[feat] Add .taurignore and turn off the default behavior of watching all workspace members

[simonhyll]

Describe the problem

I use a monolithic style repository. Crates in my repository can be completely unrelated to the Tauri app, such as the REST API. But even if it's related to the app, for example the frontend resides in a separate workspace member than the Tauri source code. The result of watching all workspace members then is that rather than having hot reloading for my frontend, any change to the frontend results in the Tauri app being rebuilt as well. If I update the API, Tauri rebuilds, for absolutely no good reason. Even if I just change the README in another project, it triggers a rebuild of the Tauri app.

The only solution right now for me that sort of works is by passing an ignore file as an environment variable in the format of TAURI_DEV_WATCHER_IGNORE_FILE=.taurignore. It works, but passing that environment variable is incredibly annoying.

Describe the solution you'd like

• Disable watching all workspace members by default. Add a CLI flag such as --watch-members to enable it. It's a good feature but I highly doubt most people using workspaces are using every single crate in their workspace for the Tauri project. If you disagree, at least add the reverse option, e.g. --no-watch-members
• Support reading files in the workspace called .taurignore that disable watchers for ignored files

Alternatives considered

None really. I'll use my workaround until either of the above solutions are implemented, or until someone else suggests something better.

One potential improvement to the watched files could be only watching for changes in *.rs files in other workspace members, since it's pretty much guaranteed that the only reason you want to rebuild your Tauri app based on a workspace member change is when you've updated the Rust code. Icons and such most likely reside in the Tauri project itself so watching the entire Tauri project makes sense, but watching all files in all workspace members is almost guaranteed to be unnecessary and unwanted behavior, watching all Rust files should be the only thing people really need. Ignore files would still be required because again, if I have a REST API, I don't want those Rust source files to rebuild my Tauri app as well, but it'd be a start.

Additional context

No response

[mokeyish]

This feature is very nice. i need it

[lucasfernog]

What if we add a [tauri] section to the workspace Cargo.toml file where you can configure which packages to include or which packages to ignore?

[simonhyll]

What if we add a [tauri] section to the workspace Cargo.toml file where you can configure which packages to include or which packages to ignore?

I considered this approach as well but then figured that it's far more standardized to use a .ignore file of some kind. It's an option, but in my opinion it's preferable to add .taurignore anyway because it makes it easier to handle the ignores. The workspace file can get pretty bloated otherwise and it's easier to manage ignores in different crates if each crate has its own .taurignore file.

Yet another option could be [package.metadata.tauri] sections in the Cargo.toml files of each crate, but again, this could very easily get very bloated

[lorenzolewis]

My only nit-pick feedback is the file name missing an 'i'. I know why (and we do the same with tauricon) but it still seems off. .tauri-ignore is outside the convention given by .gitignore but could it be an option?

[simonhyll]

Personally I like the name .taurignore more, having .tauriignore looks weird and feels somewhat redundant and annoying to type. If you really don't like turning 2 i's into 1 then .tauri-ignore is at least nicer than .tauriignore, but as you say, it goes against the naming convention of ignore files, and .taurignore is more in line with tauricon so it's also in line with the Tauri project naming conventions.

[lorenzolewis]

Agree that .tauriignore is a no-go. I think it's just more from a branding/consistency perspective than anything. tauricon is weird to me but I get it's a play on words.

End of the day it doesn't matter, just wanted to put it out there.

[sak96]

my vote goes to : .tauri_ignore or .tauri-ignore.

[FabianLars]

If this feature request turns into a discussion about the name of a file and not about the feature itself we may take the easy route and accept all 4 variants and let each user decide for themself 😆

[lucasfernog]

I like .taurignore. And this feature request is so simple that we should discuss the file name instead 😂 😂

[lorenzolewis]

Regex of /.tauri.?i?gnore/gmi anyone? 😂

[FabianLars]

Shouldn't we much rather discuss this

Disable watching all workspace members by default. Add a CLI flag such as --watch-members to enable it. It's a good feature but I highly doubt most people using workspaces are using every single crate in their workspace for the Tauri project. If you disagree, at least add the reverse option, e.g. --no-watch-members

and this

One potential improvement to the watched files could be only watching for changes in *.rs files in other workspace members

? 😆

P.S. it's 3v2 in favor of .taurignore right now 👀 (Edit: yes, my muscle memory wrote .gitignore)

Regex of /.tauri.?i?gnore/gmi anyone? 😂

Now that's what i'm talking about

[sak96]

may be providing a key tauri.conf.json::build.ignorefile and using any default value should be fine.

also one more esoteric name tauri::ignore.