`watch` issue

[butuzov]

Description

Change issued in files elsewhere (not in watch patters) stops watch (issues kill to running command). I do belive this is connected to switch to v[3.43.1](https://github.com/go-task/task/releases/tag/v3.43.1) introduced fsnotify.

part of the log with -v and -w flags

application - 11:06:59  INFO  layer=server/http msg=http setup
application - 11:06:59 DEBUG  layer=server/http/openapi msg=serving openapi base=/docs spec=/docs/openapi.yaml
application - 11:06:59  INFO  msg=[HTTP] server listening on: [::]:8000
task: received watch event: WRITE         "/Users/butuzov/Desktop/api.service/scripts/test_api.py"
application - 11:07:13  INFO  msg=[HTTP] server stopping
task: "build:live:all" finished
task: task "build:live:all" finished running
task: dynamic variable: "git describe --tags --match 'v*' --always --dirty" result: "dae5ced-dirty"
task: dynamic variable: "git rev-parse HEAD" result: "dae5cedf1460ee7fea4e8bff47c4a703b3e4ef43"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOOS'" result: "darwin"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOARCH'" result: "arm64"
task: skipped for file not in sources: scripts/test_api.py

Version

3.48, i did track it back to 3.42.1 as last one not killing current execution, with false signals.

Operating system

macOS

Experiments Enabled

No response

Example Taskfile

[trulede]

@butuzov you need to provide a minimal Taskfile (using simple commands like touch, sleep) which demonstrates the problem, and clear instructions on how to reproduce the effect. Thanks.

[butuzov]

@butuzov you need to provide a minimal Taskfile (using simple commands like touch, sleep) which demonstrates the problem, and clear instructions on how to reproduce the effect. Thanks.

Tbh. I cannot recreate it with another repo... i am using such sources list in both cases

x-be:dev:base: &x-be-dev-base
  sources:
  - exclude: ./cmd/service/wire_gen.go
  - ./**/*.proto
  - ./**/*.yaml
  - ./**/*.go
  - ./scripts/build-pipeline.sh
  - ./scripts/build-servies.sh
  method: timestamp
  silent: true
  ignore_error: false

in both cases its unpacking into task via regular yaml syntax

# example from real case where issue observed....
  build:live:all:
    <<: *x-be-dev-base
    desc: Режим розробки (наживо), з лінтером та тестами
    cmds:
    - task --version
    - cmd: ./scripts/build-pipeline.sh -all -- {{.CLI_ARGS}}
    - echo ----- Migrate -----------------------------------------------------
    - ./bin/migrate
    - echo ----- Backend -----------------------------------------------------
    - ./bin/service

example from minimal task file...

  default:
    <<: *x-be-dev-base
    cmds:
    - ./task --version              # Inform us what version of task used
    - go generate . &               # GEnerate artifacts used by build async
    - go build -o ./bin/http        # Builds Long Living task 
    - ./bin/http                    # Runs Long Living Task

both cases run with -fvw --interval=1s

While in first case (real issue) it starts watching dirs (not sure why)

 > ./task build:live:all -fwv --interval=1s
task: dynamic variable: "git describe --tags --match 'v*' --always --dirty" result: "85ba7ca-dirty"
task: dynamic variable: "git rev-parse HEAD" result: "85ba7ca504d45ba378355389f415473ce217f76e"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOOS'" result: "darwin"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOARCH'" result: "arm64"
task: Started watching for tasks: build:live:all
task: watching new dir: .
task: watching new dir: api/v1
task: watching new dir: cmd/dbtest
task: watching new dir: cmd/migrate
task: watching new dir: cmd/migrate/migrations
task: watching new dir: cmd/migrate/schema
task: watching new dir: cmd/service
task: watching new dir: pkg/biz
task: watching new dir: pkg/conf
task: watching new dir: pkg/data
task: watching new dir: pkg/data/entity
task: watching new dir: pkg/server
task: watching new dir: pkg/server/openapi
task: watching new dir: pkg/server/static
task: watching new dir: pkg/service
task: watching new dir: pkg/utils/bootstrap
task: watching new dir: pkg/utils/logger
task: watching new dir: protos/api/v1
task: watching new dir: protos/pkg/conf
task: watching new dir: resources
task: "build:live:all" started
task: [build:live:all] ./task --version
task: watching new dir: scripts
3.48.0
task: [build:live:all] echo ----- Migrate -----------------------------------------------------
----- Migrate -----------------------------------------------------
task: [build:live:all] ./bin/migrate
09:59:50  INFO  date=03.03.26_07:57:30 version=85ba7ca-dirty commit=85ba7ca5 service=
09:59:50 DEBUG  args=[./bin/migrate]
09:59:50 DEBUG  msg=postgres://user:pass@localhost:3456/db?sslmode=disable
09:59:50 DEBUG  msg=up
09:59:50  INFO  msg=no migrations applied
task: [build:live:all] echo ----- Backend -----------------------------------------------------
----- Backend -----------------------------------------------------
task: [build:live:all] ./bin/service
09:59:50  INFO  date=03.03.26_07:57:29 version=85ba7ca-dirty commit=85ba7ca5 service=
09:59:50 DEBUG  layer=data msg=gorm.Config: {SkipDefaultTransaction:false DefaultTransactionTimeout:0s DefaultContextTimeout:0s NamingStrategy:<nil> FullSaveAssociations:false Logger:0x569c1fb29610 NowFunc:<nil> DryRun:false PrepareStmt:false PrepareStmtMaxSize:0 PrepareStmtTTL:0s DisableAutomaticPing:false DisableForeignKeyConstraintWhenMigrating:false IgnoreRelationshipsWhenMigrating:false DisableNestedTransaction:false AllowGlobalUpdate:false QueryFields:false CreateBatchSize:0 TranslateError:false PropagateUnscoped:false ClauseBuilders:map[] ConnPool:<nil> Dialector:<nil> Plugins:map[] callbacks:<nil> cacheStore:<nil>}
09:59:50  INFO  layer=server/http msg=http setup
09:59:50 DEBUG  layer=server/http/openapi msg=serving openapi base=/docs spec=/docs/openapi.yaml
09:59:50  INFO  msg=[HTTP] server listening on: [::]:8000
task: received watch event: WRITE         "/Users/butuzov/Desktop/api.service/scripts/test_api.py"
task: event.Name: /Users/butuzov/Desktop/api.service/scripts/test_api.py
task: dynamic variable: "git describe --tags --match 'v*' --always --dirty" result: "85ba7ca-dirty"
task: dynamic variable: "git rev-parse HEAD" result: "85ba7ca504d45ba378355389f415473ce217f76e"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOOS'" result: "darwin"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOARCH'" result: "arm64"
task: skipped for file not in sources: scripts/test_api.py
^C09:59:56  INFO  msg=[HTTP] server stopping

with minimal task its only...

 > task -fvw --interval=100ms
task: Started watching for tasks: default
task: Watching for changes every 100ms
task: dynamic variable: "git describe --tags --match 'v*' --always --dirty" result: "ebfdc32-dirty"
task: dynamic variable: "git rev-parse HEAD" result: "ebfdc328acce84006350f87ee7ead68fc874b518"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOOS'" result: "darwin"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOARCH'" result: "arm64"
task: "default" started
task: [default] ./task --version
task: watching new file: /Users/butuzov/Desktop/task_issues_2715/generate.go
task: watching new file: /Users/butuzov/Desktop/task_issues_2715/main.go
3.48.0
task: [default] go generate . &
task: [default] go build -o ./bin/http
task: [default] ./bin/http
2026/03/03 10:02:56 Server starting on :8080
task: received watch event: FILE "main.go" WRITE [/Users/butuzov/Desktop/@rada+/task_issues_2715/main.go]
2026/03/03 10:02:58 Shutdown signal received
2026/03/03 10:02:58 Server stopped gracefully
task: "default" finished
task: dynamic variable: "git describe --tags --match 'v*' --always --dirty" result: "ebfdc32-dirty"
task: dynamic variable: "git rev-parse HEAD" result: "ebfdc328acce84006350f87ee7ead68fc874b518"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOOS'" result: "darwin"
task: dynamic variable: "go env -json | jq -r '.GOARCH'" result: "arm64"
task: "default" started
task: [default] ./task --version
3.48.0
task: [default] go generate . &
task: [default] go build -o ./bin/http
task: [default] ./bin/http
2026/03/03 10:02:58 Server starting on :8080

with a way less files minimal case is watching files and not directories...

so it all ends up here...

https://github.com/go-task/task/blob/main/watch.go#L81

if task starts watching directories instead of files, its canceling context on every event, even one that not matches original rules. does it looks like a bug to you?

[trulede]

Its possible that the watch even needs to be filtered to ensure that unrelated files do not trigger the task cancel. Here you see the trigger and cancel:

task/watch.go

Line 79 in 54bdcba

e.Logger.VerboseErrf(logger.Magenta, "task: received watch event: %v\n", event)

while later, after the cancel, the filtering occurs:

task/watch.go

Line 104 in 54bdcba

if !event.Has(fsnotify.Remove) && !slices.Contains(files, event.Name) {

@butuzov relocating the filtering to immediately after the watch event would likely resolve this issue. For example, if watch-event-file is in the updated list of sources, then ignore the event.

Watching directories is not a factor (it makes sense, if a file matching the sources would be created, then the watch should trigger).

[trulede]

For anyone attempting to fix this, a test case for two scenarios would be good: watch a dir (./**/*.txt) and then create a file foo.bar (watch event ignored), and foo.txt (watch cancelled).

[butuzov]

Hi. know that already, didn't had a tome to make pr before leaving. will update with detailed description and solution as pr once back today

[trulede]

@butuzov There is a PR here #2740 which might also include the solution. If so, it could be useful to have a focused PR with just that one part of the solution.

Test cases are better than a detailed description.