chokidar-cli

library3.0.0jsnpmunverified

Chokidar CLI is an ultra-fast, cross-platform command-line utility designed to watch file system changes and execute arbitrary commands or stream event output. It is built upon the robust and widely adopted `chokidar` library, which is known for its battle-tested stability and efficient file watching across various operating systems, handling quirks of `fs.watch` and `fs.watchFile` by normalizing events and supporting atomic/chunked writes. Currently at version 3.0.0, this tool provides a simple interface for developers to integrate automated tasks, such as compilation or testing, directly into their workflow upon file modifications. While the underlying `chokidar` library has seen recent updates (v4 and v5 as of late 2024/2025), `chokidar-cli` itself has not had a major release since v3.0.0 in July 2021, suggesting a slower release cadence for the CLI wrapper. Its key differentiators lie in abstracting the complexities of file system event handling and providing a straightforward command-line interface for common automation needs without requiring programmatic setup.

devops

npm install chokidar-cli

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · CHOKIDAR-CLI

chokidar-cli

devopsjavascriptv3.0.0

Install

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Import

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Disk

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Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

chokidar

✓ npm install -g chokidar-cli # Then use the 'chokidar' command in your terminal

✗ import { chokidar } from 'chokidar-cli'

This package is a command-line utility. Its functionality is accessed via the `chokidar` command in the terminal, not via programmatic JavaScript imports. Attempting to `import` or `require` this package directly will result in errors as it does not expose a public JavaScript API for direct consumption.

chokidar

✓ npm install chokidar-cli # Then use in package.json scripts: # {"scripts": {"watch:js": "chokidar \"**/*.js\" -c \"npm run build-js\""}}

✗ const chokidar = require('chokidar-cli')

When installed locally, the `chokidar` command is available via npm scripts or by using `npx chokidar`. Direct CommonJS/ESM import is not supported as it's a CLI wrapper. Ensure proper escaping of quotes within package.json scripts for cross-platform compatibility.

chokidar

✓ chokidar "src/**/*.less" -c "npm run build-less -- {path}"

✗ chokidar-cli "src/**/*.less" -c "npm run build-less -- {path}"

The command line utility is invoked as `chokidar`, not `chokidar-cli`. Using `chokidar-cli` as the command name will result in a 'command not found' error.

Demonstrates global installation, watching a glob pattern for `.js` files, and executing a command with event and path details on changes.

#!/bin/bash # Install chokidar-cli globally for easy command access npm install -g chokidar-cli # Create a dummy project directory and a file mkdir -p my-watched-project/src echo "// Initial content" > my-watched-project/src/app.js # Navigate into the project directory cd my-watched-project echo "Watching for changes in src/**/*.js. Try modifying src/app.js..." # Run chokidar to watch JavaScript files and execute a simple echo command # The -c flag runs a command, and {event} and {path} are placeholders chokidar "src/**/*.js" -c "echo 'File {path} was {event}ed!' && ls -la src" # To stop watching, press Ctrl+C in the terminal where chokidar is running. # Example of how to trigger an event (run this in a separate terminal after starting chokidar): # echo "console.log('updated content');" >> src/app.js # rm src/app.js # echo "// New file" > src/another.js

chokidar --version

Debug

Known issues

breakingWhen specifying patterns and commands, especially within `package.json` scripts, cross-platform compatibility requires the use of double quotes (escaped if necessary) around arguments. Single quotes may not be universally supported across all operating systems and shells, leading to parsing issues.

fix

Always use double quotes (e.g., `"**/*.js" -c "your command here"`) for patterns and commands. For commands within `package.json` scripts, escape inner double quotes: `"chokidar \"**/*.js\" -c \"echo {event}\"`.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaThe package name is `chokidar-cli`, but the command line utility itself is invoked as `chokidar` (without the `-cli` suffix). Using `chokidar-cli` on the command line will result in a 'command not found' error.

fix

After installation (`npm install -g chokidar-cli` or `npm install chokidar-cli`), always use the command `chokidar` to run the utility.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaWatching files on network directories (e.g., NFS, SMB shares) or within certain Docker environments often requires using the `--polling` option for reliable change detection, as native file system events may not propagate correctly.

fix

Append `--polling` to your `chokidar` command when watching network-mounted directories: `chokidar "**/*.less" -c "npm run build-less" --polling`.

affects: >=1.0.0

deprecatedThe underlying `chokidar` library has moved to ESM-only and increased its minimum Node.js requirement to v20+ in its v5 release (Nov 2025). While `chokidar-cli` v3.0.0 only requires Node.js >=8.10.0, it uses an older version of `chokidar`. Compatibility with future `chokidar-cli` versions may require updated Node.js environments and changes if `chokidar-cli` itself updates to `chokidar` v4/v5.

fix

Monitor `chokidar-cli` release notes for updates regarding its internal `chokidar` dependency. For `chokidar` itself, ensure Node.js v20+ for v5, or v14+ for v4.

affects: >=3.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

command not found: chokidar-cli

The command line utility is named `chokidar`, not `chokidar-cli`, even though the npm package is `chokidar-cli`.

fix

Use `chokidar` instead of `chokidar-cli` in your terminal or scripts. Example: `chokidar "./**/*.js" -c "echo File changed"`.

Error: EMFILE: too many open files, watch

The operating system's limit for open file descriptors has been reached. This often happens when watching a very large number of files/directories, or when a tool that uses `chokidar` (like `chokidar-cli`) is misconfigured to watch too broadly.

fix

Increase your system's file descriptor limit (e.g., `ulimit -n 2048` on Linux/macOS for the current session, or modify system configuration for permanent changes). Alternatively, refine your glob patterns to watch fewer files and directories, or use `chokidar`'s `ignored` option to exclude unnecessary paths.

Command not running or syntax error in command specified with -c

Incorrect quoting or shell interpretation of the command string, especially when it contains spaces, variables, or other special characters.

fix

Ensure the command passed to `-c` is enclosed in double quotes. If the command itself contains double quotes (e.g., for string literals), escape them properly. Example for `package.json`: `"watch:build": "chokidar \"src/**/*.ts\" -c \"npm run compile -- --path={path}\""`.

Upgrade

Version history

3.0.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

chokidarrequiredCore file watching library that chokidar-cli wraps and exposes via the command line.

Agent activity

4 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/open-npm-tools/chokidar-cli ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/chokidar-cli ↗