Chokidar is a cross-platform file system monitoring library designed to provide a unified interface for tracking disk activity. It functions as a foundational utility for Node.js development environments, enabling applications to detect file additions, modifications, and deletions across diverse operating systems through a consistent event stream.
The library distinguishes itself by normalizing inconsistent event signatures from various operating system kernels and implementing robust event debouncing logic. By buffering rapid sequences of file system events and waiting for a quiet period, it ensures that applications receive consolidated, reliable notifications. It also handles atomic write patterns and write completion delays, preventing duplicate or incomplete event triggers during file save operations.
Beyond basic monitoring, the library supports recursive directory traversal and provides granular path filtering to minimize system overhead. It manages the lifecycle of file descriptors and system handles, allowing developers to initialize, update, and gracefully terminate monitoring instances to maintain resource efficiency.
