hot-instance v1.0.0

hot-instance

A helper library to keep a js file "hot" by watching the file for changes.

npm install hot-instance

A quick demo

live.js

module.exports = function() {
  return 'Update this string value to watch it reload automatically!';
}

index.js

var express = require('express');
var app = express();
var hot = require('hot-instance');

var testJsFile = hot(require.resolve('./live')); // full paths required

// "instance" is exported from "live.js". It will be auto-reloaded when the file changes.
console.log(testJsFile.instance());

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
  // let the user know what the value is now
  res.send(testJsFile.instance());
});

app.listen(3000, function () {
  console.log('Example app listening on port 3000!');
});

Documentation

hot is a function. It takes a single arguement, module, which must be a fully qualified path to the javascript file you wish to load and watch. It returns a LiveInstance object.

LiveInstance

instance - This is the actual exported contents of your hot file. This will be auto-updated as your file changes. If the file you are watching is deleted, it will be null. It will continue watching for the file to re-appear.

exists - A bool that indicates if the file you are watching currently exists. If the file you are watching becomes deleted, this will be false, and instance will be null.