* Launches child processes in a new process group
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* Sets the following environment variables in the child process:
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* If a single file changed (depending on the event type):
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* `$WATCHEXEC_CREATED_PATH`, the path of the file that was created
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* `$WATCHEXEC_REMOVED_PATH`, the path of the file that was removed
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* `$WATCHEXEC_RENAMED_PATH`, the path of the file that was renamed
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* `$WATCHEXEC_WRITTEN_PATH`, the path of the file that was modified
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* `$WATCHEXEC_META_CHANGED_PATH`, the path of the file whose metadata changed
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* If multiple files changed:
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* `$WATCHEXEC_COMMON_PATH`, the longest common path of all of the files that triggered a change
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* Optionally clears screen between executions
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* Optionally restarts the command with every modification (good for servers)
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* Does not require a language runtime
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## Anti-Features
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* Not tied to any particular language or ecosystem
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* Does not require a cryptic command line involving `xargs`
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## 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:
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$ watchexec -- ls -la
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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 -e py -r python server.py
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Call/restart `my_server` when any file in the current directory (and all subdirectories) changes, sending `SIGKILL` to stop the child process:
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$ watchexec -r -s SIGKILL my_server
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Send a SIGHUP to the child process upon changes (Note: with using `-n | --no-shell` 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:
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$ watchexec make
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Run `make` when any file in `lib` or `src` changes:
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$ watchexec -w lib -w src make
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## Installation
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### Cargo
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watchexec requires Rust 1.26 or later. You can install it using cargo:
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$ cargo install watchexec
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### OS X with Homebrew
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$ brew install watchexec
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### Linux
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For now, use the GitHub Releases tab to obtain the binary. PRs for packaging in unsupported distros are welcomed.
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#### Debian
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A deb package is available for amd64 architectures in the GitHub Releases.
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#### Arch Linux
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Available [on the AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/watchexec/):
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$ yay -S watchexec
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### Windows
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Available [using scoop](https://scoop.sh/):
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#> scoop install watchexec
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Or just unzip the binary from the GitHub Releases.
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## Building
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Rust 1.26 or later is required.
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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
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