Watching for file changes with statreloader

Watching for file changes with StatReloader

The StatReloader is a utility in Django that automatically restarts the server whenever it detects changes in the project’s code files. This is especially useful during development as it saves time and effort in manually restarting the server every time a change is made.

To enable the StatReloader functionality, you need to add the following code in your project’s settings.py file:

  
  DEBUG = True
  
  if DEBUG:
      import os
      import sys
  
      RUN_MAIN = bool(os.environ.get('RUN_MAIN', False))
  
      if RUN_MAIN:
          import ptvsd
          ptvsd.enable_attach(address=('0.0.0.0', 8000))
          ptvsd.wait_for_attach()
  
      INTERNAL_IPS = [
          '127.0.0.1',
      ]
  
      MIDDLEWARE += [
          'django_reloader.run_main_tick',
      ]
  
  

Let’s break down the above code:

• The DEBUG setting needs to be set as True to enable the StatReloader in development mode.
• The RUN_MAIN variable is responsible for restarting the server when changes are detected.
• The ptvsd library enables remote debugging with Visual Studio Code (optional).
• The INTERNAL_IPS setting allows the reloading process only for specified IP addresses.
• The django_reloader.run_main_tick middleware is added to the MIDDLEWARE list to activate the StatReloader functionality.

After adding the above code, you can start the server as usual:

  
  python manage.py runserver
  
  

Now, whenever you make changes to your code files, the server will automatically restart, reflecting the latest changes. This allows you to see the effect of your modifications without manually restarting the server every time.

Note that the StatReloader may not work for all types of changes, such as modifications in the project’s static files. In such cases, you may need to manually restart the server.

This feature comes in handy when you are making frequent updates during development and want to save time and effort.