Watch Mode

Watch mode automatically re-validates your .env files whenever they change. Perfect for development workflows.

Basic Usage

envguard validate --watch

EnvGuard will:

1. Run an initial validation
2. Watch .env files and the schema for changes
3. Re-validate after a debounce period
4. Print results to the terminal

With Custom Options

envguard validate --watch -s envguard.yaml -e .env -e .env.local --strict

Watch Command

The dedicated watch command provides additional control:

envguard watch -e .env -s envguard.yaml

Options

Flag	Description
--debounce	Debounce duration (default: 300ms)
--command	Run a shell command after each validation
--clear	Clear the terminal before each run
--quiet	Only show errors

Running Commands on Change

Trigger your test suite or application restart on validation:

envguard watch --command "npm test"

envguard watch --clear --command "go run ./cmd/app"

Output Formats

Watch mode supports all standard output formats:

# JSON output (useful for editor integration)
envguard watch -f json

# GitHub Actions format
envguard watch -f github

How It Works

EnvGuard uses fsnotify for efficient filesystem watching. Changes are debounced to avoid excessive re-validation during rapid file edits.

The watcher handles:

• File writes and renames
• File creation (for new .env files)
• Directory watching for monorepo setups
• Graceful shutdown on Ctrl+C