IntelliJ IDEA 2016.1 Help

Gulp Tool Window

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Accessing the Gulp Tool Window

Context menu of a Gulpfile.js - Show Gulp Tasks
View | Tool Windows | Gulp - the tool window can be accessed this way only after you have opened it using the Show Gulp Tasks command or after you have run tasks through the Gulp.js run configuration.

The tool window is available only when:

  1. The Node.js runtime environment is installed on your computer.
  2. The NodeJS repository plugin is installed and enabled. The plugin is not bundled with IntelliJ IDEA, but it can be installed from the JetBrains plugin repository as described in Installing, Updating and Uninstalling Repository Plugins and Enabling and Disabling Plugins.
  3. The gulp package is installed in the current project, see Installing Gulp for details.
  4. At least one Gulpfile.js file is available in the current project.

The tool window opens when you invoke Gulp.js by choosing Show Gulp Tasks on the context menu of a Gulpfile.js in the Project tool window or of a Gulpfile.js opened in the editor. The tree is built according to the Gulpfile.js file on which Gulp.js was invoked. If you have several Gulpfile.js files in your project, you can build a separate tasks tree for each of them and run tasks without abandoning the previously built tasks trees. Each tree is shown under a separate node.

If you have several Gulpfile.js files in your project, you can build a separate tasks tree for each of them and run tasks without abandoning the previously built tasks trees. Each tree is shown under a separate node.

Building a Tree of Gulp Tasks

To build a tree of tasks, do one of the following:

  • Select the required Gulpfile.js file in the Project tool window and choose Show Gulp tasks on the context menu of the selection.
  • Open the required Gulpfile.js file in the editor and choose Show Gulp tasks on the context menu of the editor.
  • If the Gulp tool window is already opened, click add_black.png on the toolbar and choose the required Gulpfile.js file from the list. IntelliJ IDEA adds a new node and builds a tasks tree under it. The title of the node shows the path to the Gulpfile.js file according to which the tree is built.

Running Gulp Tasks

To run a task, do one of the following:

  • Double click the required task in the tree.
  • Select the required task and choose Run <task name> on the context menu of the selection.
  • Select the required task and press Enter.
  • To run the default task, select the root node in the tree and choose Run default on the context menu of the selection.
  • To navigate to the definition of a task, select the required task in the tree and choose Jump to source on the context menu of the selection.

The task execution output will be displayed in the Run tool window.

To run several tasks, use the multiselect mode: hold Shift (for adjacent items) or Ctrl (for non-adjacent items) keys and select the required tasks, then choose Run on the context menu of the selection.

Toolbar

ItemTooltipDescription
add_black Add Gulpfile Click this button to have a tasks tree for another Gulpfile.js file built. Choose the required Gulpfile.js file from the pop-up list. IntelliJ IDEA builds a tasks tree and shows it under a separate node.
minusSign.png Remove Gulpfile Click this button to remove the tasks tree under the selected node.
icon_reload_grunt.png Reload tasks Click this button to have the tasks tree under the selected node re-built. You may need a tree re-built after updating the corresponding Gulpfile.js file because Gulp.js does not apply changes to trees on the fly.

Context Menu of a Tree

ItemDescription
Gulp Settings Choose this menu item to open the Gulp Settings dialog box and view or edit the Node.js configuration
Jump to Source Choose this menu item to open the Gulpfile.js file for which the current tree is built.
Reload tasks Choose this menu item to have the tree of tasks under the selected node re-built.
Copy Path Choose this menu item to save the path to the Gulpfile.js file according to which the current tree was built to the clipboard.
Remove Gulpfile.js Choose this menu item to remove the tree of tasks under the selected node.

Context Menu of a Task or a Target

ItemDescription
Run <task name> Choose this menu item to run the selected task.
Debug <task name> Choose this menu item to debug the selected task.
Edit <task name> settings Choose this menu item to open the Run/Debug Configuration dialog box and edit the predefined settings for the selected task.
Jump to Source Choose this menu item to open the Gulpfile.js file for which the current tree is built and navigate to the definition of the selected task.

See Also

Last modified: 13 July 2016