Watch Mode

Watch Mode

Watch mode monitors a runbook.mdx file (and its scripts, checks, or template files) for changes and automatically reloads the runbook in the app.

This feature is intended for authors of runbooks.

Caution

When you update a command property, local template, or local script, the runbook will automatically load these changes in the UI, but because of the executable registry, the runbook will continue to execute the old versions of these files. The solution is to restart the app when you make a template or script change.

Activating watch mode

Watch mode can be activated in two ways:

1. Via the command line when launching the app:

   runbooks --watch RUNBOOK_SOURCE

2. Via the app menu — toggle watch mode from the application menu while a runbook is open.

Arguments

• RUNBOOK_SOURCE - A local path or remote URL pointing to a runbook.mdx file or the directory containing a runbook.mdx file. See Opening a runbook for supported remote URL formats.

Note

When watching a remote runbook, file watching operates on the local downloaded copy. Changes to the remote repository will not be detected automatically.

What it does

When watch mode is active:

1. Watches for changes - Monitors the runbook file and related files for any modifications
2. Auto-reloads - Automatically refreshes the runbook in the app when changes are detected (within ~300ms)

Writing a new runbook

runbooks open --watch /path/to/runbook

Then in your editor:

1. Make changes to runbook.mdx
2. Save the file
3. See your changes instantly in the app — no manual refresh needed

Technical details

File watching

• Uses chokidar for efficient file system monitoring
• Watches the directory containing your runbook file
• Implements debouncing (300ms) to handle editors that save files multiple times
• Only triggers on write and create events for your specific runbook file

Auto-reload mechanism

• Uses IPC (inter-process communication) events to notify the renderer process of file changes
• When the file changes, the main process sends a file-change event via IPC
• The renderer receives the event and automatically reloads the runbook content