Deep nested directories watch for node.js

• Watch directories recursive
• Rebuild recursive when new directories found or old directories remove
• Deduplicate events with debounce

Usage

const metawatch = require('metawatch');

const watcher = new metawatch.DirectoryWatcher({ timeout: 200 });
watcher.watch('/home/marcus/Downloads');
watcher.watch('/home/marcus/Documents');

watcher.on('change', (fileName) => {
  console.log({ changed: fileName });
});

watcher.on('delete', (fileName) => {
  console.log({ deleted: fileName });
});

watcher.on('before', (changes) => {
  console.log({ changes });
});

watcher.on('after', (changes) => {
  console.log({ changes });
});

Contributors

• Timur Shemsedinov timur.shemsedinov@gmail.com
• See github for full contributors list

License & Contributors

Copyright (c) 2020-2025 Metarhia contributors. Metawatch is MIT licensed. Metawatch is a part of Metarhia technology stack.

Changelog

Unreleased

1.2.3 - 2025-05-21

• Add node.js 24 to CI
• Update dependencies

1.2.2 - 2024-08-30

• Update eslint to 9.x and prettier with configs
• Add node.js 22 to CI

1.2.1 - 2023-12-11

• Update dependencies and package maintenance

1.2.0 - 2023-10-27

• Update dependencies and package maintenance
• Drop node 16 and 19 support, add node 21

1.1.1 - 2023-06-04

• Fix options.timeout and don't use setTimeout for zero

1.1.0 - 2023-06-03

• Add events before and after receiving changes[]
• Clone queue iteration to avoid infinite loop
• Improve tests

1.0.8 - 2023-03-29

• Drop node.js 14 support, add node.js 20
• Convert package_lock.json to lockfileVersion 2
• Update dependencies

1.0.7 - 2022-11-17

• Package maintenance

1.0.6 - 2022-07-07

• Package maintenance

1.0.5 - 2022-03-18

• Refresh package and update dependencieas

1.0.4 - 2021-07-17

• Fix zero timeout
• Move types to package root

1.0.3 - 2021-04-07

• Remove watcher on delete directory
• Update readme: badges and example

1.0.2 - 2021-03-24

• Optimize queue, use Set instead of two arrays
• Change event names: 'rename' to 'change'
• Do not ignore events, use deduplication ginstead

1.0.1 - 2021-03-23

• Fixed bug: access to Map interface
• Typing .d.ts added

1.0.0 - 2021-03-21

• Watch directories recursive
• Rebuild recursive when new directories found or old directories remove
• Deduplicate events with configurable timeout
• New 'delete' event ('rename' event if ENOENT)
• Prevent duplicate path concatination