Save a file.
Run your command.
Every time.

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stye is a lightweight CLI that watches files and folders and re-runs a command when something changes </> built on native Node.js.

One command. Zero config.

Point stye at a path, tell it what to run. Bursts of saves are debounced into a single run; output streams live with colours, and every run ends with its exit code and duration.

npm i -g @oxaccolades/stye

Requires Node.js 18+ · one dependency: chalk · MIT

Try it, right here

A simulated stye session. Save files, change the options and watch how debounce, filters and run modes behave. The command updates as you go.

Files click to save one

Options

--mode --debounce 300ms --ext (comma-separated) --ignore (space-separated globs) command takes

idle

debounce

gray lines only appear with --verbose

Built from the ground up

Watching, debouncing, glob matching and process-tree control are implemented in the repo itself — no chokidar, no magic.

--debounceDebounced runs

A quiet period after the last change (default 300ms) turns a burst of saves into one run.

--fallbackRecursive everywhere

Native recursive watching, with a built-in directory walker for Node 18 on Linux that follows created and deleted folders.

-e, --include, --ignoreGlob filters

Supports *, **, ?, [abc], [!abc] and {a,b}. Ignore always wins. Sane defaults skip node_modules and .git.

--kill-timeoutClean process control

SIGTERM, then SIGKILL, applied to the whole process tree — taskkill /T on Windows.

stye.config.jsonConfig file

Keep settings in a JSON file or in package.json. CLI flags override per key.

r · c · qInteractive keys

Rerun now, clear screen, quit. Friendly one-line errors instead of stack traces.

Three ways to run

Pick what happens when a change lands mid-run with --mode.

restartStop and start fresh

Kills the previous run and everything it spawned. Best for servers and dev tools.

queueFinish, then once more

Leaves a running command alone; changes meanwhile trigger exactly one more run. Best for builds and tests.

concurrentEvery change, immediately

Each change starts a new run right away, without waiting.

Set it once, then just type stye

Keep your settings in stye.config.json or under a "stye" key in package.json. CLI flags override the file per key.

Config reference

{
  "watch": ["src", "tests"],
  "command": "npm test",
  "ext": ["ts"],
  "ignore": ["src/generated", "*.snap"],
  "debounce": 200,
  "mode": "queue"
}

Stop re-running things by hand.

One install, one command. Node.js 18 or newer.

npm i -g @oxaccolades/stye

Read the docs