Run/Debug Configuration: Grunt.js

This feature is only supported in the Ultimate edition.

In this dialog box, create configurations for running Grunt.js tasks.

On this page:

Getting access to the Run/Debug Configuration: Grunt dialog
Grunt-specific configuration settings
Toolbar
Common options

Getting access to the Run/Debug Configuration: Grunt dialog

Install and enable the Node.js plugin. 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.
Download and install the Node.js runtime environment that contains the Node Package Manager(npm).
Install Grunt as described in Installing Grunt.

Grunt-specific configuration settings

Item	Description
Gruntfile	In this field, specify the location of the `Gruntfile.js` file to retrieve the definitions of the tasks from. Select the path from the drop-down list or click the button and choose the file from the dialog box that opens.
Tasks	In this field, specify the tasks to run. Do one of the following: To run one task, select it from the drop-down list. To run several tasks, type their names in the text box using blank spaces as separators.
Force execution	Select this checkbox to have Grunt ignore warnings and continue executing the launched task until the task is completed successfully or an error occurs, If the checkbox is cleared, the task execution is stopped by the first reported warning.
Verbose mode	Select this checkbox to have the verbose mode applied and thus have a full detailed log of a task execution displayed.
Node Interpreter	In this field, specify the Node.js interpreter to use. Choose one of the configured interpreters or click and configure a new one as described in Configuring Node.js Interpreters. If you have appointed one of the installations as default, the field displays the path to its executable file.
Node Options	In this text box, type the Node.js-specific command line options to be passed to the Node.js executable file. See Node Parameters for details.
Grunt-cli Package	In this field, specify the path to the globally installed `Grunt-cli` package installed globally See Installing Grunt.js for details.
Environment Variables	In this field, specify the environment variables for the Node.js executable file, if applicable. Click the Browse button to the right of the field and configure a list of variables in the Environment Variables dialog box, that opens: To define a new variable, click the Add toolbar button and specify the variable name and value. To discard a variable definition, select it in the list and click the Delete toolbar button . Click OK, when ready The definitions of variables are displayed in the Environment variables read-only field with semicolons as separators. The acceptable variables are: `NODE_PATH`: A `:`-separated list of directories prefixed to the module search path. `NODE_MODULE_CONTEXTS`: Set to 1 to load modules in their own global contexts. `NODE_DISABLE_COLORS`: Set to 1 to disable colors in the REPL.

Toolbar

Item	Shortcut	Description
	`Alt+Insert`	Click this button to add a new configuration to the list.
	`Alt+Delete`	Click this button to remove the selected configuration from the list.
	`Ctrl+D`	Click this button to create a copy of the selected configuration.
	Edit defaults	Click this button to edit the default configuration templates. The defaults are used for newly created configurations.
or	`Alt+Up` or `Alt+Down`	Use these buttons to move the selected configuration or folder up and down in the list. The order of configurations or folders in the list defines the order in which configurations appear in the Run/Debug drop-down list on the main toolbar.
	Move into new folder / Create new folder	Use this button to create a new folder. If one or more run/debug configurations are in focus, the selected run/debug configurations are automatically moved to the newly created folder. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created. Move run/debug configurations to a folder using drag-and-drop, or the buttons.
	Sort configurations	Click this button to sort configurations in alphabetical order.

Common options

Item Description

Name In this text box, specify the name of the current run/debug configuration. This field does not appear for the default run/debug configurations.

Defaults This node in the left-hand pane of the dialog box contains the default run/debug configuration settings. Select the desired configuration to change its default settings in the right-hand pane. The defaults are applied to all newly created run/debug configurations.

Select this check box to make the run/debug configuration available to other team members.

If the directory-based project format is used, the settings for a run/debug configuration are stored in a separate .xml file in the .idea\runConfigurations folder if the run/debug configuration is shared, or in the .idea\workspace.xml file otherwise.

If the file-based format is used, the settings are stored in the .ipr file for shared configurations, or in the .iws file otherwise.

This check box is not available when editing the run/debug configuration defaults.

Single instance only

If this check box is selected, this run/debug configuration cannot be launched more than once.

Every time a new run/debug configuration is launched, IntelliJ IDEA checks the presence of the other instances of the same run/debug configuration, and displays a confirmation dialog box. If you click OK in the confirmation dialog box, the first instance of the runner will be stopped, and the next one will take its place.

This makes sense when the usage of certain resources can cause conflicts, or when launching two run/debug configurations of the same type consumes too much of the CPU and memory resources.

If this check box is not selected, it is possible to launch as many instances of the runner as required. So doing, each runner will start in its own tab of the Run tool window.

Before launch

Specify which tasks must be performed before applying the run/debug configuration. The specified tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

Item	Keyboard shortcut	Description
	`Alt+Insert`	Click this icon to add a task to the list. Select the task to be added: Run External tool. Select this option to run an application which is external to IntelliJ IDEA. In the dialog that opens, select the application or applications that should be run. If the necessary application is not defined in IntelliJ IDEA yet, add its definition. For more information, see Configuring Third-Party Tools andExternal Tools. Make. Select this option to have the project or module compiled. The Make Module command will be carried out if a particular module is specified in the run/debug configuration, and the Make Project command otherwise. If an error occurs during the compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration. Make, no error check. The same as the Make option but IntelliJ IDEA will try to start the run/debug configuration irrespective of the compilation result. Build Artifacts. Select this option to have an artifact or artifacts built. In the dialog that opens, select the artifact or artifacts that should be built. See also, Working with Artifacts. Run Another Configuration. Select this option to have another run/debug configuration executed. In the dialog that opens, select the configuration to run. This option is available only if you have already at least one run/debug configuration in the current project. Run Ant target. Select this option to have an Ant target run. In the dialog that opens, select the target to be run. For more information, see Ant. Run Grunt task. Select this option to run a Grunt task. In the Grunt task dialog box that opens, specify the `Gruntfile.js` where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool. Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the `grunt-cli` package. Run Gulp task. Select this option to run a Grunt task. In the Gulp task dialog box that opens, specify the `Gulpfile.js` where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool. Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the `gulp` package. Run npm Script. Select this check box to execute an npm script. In the NPM Script dialog box that opens, specify the `package.json` file where the required script is defined, select the script to execute, choose the command to apply to it, and specify the arguments to execute the script with. Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter and the parameters to pass to it. Compile TypeScript. Select this option to run the built-in TypeScript compiler and thus make sure that all the changes you made to your TypeScript code are reflected in the generated JavaScript files. In the TypeScript Compile Settings dialog that opens, select or clear the Check errors checkbox to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected: If the Check errors checkbox is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start. If the Check errors checkbox is cleared, the compiler will show all the detected errors but the run configuration still will be launched. Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps. Select this option to have the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources generated. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located. For more information, see CoffeeScript. Run Maven Goal. Select this option to have a Maven goal run. In the dialog that opens, select the goal to be run. For more information, see Maven. Run Remote External tool: Add a remote SSH external tool. Refer to the section Remote SSH External Tools for details. Upload files to Remote Host. Select this option to have the application files automatically uploaded to the server according to the default server access configuration. For more information, see Configuring Synchronization with a Web Server and Uploading and Downloading Files. Run Rake task:Add a Rake task to be executed prior to running or debugging. To choose a Rake task, click the browse button , and select the desired task from the list of available tasks. Note that code completion is available here. To learn more about Rake support, refer to Rake Support section. Run JRuby compiler: choose this option to execute JRuby compiler with the specified target path, compiler process heap size, and command line parameters (if any).
	`Alt+Delete`	Click this icon to remove the selected task from the list.
	`Enter`	Click this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.
	`Alt+Up`	Click this icon to move the selected task one line up in the list.
	`Alt+Down`	Click this icon to move the selected task one line down in the list.
Show this page		Select this check box to have the run/debug configuration settings shown prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.
Active tool window		Select this option if you want the Run/Debug tool windows to be activated automatically when you run/debug your application. This option is enabled by default.