ng serve (dev mode) doesn't serve updated file from assets directory

[kdcro101]

ng serve (dev mode) doesn't serve updated file from assets directory, it serves "version" that was first transmitted (caching problem?).

When file in assets directory is changed via external shell script (child tsconfig to generate javascript for web workers [tsc + browserify + uglify]), ng serve serves version of file that was transmitted on first request.

Server needs to be restarted for changes to pick-up.

Versions

Angular CLI: 1.6.8
Node: 8.9.3
OS: linux x64
Angular: 5.2.5
... animations, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms
... http, language-service, platform-browser
... platform-browser-dynamic, router

@angular/cdk: 5.2.1
@angular/cli: 1.6.8
@angular/flex-layout: 2.0.0-beta.12
@angular/material: 5.2.1
@angular-devkit/build-optimizer: 0.0.42
@angular-devkit/core: 0.0.29
@angular-devkit/schematics: 0.0.52
@ngtools/json-schema: 1.1.0
@ngtools/webpack: 1.9.8
@schematics/angular: 0.1.17
typescript: 2.5.3
webpack-bundle-analyzer: 2.10.0
webpack: 3.10.0

Repro steps

run ng serve, change some javascript file inside assets directory
assets/workers/some.js for example, using above mentioned tools

Observed behavior

ng serve - serves outdated js file which doesn't exist on storage/drive (caching?)

Desired behavior

To serve updated file from storage.

[kdcro101]

Also, when files are copied into project (imported type defs) it doesn't trigger change mechanism.
If I am having error which is reported via console output of ng serve after copying into project , corrected .ts files, using linux cp command it doesn't trigger ng serve rebuild processs, so ng serve must be restarted

[clydin]

This appears to be a bug but we will need to look at a reproduction to find and fix the problem. Can you setup a minimal reproduction please?

You can read here why this is needed. A good way to make a minimal reproduction is to create a new app via ng new repro-app and adding the minimum possible code to show the problem. Then you can push this repository to github and link it here.

[MickL]

I can reproduce this on latest version @angular/cli ~6.0.8: A changed file is recognized while new or moved files are not copied to dist.

To reproduce run ng build --watch. After compilation is done place new file into src/assets, or move an existing file -> nothing happens.

[virgil-av]

I have been trying to find a solution for this and nothing for me it is:

• generate some css files with grunt copy them into assets folder after the app is already started with ng serve
• change sass compile with grunt have new files in assets app will recompile
• change again and compile with grunt app will not recompile and add new assets to in memory assets
• kill the server and start ng serve will produce the same result over and over again

[DenysVuika]

Having exactly same problem with 6.2. After "automatic" reload I have to reload the app manually one more time to get the actual copy of the code.