feat(cli-hooks): add default app and manifest watch config (#2480)

zimeg · mwbrooks · web-flow · commit 0abdc918a11d · 2026-02-04T15:37:14.000-08:00
Co-authored-by: Michael Brooks &lt;mbrooks@slack-corp.com&gt;
diff --git a/.changeset/green-items-write.md b/.changeset/green-items-write.md
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+---
+"@slack/cli-hooks": minor
+---
+
+feat(cli-hooks): add default app and manifest watch config
+
+This package now provides default watch configurations for automatic file watching during [`slack run`](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/slack-cli/reference/commands/slack_platform_run). The CLI will restart your app server when source files change and reinstall your app when the manifest changes.
+
+**Requirements:** These features require Slack CLI v3.12.0+ with [file watching support](https://github.com/slackapi/slack-cli/pull/310).
+
+### Default Configuration
+
+The following watch settings are provided automatically when using this package:
+
+```json
+{
+  "config": {
+    "watch": {
+      "app": {
+        "filter-regex": "\\.js$",
+        "paths": ["."]
+      },
+      "manifest": {
+        "paths": ["manifest.json"]
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+- **app**: Watches for JavaScript file changes to restart the app server
+- **manifest**: Watches the manifest file for changes to reinstall the app
+
+**Note:** Manifest watching requires a local manifest source in your `.slack/config.json` file. Remote manifests will not be updated on file changes.
+
+```json
+{
+  "manifest": {
+    "source": "local"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Custom Configurations
+
+You can override these defaults in your `.slack/hooks.json` file to reduce the paths searched or change the file patterns. Read [Watch Configurations](https://docs.slack.dev/tools/slack-cli/reference/hooks/#watch-configurations) for more options.
+
+### TypeScript Development
+
+TypeScript developers should run `tsc --watch` in a separate terminal during development. This compiles `.ts` files to `.js` on changes, and the default watch configuration will detect changes to the compiled `dist/*.js` files and restart the app server. This approach works best with the default settings.
diff --git a/packages/cli-hooks/src/get-hooks.js b/packages/cli-hooks/src/get-hooks.js
@@ -32,9 +32,23 @@ if (fs.realpathSync(process.argv[1]) === fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)) {
  */
 
 /**
- * Information about the files to watch for specific changes.
+ * Information about file changes for CLI actions.
  * @typedef SDKConfigWatch
- * @property {string} filter-regex - Regex pattern for finding filtered files.
+ * @property {AppConfigWatch} app - Watch config for server restarts.
+ * @property {ManifestConfigWatch} manifest - Watch config for app reinstalls.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Information about the app files to watch for server restarts.
+ * @typedef AppConfigWatch
+ * @property {string} [filter-regex] - Regex pattern for finding filtered files.
+ * @property {string[]} paths - Specific locations to begin searching for files.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Information about the manifest files to watch for app reinstalls.
+ * @typedef ManifestConfigWatch
+ * @property {string} [filter-regex] - Regex pattern for finding filtered files.
  * @property {string[]} paths - Specific locations to begin searching for files.
  */
 
@@ -52,8 +66,13 @@ export default function getHooks() {
     },
     config: {
       watch: {
-        'filter-regex': '^manifest\\.json$',
-        paths: ['.'],
+        app: {
+          'filter-regex': '\\.js$',
+          paths: ['.'],
+        },
+        manifest: {
+          paths: ['manifest.json'],
+        },
       },
       'protocol-version': SUPPORTED_NAMED_PROTOCOLS,
       'sdk-managed-connection-enabled': true,
diff --git a/packages/cli-hooks/src/get-hooks.spec.js b/packages/cli-hooks/src/get-hooks.spec.js
@@ -21,4 +21,19 @@ describe('get-hooks implementation', async () => {
     const { config } = getHooks();
     assert(config['sdk-managed-connection-enabled']);
   });
+
+  it('should return watch config for app files', async () => {
+    const { config } = getHooks();
+    assert(config.watch);
+    assert(config.watch.app);
+    assert.equal(config.watch.app['filter-regex'], '\\.js$');
+    assert.deepEqual(config.watch.app.paths, ['.']);
+  });
+
+  it('should return watch config for manifest files', async () => {
+    const { config } = getHooks();
+    assert(config.watch);
+    assert(config.watch.manifest);
+    assert.deepEqual(config.watch.manifest.paths, ['manifest.json']);
+  });
 });
