# listen-spawn > Start a HTTP server which runs commands when pinged. Latest version **0.7.3** (published 2013-08-05) · 0 weekly downloads ## Install ```sh npm install listen-spawn pnpm add listen-spawn yarn add listen-spawn bun add listen-spawn ``` Provides the command `listen-spawn`. ## Health **Score 15/100 (F)** — status: abandoned. Positive: no vulnerabilities. Warnings: low downloads; no types; no esm support; pre 1.0. Negative: abandoned; low maintenance score. ## Facts | | | |---|---| | Version | 0.7.3 | | Published | 2013-08-05 | | First published | 2013-06-20 | | Weekly downloads | 0 | | TypeScript types | none | | Module format | CommonJS | | Node | >= 0.6.0 | | Dependencies | 3 | | Known vulnerabilities | 0 | | Install scripts | no | | GitHub stars | 6 | | Author | Todd Wolfson | | Maintainers | twolfson | | Keywords | server, listen, spawn, command, http, run, exec, ping | ## Links - npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/listen-spawn - Repository: https://github.com/twolfson/listen-spawn - Issues: https://github.com/twolfson/listen-spawn/issues - npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/listen-spawn ## Dependencies (3) - [optimist](https://npm.io/package/optimist.md) ~0.5.2 - [fn-colors](https://npm.io/package/fn-colors.md) ~0.1.0 - [single-child](https://npm.io/package/single-child.md) ~0.3.3 ## Alternatives - [@salesforce/cli](https://npm.io/package/@salesforce/cli.md) — 389.7K weekly downloads - [@mintlify/cli](https://npm.io/package/@mintlify/cli.md) — 208.9K weekly downloads - [@grafana/e2e-selectors](https://npm.io/package/@grafana/e2e-selectors.md) — 128.7K weekly downloads - [mintlify](https://npm.io/package/mintlify.md) — 112.0K weekly downloads - [@intlayer/cli](https://npm.io/package/@intlayer/cli.md) — 22.8K weekly downloads ## Recent versions - 0.7.3 (latest) — 2013-08-05 - 0.7.2 — 2013-07-29 - 0.7.1 — 2013-07-24 - 0.7.0 — 2013-07-24 - 0.6.1 — 2013-07-05 - 0.6.0 — 2013-06-28 - 0.5.0 — 2013-06-27 - 0.4.1 — 2013-06-22 - 0.4.0 — 2013-06-22 - 0.3.0 — 2013-06-22 - 0.2.2 — 2013-06-22 - 0.2.1 — 2013-06-22 - 0.2.0 — 2013-06-22 - 0.1.1 — 2013-06-22 - 0.1.0 — 2013-06-20 ## README # listen-spawn [![Build status](https://travis-ci.org/twolfson/listen-spawn.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/twolfson/listen-spawn) Start a HTTP server which runs commands when pinged. This is **intended for development use only**. It is supported and tested on Linux and Windows. It was designed to allow for execution of semi-frequent commands (e.g. a blocking command, starting a browser). This is complimented by [text editor specific plugins][plugins] which make requests to the server. Below is a screenshot of using [Sublime Text 2][subl] with [sublime-request][request] and a keyboard shortcut to launch [browser-launcher][launcher] tests. ![Sublime Text 2 using sublime-request and browser-launcher][screenshot] [plugins]: #sublime-text-plugin [subl]: http://sublimetext.com/ [screenshot]: screenshot.png [launcher]: https://github.com/substack/browser-launcher ## Getting Started Install the module globally with: `npm install -g listen-spawn` ```sh # Navigate to your working directory cd my_project # Set up listen-spawn to run `npm test` listen-spawn -- npm test # Listening at http://localhost:7060/ [...] # In a separate process, curl the server to run `npm test` again curl http://localhost:7060/ # > my_project@0.1.0 test [...] ``` ### Integrating with Sublime Text 2 #### sublime-request [sublime-request][request] is a [Sublime Text 2][subl] plugin which adds the command `request`. The following shortcut makes a `curl` request to `http://localhost:7060/`. ```js // Add the following to your "Key Bindings - User" inside the [] { "keys": ["alt+x"], "command": "request", "args": {"open_args": ["http://localhost:7060/"]} } ``` [request]: https://github.com/twolfson/sublime-request #### Out of the box solution The following shortcut invokes a `curl` request to `http://localhost:7060/` when `alt+x` is pressed. The downside is this opens a panel every time it is executed. ```js // Add the following to your "Key Bindings - User" inside the [] { "keys": ["alt+x"], "command": "exec", "args": {"cmd": ["curl", "http://localhost:7060/"]} } ``` ### File watching based solution If you are looking for a solution which performs an action when a file changes rather than when a server is pinged, then you should checkout [nodemon][]. [nodemon]: https://github.com/remy/nodemon ## Documentation `listen-spawn` installs a CLI endpoint via `npm`. It is good practice to always use `--` to separate `options` from `command` as this can lead to unintended parsing. ```sh $ listen-spawn Usage: listen-spawn [options] -- command [args...] Starts server and invokes command with arguments whenever touched. Options: --port Port to start server on [default: 7060] ``` ### Windows caveats If you are trying to run command prompt specific commands (e.g. `echo`), you will run into trouble. Unfortunately, [`child_process.spawn`][cp-spawn] does not like to run these. To remedy this, you will need to run it via `cmd /c`. ```bat E:\listen-spawn> REM This will fail E:\listen-spawn> listen-spawn -- echo 1 24 Jul 01:30:41 - [listen-spawn] Listening at http://localhost:7060/ ... Error: spawn ENOENT E:\listen-spawn> REM To make it run, use `cmd /c` E:\listen-spawn> listen-spawn -- cmd /c echo 1 24 Jul 01:31:37 - [listen-spawn] Listening at http://localhost:7060/ 24 Jul 01:31:37 - [listen-spawn] Starting new process -- cmd /c echo 1 1 24 Jul 01:31:37 - [listen-spawn] App exited cleanly ``` [cp-spawn]: http://nodejs.org/api/child_process.html#child_process_child_process_spawn_command_args_options ## Examples ### Run a specific test ```sh $ listen-spawn -- mocha test/assert.js 20 Jun 04:17:58 - [listen-spawn] Listening at http://localhost:7060/ 20 Jun 04:17:58 - [listen-spawn] Starting new process -- mocha test/assert.js ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ 42 tests complete (16 ms) 20 Jun 04:17:58 - [listen-spawn] App exited cleanly ``` ### Script testing a browser launcher ```sh $ listen-spawn -- node example/launch.js 20 Jun 04:20:25 - [listen-spawn] Listening at http://localhost:7060/ 20 Jun 04:20:25 - [listen-spawn] Starting new process -- node example/launch.js Starting browser [...] ``` ## Donating Support this project and [others by twolfson][gittip] via [gittip][]. [![Support via Gittip][gittip-badge]][gittip] [gittip-badge]: https://rawgithub.com/twolfson/gittip-badge/master/dist/gittip.png [gittip]: https://www.gittip.com/twolfson/ ## Contributing In lieu of a formal styleguide, take care to maintain the existing coding style. Add unit tests for any new or changed functionality. Lint via [grunt](https://github.com/gruntjs/grunt) and test via `npm test`. ## License Copyright (c) 2013 Todd Wolfson Licensed under the MIT license. --- _Source: https://npm.io/package/listen-spawn · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._