# Notify
[][crate]
[][docs]
[][build]
[][crate]
[][coc]
[][cc0]
_Cross-platform filesystem notification library for Rust._
(Looking for desktop notifications instead? Have a look at [notify-rust] or
[alert-after]!)
- [API Documentation][docs]
- [Debouncer Documentation][debouncer]
- [Examples][examples]
- [Crate page][crate]
- [Changelog][changelog]
- [Upgrading from v4](UPGRADING_V4_TO_V5.md)
- Earliest supported Rust version: **1.56**
- **incomplete [Guides and in-depth docs][wiki]**
As used by: [alacritty], [cargo watch], [cobalt], [docket], [mdBook], [pax],
[rdiff], [rust-analyzer], [timetrack], [watchexec], [xi-editor], [watchfiles],
and others.
## Platforms
- Linux / Android: inotify
- macOS: FSEvents or kqueue, see features
- Windows: ReadDirectoryChangesW
- FreeBSD / NetBSD / OpenBSD / DragonflyBSD: kqueue
- All platforms: polling
### FSEvents
Due to the inner security model of FSEvents (see [FileSystemEventSecurity]),
some events cannot be observed easily when trying to follow files that do not
belong to you. In this case, reverting to the pollwatcher can fix the issue,
with a slight performance cost.
## License
Notify was undergoing a transition to using the
[Artistic License 2.0][artistic] from [CC Zero 1.0][cc0]. A part of
the code is only under CC0, and another part, including _all new code_ since
commit [`3378ac5a`], is under _both_ CC0 and Artistic. When the project was to be
entirely free of CC0 code, the license would be formally changed (and that would
have incurred a major version bump). As part of this, contributions to Notify since
would agree to release under both.
[`3378ac5a`]: https://github.com/notify-rs/notify/commit/3378ac5ad5f174dfeacce6edadd7ded1a08d384e
## Origins
Inspired by Go's [fsnotify] and Node.js's [Chokidar], born out of need for
[cargo watch], and general frustration at the non-existence of C/Rust
cross-platform notify libraries.
Originally created by [Félix Saparelli] and awesome [contributors].
[Chokidar]: https://github.com/paulmillr/chokidar
[FileSystemEventSecurity]: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Conceptual/FSEvents_ProgGuide/FileSystemEventSecurity/FileSystemEventSecurity.html
[debouncer]: https://github.com/notify-rs/notify/tree/main/notify-debouncer-mini
[Félix Saparelli]: https://passcod.name
[alacritty]: https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty
[alert-after]: https://github.com/frewsxcv/alert-after
[artistic]: ./LICENSE.ARTISTIC
[build]: https://github.com/notify-rs/notify/actions
[cargo watch]: https://github.com/passcod/cargo-watch
[cc0]: ./LICENSE
[changelog]: ./CHANGELOG.md
[cobalt]: https://github.com/cobalt-org/cobalt.rs
[coc]: http://contributor-covenant.org/version/1/4/
[contributors]: https://github.com/notify-rs/notify/graphs/contributors
[crate]: https://crates.io/crates/notify
[docket]: https://iwillspeak.github.io/docket/
[docs]: https://docs.rs/notify/5.1.0/notify/
[fsnotify]: https://github.com/go-fsnotify/fsnotify
[handlebars-iron]: https://github.com/sunng87/handlebars-iron
[hotwatch]: https://github.com/francesca64/hotwatch
[mdBook]: https://github.com/rust-lang-nursery/mdBook
[notify-rust]: https://github.com/hoodie/notify-rust
[pax]: https://pax.js.org/
[rdiff]: https://github.com/dyule/rdiff
[rust-analyzer]: https://github.com/rust-analyzer/rust-analyzer
[serde]: https://serde.rs/
[timetrack]: https://github.com/joshmcguigan/timetrack
[watchexec]: https://github.com/mattgreen/watchexec
[wiki]: https://github.com/notify-rs/notify/wiki
[xi-editor]: https://xi-editor.io/
[watchfiles]: https://watchfiles.helpmanual.io/
[examples]: examples/