## Description
This PR adds a new `server:watch` script that runs MagicMirror² in
server-only mode with automatic restart and browser reload capabilities.
Particularly helpful for:
- **Developers** who need to see changes immediately without manual
restarts.
- **Users setting up their mirror** who make many changes to `config.js`
or `custom.css` and need quick feedback.
### What it does
When you run `npm run server:watch`, the watcher monitors files you
specify in `config.watchTargets`. Whenever a monitored file changes:
1. The server automatically restarts
2. Waits for the port to become available
3. Sends a reload notification to all connected browsers via Socket.io
4. Browsers automatically refresh to show the changes
This creates a seamless development experience where you can edit code,
save, and see the results within seconds.
### Implementation highlights
**Zero dependencies:** Uses only Node.js built-ins (`fs.watch`,
`child_process.spawn`, `net`, `http`) - no nodemon or external watchers
needed.
**Smart file watching:** Monitors parent directories instead of files
directly to handle atomic writes from modern editors (VSCode, etc.) that
create temporary files during save operations.
**Port management:** Waits for the old server instance to fully release
the port before starting a new one, preventing "port already in use"
errors.
### Configuration
Users explicitly define which files to monitor in their `config.js`:
```js
let config = {
watchTargets: [
"config/config.js",
"css/custom.css",
"modules/MMM-MyModule/MMM-MyModule.js",
"modules/MMM-MyModule/node_helper.js"
],
// ... rest of config
};
```
This explicit approach keeps the implementation simple (~260 lines)
while giving users full control over what triggers restarts. If
`watchTargets` is empty or undefined, the watcher starts but monitors
nothing, logging a clear warning message.
---
**Note:** This PR description has been updated to reflect the final
implementation. During the review process, we refined the approach
multiple times based on feedback.
---------
Co-authored-by: Jboucly <contact@jboucly.fr>
Co-authored-by: Kristjan ESPERANTO <35647502+KristjanESPERANTO@users.noreply.github.com>
## [2.23.0] - 2023-04-04
Thanks to: @angeldeejay, @buxxi, @CarJem, @dariom, @DaveChild, @dWoolridge, @grenagit, @Hirschberger, @KristjanESPERANTO, @MagMar94, @naveensrinivasan, @nfogal, @psieg, @rajniszp, @retroflex, @SkySails and @tomzt.
Special thanks to @khassel, @rejas and @sdetweil for taking over most (if not all) of the work on this release as project collaborators. This version would not be there without their effort. Thank you guys! You are awesome!
### Added
- Added increments for hourly forecasts in weather module (#2996)
- Added tests for hourly weather forecast
- Added possibility to ignore MagicMirror repo in updatenotification module
- Added Pirate Weather as new weather provider (#3005)
- Added possibility to use your own templates in Alert module
- Added error message if `<modulename>.js` file is missing in module folder to get a hint in the logs (#2403)
- Added possibility to use environment variables in `config.js` (#1756)
- Added option `pastDaysCount` to default calendar module to control of how many days past events should be displayed
- Added thai language to alert module
- Added option `sendNotifications` in clock module (#3056)
### Removed
- Removed darksky weather provider
- Removed unneeded (and unwanted) '.' after the year in calendar repeatingCountTitle (#2896)
### Updated
- Use develop as target branch for dependabot
- Update issue template, contributing doc and sample config
- The weather modules clearly separates precipitation amount and probability (risk of rain/snow)
- This requires all providers that only supports probability to change the config from `showPrecipitationAmount` to `showPrecipitationProbability`.
- Update tests for weather and calendar module
- Changed updatenotification module for MagicMirror repo only: Send only notifications for `master` if there is a tag on a newer commit
- Update dates in Calendar widgets every minute
- Cleanup jest coverage for patches
- Update `stylelint` dependencies, switch to `stylelint-config-standard` and handle `stylelint` issues, update `main.css` matching new rules
- Update Eslint config, add new rule and handle issue
- Convert lots of callbacks to async/await
- Revise require imports (#3071 and #3072)
### Fixed
- Fix wrong day labels in envcanada forecast (#2987)
- Fix for missing default class name prefix for customEvents in calendar
- Fix electron flashing white screen on startup (#1919)
- Fix weathergov provider hourly forecast (#3008)
- Fix message display with HTML code into alert module (#2828)
- Fix typo in french translation
- Yr wind direction is no longer inverted
- Fix async node_helper stopping electron start (#2487)
- The wind direction arrow now points in the direction the wind is flowing, not into the wind (#3019)
- Fix precipitation css styles and rounding value
- Fix wrong vertical alignment of calendar title column when wrapEvents is true (#3053)
- Fix empty news feed stopping the reload forever
- Fix e2e tests (failed after async changes) by running calendar and newsfeed tests last
- Lint: Use template literals instead of string concatenation
- Fix default alert module to render HTML for title and message
- Fix Open-Meteo wind speed units
