(cli): watch not working on MacOS ^2.1100.1

[joemaller]

Describe the bug

After globally updating aws-cdk to v2.1104.0, cdk watch (and cdk deploy --watch) no longer trigger a deploy when TypeScript files change. No "watch is observing..." messages are printed.

Regression Issue

• Select this option if this issue appears to be a regression.

Last Known Working CDK Version

2.1034.0

Expected Behavior

CDK watches project files and redeploys when a file is modified.

Current Behavior

Files are not watched and nothing is triggered when files are modified.

Reproduction Steps

Update global aws-cdk:

npm install -g aws-cdk@2.1104.0

Call watch or deploy --watch:

cdk watch

Touch the stack file to trigger a deploy:

touch lib/*-stack.ts

Possible Solution

The only fix was downgrading to v2.1034.0

npm install -g aws-cdk@2.1034.0

Additional Information/Context

Projects are TypeScript, scaffolded with cdk init app --language=typescript. Nothing special, just a few lambdas, S3 and CloudFront. MacOS Sequoia 15.7.3.

Same result with node v24.13.0 and v20.20.0

Downgrading the global aws-cdk to version 2.1034.0 (npm install -g aws-cdk@2.1034.0) made search work again.

These initial output watch messages never print with the recent aws-cdk versions.

'watch' is observing directory 'lib' for changes
'watch' is observing directory 'lambda' for changes
'watch' is observing directory 'bin' for changes

CDK CLI Version

2.1104.0

Framework Version

No response

Node.js Version

24.13.0 and 20.20.0

OS

MacOS

Language

TypeScript

Language Version

No response

Other information

No response

[kaizencc]

Thanks for reporting @joemaller. I can reproduce this on my end and am investigating. Possibly related to our recent chokidar upgrade: #1059

[kaizencc]

glob support removed in chokidar v4: https://dev.to/43081j/migrating-from-chokidar-3x-to-4x-5ab5, and we are using include: ['**'].

[11:58:42] 'include' patterns for 'watch': [ '**' ]
[11:58:42] 'exclude' patterns for 'watch': [
  'README.md',
  'cdk*.json',
  '**/*.d.ts',
  '**/*.js',
  'tsconfig.json',
  'package*.json',
  'yarn.lock',
  'node_modules',
  'test',
  'cdk.out/**',
  '**/.*',
  '**/.*/**',
  '**/node_modules/**'
]

for now, the workaround is to use cdk cli v2.1102.0 and below. i will implement a fix momentarily.