inotifywait

linux

Waits for changes to files. See also: `fatrace`.

Options (5)

-m, --monitorboolean

Continuously watch a specific file for events without exiting

Example: inotifywait {{[-m|--monitor]}} {{path/to/file}}

-r, --recursiveboolean

Watch a directory recursively for events

Example: inotifywait {{[-m|--monitor]}} {{[-r|--recursive]}} {{path/to/directory}}

-t, --timeoutboolean

Watch a file for changes, exiting when no event occurs for 30 seconds

Example: inotifywait {{[-m|--monitor]}} {{[-t|--timeout]}} {{30}} {{path/to/file}}

-e, --eventboolean

Only watch a file for file modification events

Example: inotifywait {{[-e|--event]}} {{modify}} {{path/to/file}}

-q, --quietboolean

Watch a file printing only events, and no status messages

Example: inotifywait {{[-q|--quiet]}} {{path/to/file}}

Watch a specific file for events, exiting after the first one

inotifywait path/to/file

Continuously watch a specific file for events without exiting

inotifywait [-m|--monitor] path/to/file

Watch a directory recursively for events

inotifywait [-m|--monitor] [-r|--recursive] path/to/directory

Watch a directory for changes, excluding files, whose names match a `regex`

inotifywait [-m|--monitor] [-r|--recursive] --exclude "regex" path/to/directory

Watch a file for changes, exiting when no event occurs for 30 seconds

inotifywait [-m|--monitor] [-t|--timeout] 30 path/to/file

Only watch a file for file modification events

inotifywait [-e|--event] modify path/to/file

Watch a file printing only events, and no status messages

inotifywait [-q|--quiet] path/to/file

Run a command when a file is accessed

inotifywait [-e|--event] access path/to/file && command