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Gulp tool window

Last modified: 23 May 2022

Context menu of a Gulpfile.js - Show Gulp Tasks

View | Tool Windows | Gulp

Use this tool window to run Gulp.js tasks The result of executing a task is shown in the Run tool window. The tool window shows the Gulp.js output, reports the errors occurred, lists the packages or plugins that have not been found, etc. The name of the last executed task is displayed on the title bar of the tool window.

Before you start

Running tasks

tip

  • When you build a tree of tasks for the first time during a PhpStorm session, the Gulp tool window is not opened yet.

  • If you already opened the Gulp tool window, you can access it with Search everywhere. Press Shift twice to open the search window, start typing your query, for example, Gulp task, and select Show Gulp Tasks from the list.

    Alternatively, select View | Tool Windows | Gulp from the main menu.

To open the Gulp tool window

  • Select the required Gulpfile.js file in the Project tool window or open it in the editor and choose Show Gulp Tasks from the context menu.

By default PhpStorm does not recognize ES6 in Gulpfile.js and fails to build a tasks tree. To solve this problem, update the default Gulp.js run configuration.

To build a tasks tree from a ES6 Gulpfile.js

  1. From the main menu, select Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, select Edit Configurations from the list on the toolbar.

    Open the Edit Configurations dialog

  2. Under the Templates node, click Gulp.js.

  3. In the Run/Debug Configuration: Gulp.js dialog that opens, type --harmony in the Node options field and click OK.

To build a tree of tasks

  • In the Gulp tool window, click the Add button on the toolbar and choose the required Gulpfile.js file from the list. By default, PhpStorm shows the Gulpfile.js file in the root of your project.

  • If you have another Gulpfile.js file, click Choose Gulpfile.js and select the Gulpfile.js file you need in the dialog that opens. PhpStorm adds a new node with the path to the chosen Gulpfile.js file on its title and builds a tasks tree under the new node.

To re-build a tree

  • Switch to the required node and click Reload Scripts on the toolbar.

To sort the tasks in a tree by their names

  • Click Settings on the toolbar, choose Sort by from the menu, and then choose Name.

    By default, a tree shows the tasks in the order in which they are defined in Gulpfile.js (option Definition order).

To run a task

  • Double-click the task.

  • Select the task in the tree and press Enter or choose Run <task name> from the context menu.

To run the default task

  • Select the root node in the tree, and choose Run default from the context menu of the selection.

To run several tasks

  • Use the multiselect mode: hold Shift (for adjacent items) or Ctrl (for non-adjacent items) keys and select the required tasks, then choose Run or Debug from the context menu of the selection.

To navigate to the definition of a task

  • Select the required task in the tree, and choose Jump to source from the context menu of the selection.

Toolbar

App general add

Add Gulpfile

Click this button to have a tasks tree for another Gulpfile.js file built. Choose the required Gulpfile.js file from the list. PhpStorm builds a tasks tree and shows it under a separate node.

minusSign.png

Remove Gulpfile

Click this button to remove the tasks tree under the selected node.

icon_reload_grunt.png

Reload tasks

Click this button to have the tasks tree under the selected node re-built. You may need a tree re-built after updating the corresponding Gulpfile.js file because Gulp.js does not apply changes to trees on the fly.

Collapse all

Collapse all

Click this button to hide all the tasks trees and have only Gulpfile.js nodes displayed.

View Modes

Click this button to configure the current view and to change the viewing modes of the tool window , see Tool window view modes for details .

Note that most of the menu items are options that you can turn on or off. An option which is on has a check mark to the left of its name. The Gulp-specific options are:

  • Gulp Settings: select this option to open the Gulp Settings dialog and update the current settings for Gulp and for the Node interpreter, see Gulp.

  • Sort by: select this option to configure the order in which tasks are shown in trees. Click Settings on the toolbar, choose Sort by from the menu, and then choose Name.

    By default, a tree shows the tasks in the order in which they are defined in Gulpfile.js (option Definition order).

Hide

Hide

Click this button to hide the tool window. To have it displayed again, choose View | Tool Windows | Gulp on the main menu. The tool window appears again showing all the previously built trees of tasks.

Context menu of a tree

Gulp Settings

Choose this menu item to open the Gulp Settings dialog and view or edit the Node.js configuration

Jump to Source

Choose this menu item to open the Gulpfile.js file for which the current tree is built.

Reload tasks

Choose this menu item to have the tree of tasks under the selected node re-built.

Copy Path

Choose this menu item to save the path to the Gulpfile.js file according to which the current tree was built to the clipboard.

Remove Gulpfile.js

Choose this menu item to remove the tree of tasks under the selected node.

Context menu of a task

Run <task name>

Choose this menu item to run the selected task.

Debug <task name>

Choose this menu item to debug the selected task.

Edit <task name> settings

Choose this menu item to open the Run/Debug Configuration dialog box and edit the predefined settings for the selected task.

Jump to Source

Choose this menu item to open the Gulpfile.js file for which the current tree is built and navigate to the definition of the selected task.

See also

Procedures

Reference