AspNetCore.Docs/aspnetcore/tutorials/dotnet-watch.md

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Developing ASP.NET Core apps using dotnet watch	rick-anderson	Shows how to use dotnet watch.	ASP.NET Core, using dotnet watch	riande	wpickett	03/09/2017	article	563ffb3f-d369-4aa5-bf0a-7300b4e7832c	aspnet	asp.net-core	tutorials/dotnet-watch

Developing ASP.NET Core apps using dotnet watch

By Rick Anderson and Victor Hurdugaci

dotnet watch is a tool that runs a dotnet command when source files change. For example, a file change can trigger compilation, tests, or deployment.

In this tutorial, we use an existing Web API app with two endpoints: one that returns a sum and one that returns a product. The product method contains a bug that we'll fix as part of this tutorial.

Download the sample app. It contains two projects, WebApp (a web app) and WebAppTests (unit tests for the web app).

In a console, navigate to the WebApp folder and run the following commands:

• dotnet restore
• dotnet run

The console output will show messages similar to the following (indicating that the app is running and waiting for requests):

$ dotnet run
Hosting environment: Production
Content root path: C:/Docs/aspnetcore/tutorials/dotnet-watch/sample/WebApp
Now listening on: http://localhost:5000
Application started. Press Ctrl+C to shut down.

In a web browser, navigate to http://localhost:5000/api/math/sum?a=4&b=5, you should see the result 9.

Navigate to the product API (http://localhost:5000/api/math/product?a=4&b=5), it returns 9, not 20 as you'd expect. We'll fix that later in the tutorial.

Add dotnet watch to a project

• Add Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Tools to the .csproj file:

<ItemGroup>
  <DotNetCliToolReference Include="Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Tools" Version="2.0.0" />
</ItemGroup> 

• Run dotnet restore.

Running dotnet commands using dotnet watch

Any dotnet command can be run with dotnet watch, for example:

Command	Command with watch
dotnet run	dotnet watch run
dotnet run -f net451	dotnet watch run -f net451
dotnet run -f net451 -- --arg1	dotnet watch run -f net451 -- --arg1
dotnet test	dotnet watch test

Run dotnet watch run in the WebApp folder. The console output will indicate watch has started.

Making changes with dotnet watch

Make sure dotnet watch is running.

Fix the bug in the Product method of the MathController so it returns the product and not the sum.

public static int Product(int a, int b)
{
  return a * b;
} 

Save the file. The console output will show messages indicating that dotnet watch detected a file change and restarted the app.

Verify http://localhost:5000/api/math/product?a=4&b=5 returns the correct result.

Running tests using dotnet watch

• Change the Product method of the MathController back to returning the sum and save the file.
• In a command window, naviagate to the WebAppTests folder.
• Run dotnet restore
• Run dotnet watch test. You see output indicating that a test failed and that watcher is waiting for file changes:

Total tests: 2. Passed: 1. Failed: 1. Skipped: 0.
Test Run Failed.

• Fix the Product method code so it returns the product. Save the file.

dotnet watch detects the file change and reruns the tests. The console output will show the tests passed.

dotnet-watch in GitHub

dotnet-watch is part of the GitHub DotNetTools repository.

The MSBuild section of the dotnet-watch ReadMe explains how dotnet-watch can be configured from the MSBuild project file being watched. The dotnet-watch ReadMe contains information on dotnet-watch not covered in this tutorial.