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File Watchers

Last modified: 11 October 2024

A File Watcher is a PhpStorm system that tracks changes to your files and runs a third-party standalone application. PhpStorm provides predefined File Watcher templates for a number of such standard popular third-party tools (compilers, compressors, prettifiers, and others).

You can also configure a custom File Watcher to run any other third-party tool.

File Watchers have two dedicated code inspections:

  • The File Watcher available inspection is run in every file where a predefined File Watcher is applicable. If the project has no relevant File Watcher configured, PhpStorm suggests to add one.

  • The File Watcher problems inspection is invoked by a running File Watcher and highlights errors specific to it.

You can use one of the available templates or configure a File Watcher from scratch. A configured File Watcher can be saved in your project settings or in the IDE settings and used in different projects.

For more information about File Watchers for specific tools, see the corresponding pages:

Note that using some of these tools in PhpStorm requires that you install plugins on the Settings | Plugins page as described in Installing plugins from JetBrains Marketplace.