How do I integrate file watching with multiple npm commands?

Other Questions NPM
1

I need one npm command to run tasks for HTML minification, SASS compilation, image optimization, server launch, and watch src changes. Example:

{
  "name": "demoApp",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "scripts": {
    "compile-scss": "sass input.scss output.css --style compressed",
    "minify-html": "html-minify input.html -o output.html",
    "optimize-images": "img-optimizer images/ -o dist/images",
    "serve": "http-server dist",
    "watch-dev": "run-all --parallel compile-scss minify-html optimize-images serve --watch src"
  }
}
2

In my recent project, I faced a very similar issue and found that combining multiple scripts under a single command was best achieved using additional packages like concurrently. I initially tried to use a sequential run-all approach, but it complicated error handling and coordination between tasks. Moving to concurrently simplified the process, letting me simultaneously run file watching, compilation, and even a development server. This setup provided better control and debugging capabilities in a combined workflow. Experimenting with file watchers like chokidar also contributed to more flexibility and better integration of the build processes.

3

I have encountered a similar scenario and found that using npm-run-all can be a good solution to run multiple tasks concurrently. This approach enables you to combine file watching with build commands effectively, reducing device overhead typically seen with sequential task execution. In my experience, setting up the scripts to execute in parallel, while ensuring that each process handles errors properly, results in better performance and easy debugging. Additionally, integrating a dedicated file watcher at the command level proves to enhance the responsiveness of the workflow, ultimately streamlining the development process.

4

i used gulp instead. its simple to define tasks for each process and a watch to run them in parallel. even though there are slight tweaks needed in the gulpfile, it overall gives you better error logging and smooth live-reloads, which really helped my setup.

5

After grappling with similar issues on another project, I ended up crafting a custom Node script to watch for file changes instead of relying solely on npm-run-all or concurrently. I used Node’s own file system module to monitor key directories and then spawned child processes to run the required commands. This provided a more controlled environment where I could handle errors and manage logs for each task separately. Although it required a bit more initial setup work, the flexibility and responsiveness of this method made troubleshooting and incremental builds much more straightforward.

6

I encountered a similar situation on a previous project where I moved away from complex setups by using nodemon. Instead of bundling all commands with a single tool, I configured nodemon to monitor file changes and execute a shell script that called the necessary npm scripts. This kept my process modular and simplified troubleshooting, as each command logged its output separately. This approach, while requiring a bit of initial scripting, provided flexibility and more transparent error handling compared to some of the packaged solutions.