feat: add config option for custom watch folders (#13881)

* feat: add config option for custom watch folders

* fix: cargo clippy changes

* chore: remove file

* fix: ios dev

* docs: clarify absolute allowed

* refactor: rename variable

* fix: review suggestions

* fix: resolve paths

* fixL use canonicalize

* chore: add changefile

* chore: add error if cant canonicalize

* reformat changelog

* Update .changes/additional-watch-folders.md

* Update crates/tauri-cli/src/interface/rust.rs

Co-authored-by: Tony <[email protected]>

* Revert "Update .changes/additional-watch-folders.md"

This reverts commit 98186b1.

* Also bump `@tauri-apps/cli`

* Apparently I'm so used to a higher rust version

* Revert "Apparently I'm so used to a higher rust version"

This reverts commit ea1d89e.

* Need to check for existence for abs paths as well

---------

Co-authored-by: Tony <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Tony <[email protected]>

Author: pepperoni505

.changes/additional-watch-folders.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"tauri-cli": minor:feat
+"@tauri-apps/cli": minor:feat
+"tauri-utils": minor:feat
+---
+
+Introduces a new configuration option that allows you to specify custom folders to watch for changes when running `tauri dev`.

crates/tauri-cli/config.schema.json

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
     "build": {
       "description": "The build configuration.",
       "default": {
+        "additionalWatchFolders": [],
         "removeUnusedCommands": false
       },
       "allOf": [
@@ -1880,6 +1881,14 @@
           "description": "Try to remove unused commands registered from plugins base on the ACL list during `tauri build`,\n the way it works is that tauri-cli will read this and set the environment variables for the build script and macros,\n and they'll try to get all the allowed commands and remove the rest\n\n Note:\n   - This won't be accounting for dynamically added ACLs when you use features from the `dynamic-acl` (currently enabled by default) feature flag, so make sure to check it when using this\n   - This feature requires tauri-plugin 2.1 and tauri 2.4",
           "default": false,
           "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "additionalWatchFolders": {
+          "description": "Additional paths to watch for changes when running `tauri dev`.",
+          "default": [],
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false

crates/tauri-cli/src/dev.rs

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use tauri_utils::{config::RunnerConfig, platform::Target};
 use std::{
   env::set_current_dir,
   net::{IpAddr, Ipv4Addr},
+  path::PathBuf,
   process::{exit, Command, Stdio},
   sync::{
     atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
@@ -81,6 +82,9 @@ pub struct Options {
   /// Disable the file watcher.
   #[clap(long)]
   pub no_watch: bool,
+  /// Additional paths to watch for changes.
+  #[clap(long)]
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
 
   /// Disable the built-in dev server for static files.
   #[clap(long)]
@@ -336,6 +340,19 @@ pub fn setup(interface: &AppInterface, options: &mut Options, config: ConfigHand
     }
   }
 
+  if options.additional_watch_folders.is_empty() {
+    options.additional_watch_folders.extend(
+      config
+        .lock()
+        .unwrap()
+        .as_ref()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build
+        .additional_watch_folders
+        .clone(),
+    );
+  }
+
   Ok(())
 }
 

crates/tauri-cli/src/interface/rust.rs

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use anyhow::Context;
+use dunce::canonicalize;
 use glob::glob;
 use ignore::gitignore::{Gitignore, GitignoreBuilder};
 use notify::RecursiveMode;
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ pub struct Options {
   pub args: Vec<String>,
   pub config: Vec<ConfigValue>,
   pub no_watch: bool,
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 impl From<crate::build::Options> for Options {
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ impl From<crate::build::Options> for Options {
       args: options.args,
       config: options.config,
       no_watch: true,
+      additional_watch_folders: Vec::new(),
     }
   }
 }
@@ -93,6 +96,7 @@ impl From<crate::dev::Options> for Options {
       args: options.args,
       config: options.config,
       no_watch: options.no_watch,
+      additional_watch_folders: options.additional_watch_folders,
     }
   }
 }
@@ -104,6 +108,7 @@ pub struct MobileOptions {
   pub args: Vec<String>,
   pub config: Vec<ConfigValue>,
   pub no_watch: bool,
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -209,7 +214,7 @@ impl Interface for Rust {
           on_exit(status, reason)
         })
       });
-      self.run_dev_watcher(&merge_configs, run)
+      self.run_dev_watcher(&options.additional_watch_folders, &merge_configs, run)
     }
   }
 
@@ -233,7 +238,7 @@ impl Interface for Rust {
     } else {
       let merge_configs = options.config.iter().map(|c| &c.0).collect::<Vec<_>>();
       let run = Arc::new(|_rust: &mut Rust| runner(options.clone()));
-      self.run_dev_watcher(&merge_configs, run)
+      self.run_dev_watcher(&options.additional_watch_folders, &merge_configs, run)
     }
   }
 
@@ -411,13 +416,31 @@ fn expand_member_path(path: &Path) -> crate::Result<Vec<PathBuf>> {
   Ok(res)
 }
 
-fn get_watch_folders() -> crate::Result<Vec<PathBuf>> {
+fn get_watch_folders(additional_watch_folders: &[PathBuf]) -> crate::Result<Vec<PathBuf>> {
   let tauri_path = tauri_dir();
   let workspace_path = get_workspace_dir()?;
 
   // We always want to watch the main tauri folder.
   let mut watch_folders = vec![tauri_path.to_path_buf()];
 
+  // Add the additional watch folders, resolving the path from the tauri path if it is relative
+  watch_folders.extend(additional_watch_folders.iter().filter_map(|dir| {
+    let path = if dir.is_absolute() {
+      dir.to_owned()
+    } else {
+      tauri_path.join(dir)
+    };
+
+    let canonicalized = canonicalize(&path).ok();
+    if canonicalized.is_none() {
+      log::warn!(
+        "Additional watch folder '{}' not found, ignoring",
+        path.display()
+      );
+    }
+    canonicalized
+  }));
+
   // We also try to watch workspace members, no matter if the tauri cargo project is the workspace root or a workspace member
   let cargo_settings = CargoSettings::load(&workspace_path)?;
   if let Some(members) = cargo_settings.workspace.and_then(|w| w.members) {
@@ -480,6 +503,7 @@ impl Rust {
 
   fn run_dev_watcher<F: Fn(&mut Rust) -> crate::Result<Box<dyn DevProcess + Send>>>(
     &mut self,
+    additional_watch_folders: &[PathBuf],
     merge_configs: &[&serde_json::Value],
     run: Arc<F>,
   ) -> crate::Result<()> {
@@ -489,7 +513,7 @@ impl Rust {
     let (tx, rx) = sync_channel(1);
     let frontend_path = frontend_dir();
 
-    let watch_folders = get_watch_folders()?;
+    let watch_folders = get_watch_folders(additional_watch_folders)?;
 
     let common_ancestor = common_path::common_path_all(watch_folders.iter().map(Path::new))
       .expect("watch_folders should not be empty");

crates/tauri-cli/src/mobile/android/dev.rs

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ use cargo_mobile2::{
   target::TargetTrait,
 };
 
-use std::env::set_current_dir;
+use std::{env::set_current_dir, path::PathBuf};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Parser)]
 #[clap(
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ pub struct Options {
   /// Disable the file watcher
   #[clap(long)]
   pub no_watch: bool,
+  /// Additional paths to watch for changes.
+  #[clap(long)]
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
   /// Open Android Studio instead of trying to run on a connected device
   #[clap(short, long)]
   pub open: bool,
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ impl From<Options> for DevOptions {
       config: options.config,
       args: options.args,
       no_watch: options.no_watch,
+      additional_watch_folders: options.additional_watch_folders,
       no_dev_server_wait: options.no_dev_server_wait,
       no_dev_server: options.no_dev_server,
       port: options.port,
@@ -265,6 +269,7 @@ fn run_dev(
       args: options.args,
       config: dev_options.config.clone(),
       no_watch: options.no_watch,
+      additional_watch_folders: options.additional_watch_folders,
     },
     |options| {
       let cli_options = CliOptions {

crates/tauri-cli/src/mobile/ios/dev.rs

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use cargo_mobile2::{
   opts::{NoiseLevel, Profile},
 };
 
-use std::env::set_current_dir;
+use std::{env::set_current_dir, path::PathBuf};
 
 const PHYSICAL_IPHONE_DEV_WARNING: &str = "To develop on physical phones you need the `--host` option (not required for Simulators). See the documentation for more information: https://v2.tauri.app/develop/#development-server";
 
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ pub struct Options {
   /// Disable the file watcher
   #[clap(long)]
   pub no_watch: bool,
+  /// Additional paths to watch for changes.
+  #[clap(long)]
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
   /// Open Xcode instead of trying to run on a connected device
   #[clap(short, long)]
   pub open: bool,
@@ -119,6 +122,7 @@ impl From<Options> for DevOptions {
       release_mode: options.release_mode,
       args: options.args,
       no_watch: options.no_watch,
+      additional_watch_folders: options.additional_watch_folders,
       no_dev_server: options.no_dev_server,
       no_dev_server_wait: options.no_dev_server_wait,
       port: options.port,
@@ -273,6 +277,7 @@ fn run_dev(
       args: options.args,
       config: dev_options.config.clone(),
       no_watch: options.no_watch,
+      additional_watch_folders: options.additional_watch_folders,
     },
     |options| {
       let cli_options = CliOptions {

crates/tauri-schema-generator/schemas/config.schema.json

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
     "build": {
       "description": "The build configuration.",
       "default": {
+        "additionalWatchFolders": [],
         "removeUnusedCommands": false
       },
       "allOf": [
@@ -1880,6 +1881,14 @@
           "description": "Try to remove unused commands registered from plugins base on the ACL list during `tauri build`,\n the way it works is that tauri-cli will read this and set the environment variables for the build script and macros,\n and they'll try to get all the allowed commands and remove the rest\n\n Note:\n   - This won't be accounting for dynamically added ACLs when you use features from the `dynamic-acl` (currently enabled by default) feature flag, so make sure to check it when using this\n   - This feature requires tauri-plugin 2.1 and tauri 2.4",
           "default": false,
           "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "additionalWatchFolders": {
+          "description": "Additional paths to watch for changes when running `tauri dev`.",
+          "default": [],
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false

crates/tauri-utils/src/config.rs

@@ -2892,6 +2892,9 @@ pub struct BuildConfig {
   ///   - This feature requires tauri-plugin 2.1 and tauri 2.4
   #[serde(alias = "remove-unused-commands", default)]
   pub remove_unused_commands: bool,
+  /// Additional paths to watch for changes when running `tauri dev`.
+  #[serde(alias = "additional-watch-directories", default)]
+  pub additional_watch_folders: Vec<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -3540,6 +3543,7 @@ mod build {
       let before_bundle_command = quote!(None);
       let features = quote!(None);
       let remove_unused_commands = quote!(false);
+      let additional_watch_folders = quote!(Vec::new());
 
       literal_struct!(
         tokens,
@@ -3551,7 +3555,8 @@ mod build {
         before_build_command,
         before_bundle_command,
         features,
-        remove_unused_commands
+        remove_unused_commands,
+        additional_watch_folders
       );
     }
   }
@@ -3874,6 +3879,7 @@ mod test {
       before_bundle_command: None,
       features: None,
       remove_unused_commands: false,
+      additional_watch_folders: Vec::new(),
     };
 
     // create a bundle config