Init Command

Quick Start with Init

The rustywatch init command creates a configuration file interactively, making it easy to get started with RustyWatch.

Basic Usage

rustywatch init

This launches an interactive wizard that:

1. Detects your project type automatically
2. Prompts for watch directory, build commands, and binary path
3. Asks about ignore patterns
4. Shows a preview of the configuration
5. Writes the rustywatch.yaml file

Command Options

Flag	Description
-o, --output <FILE>	Config file path (default: rustywatch.yaml)
--yes	Skip prompts and use auto-detected defaults
-f, --force	Overwrite existing config file

Auto-Detection

RustyWatch automatically detects your project type and suggests appropriate defaults:

Project Type	Detection File	Default Command	Default Binary
Rust	Cargo.toml	cargo build	target/debug/{name}
Go	go.mod	go build	./{name}
Node.js	package.json	npm run dev	-
Python	pyproject.toml, setup.py, requirements.txt	python main.py	-
Bun	bun.lockb	bun run start	-

Examples

Interactive mode (recommended for first-time setup):

rustywatch init

Quick setup with auto-detected defaults:

rustywatch init --yes

Custom output path:

rustywatch init -o .rustywatch.yaml

Force overwrite existing config:

rustywatch init --force

Interactive Prompts

When running rustywatch init, you’ll be asked:

1. Watch Directory - Which directory should RustyWatch monitor for changes?
2. Build Command - What command should run when files change?
3. Binary Path - Where is the compiled binary located? (for compiled languages)
4. Ignore Patterns - Which files/directories should be ignored?

After answering, you’ll see a preview of the generated YAML configuration before it’s written to disk.

Tip

Use --yes flag for CI/CD pipelines or when you trust the auto-detected defaults.