Watchexec is a command-line task runner and file system change trigger that automates developer workflows by executing scripts or programs when files in a directory are modified. It functions as a process lifecycle manager, ensuring that triggered child processes and process groups are managed and restarted cleanly.
The tool provides path filtering to restrict monitoring to specific extensions or directories and utilizes debouncing to group rapid bursts of file system notifications into a single execution. It supports propagating the list of modified files to the executed command via standard input or platform-specific environment variables.
Its capabilities cover automated test execution, continuous build automation, and hot-reload development workflows.
