Env Watcher
A smart VS Code extension that automatically restarts your development server when configuration files change. Perfect for any development environment where config changes require server restarts.
✨ Key Features
- 🔍 Universal File Watching - Watch any configuration file (
.env, config.py, settings.json, etc.)
- 🧠 Smart Server Detection - Only restarts when a server is actually running
- 🔄 Terminal Reuse - Restarts in the same terminal where your server is running
- ⚡ Lightning Fast - Lightweight file watching with configurable debouncing
- 🎯 Zero Duplicates - Prevents multiple server instances from running
- 💡 Always-On .env Reminders - Gentle notifications for .env changes even when disabled
🚀 Perfect For
- Node.js projects with
.env, config.json files
- Python applications with
config.py, settings.py files
- Any framework that requires server restart on config changes
- Multiple file types - works with any file extension you specify
📦 Installation
Install directly from the VS Code Marketplace
🔧 Configuration
Add these settings to your workspace .vscode/settings.json:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": ".env",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "npm run dev",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 500
}
Configuration Examples
Node.js with environment files:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": ".env*",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "npm run dev",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 500
}
React/Next.js:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": "{.env,.env.local}",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "npm start",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 300
}
Python Flask/Django:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": "config.py",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "python app.py",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 500
}
Python FastAPI:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": "{.env,config.py}",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "uvicorn main:app --reload",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 500
}
Multiple config files:
{
"envWatcher.enabled": true,
"envWatcher.watchFile": "{.env,config.json,settings.py}",
"envWatcher.restartCommand": "yarn dev",
"envWatcher.autoRestart": true,
"envWatcher.debounceTime": 500
}
🔥 How It Works
- Detects Changes - Monitors your specified config files for modifications
- Checks Server Status - Only acts if a development server is actually running
- Smart Restart - Stops the current process and restarts in the same terminal
- No Duplicates - Prevents multiple server instances from running simultaneously
- Safety Net - Always shows lightweight reminders for .env changes, even when disabled
⚙️ Settings Reference
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
envWatcher.enabled |
boolean |
true |
Enable/disable file watching |
envWatcher.watchFile |
string |
".env" |
File pattern to watch (supports glob patterns) |
envWatcher.restartCommand |
string |
"npm run dev" |
Command to restart your server |
envWatcher.autoRestart |
boolean |
true |
Restart automatically without confirmation |
envWatcher.debounceTime |
number |
500 |
Delay in milliseconds to prevent restart spam |
🔧 Requirements
- VS Code 1.74.0 or higher
- Any development environment (Node.js, Python, etc.)
📝 Release Notes
0.1.1
- ✅ Modular Architecture - Cleaner, more maintainable codebase
- ✅ Always-On .env Reminders - Lightweight notifications even when extension is disabled
- ✅ Enhanced User Experience - Better notification system with reminder scheduling
- ✅ Improved Reliability - Better error handling and state management
0.0.3
- ✅ Smart server detection - only restarts when server is running
- ✅ Terminal reuse - restarts in existing terminal
- ✅ Universal file support - works with any configuration file
- ✅ Duplicate prevention - no more multiple server instances
- ✅ Improved reliability and performance
🤝 Contributing
Found a bug or have a feature request? Open an issue on GitHub.
📄 License
MIT - see LICENSE.md for details
