IntelliJ IDEA 2018.2 Help

Grunt Tool Window

Context menu of a Gruntfile.js - Show Grunt Tasks
View | Tool Windows | Grunt

Use this tool window to run Grunt tasks. The result of executing a task is shown in the Run tool window. The tool window shows the Grunt output, reports the errors occurred, lists the packages or plugins that have not been found, etc. The name of the last executed task is displayed on the title bar of the tool window.

Before you start

  1. Install Node.js.

  2. Install the grunt-cli package (Grunt command line interface) globally and install the grunt package as a development dependency. See Installing Grunt for details.

Running tasks and targets

To open the Grunt tool window

  • Select the required Gruntfile.js file in the Project tool window or open it in the editor and choose Show Grunt Tasks on the context menu.

To build a tree of tasks

  • In the Grunt tool window, click icons general add on the toolbar and choose the required Gruntfile.js file from the list. By default, IntelliJ IDEA shows the Gruntfile.js file in the root of your project.

  • If you have another Gruntfile.js file, click Choose Gruntfile.js and select the Gruntfile.js file you need in the dialog that opens. IntelliJ IDEA adds a new node with the path to the chosen Gruntfile.js file on its title and builds a tasks tree under the new node.

To re-build a tree

  • Switch to the required node and click icon_reload_grunt.png on the toolbar.

To sort the tasks in a tree by their names

  • Click viewMode.png on the toolbar, choose Sort by on the menu, and then choose Name.
    By default, a tree shows the tasks in the order in which they are defined in Gruntfile.js (option Definition order).

To run a task or a target

  • Double click the task or target.

  • Select the task or target in the tree and press Enter or choose Run <task name> on the context menu.

To run the default task

  • Select the root node in the tree, and choose Run default on the context menu of the selection.

To run several tasks or targets

  • Use the multiselect mode: hold Shift (for adjacent items) or Ctrl (for non-adjacent items) keys and select the required tasks or targets, then choose Run or Debug on the context menu of the selection.

To jump to the definition of a task or a target

  • Select the required task or target in the tree, and choose Jump to source on the context menu of the selection.

Toolbar

icons general add

Add Gruntfile

Click this button to have a tasks tree for another Gruntfile.js file built. Choose the required Gruntfile.js file from the pop-up list. IntelliJ IDEA adds a new node and builds a tasks tree under it.

minusSign.png

Remove Gruntfile

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 Gruntfile.js file because Grunt does not apply changes to trees on the fly.

icon_collapse_all_on_title_bar.png

Collapse all

Click this button to hide all the tasks trees and have only Gruntfile.js nodes displayed.

viewMode.png

Click this button to configure the current view and to change the viewing modes of the tool window, see Tool Windows Viewing Modes for details. Note that most of the menu items are options that you can turn on or off. An option which is on has a check mark to the left of its name. The Grunt-specific options are:
  • Grunt Settings: choose this menu item to open the Grunt Settings dialog and re-configure the current settings for Grunt and for the Node interpreter, see task runner.

  • Sort by: choose this menu item to configure the order in which tasks are shown in trees. Click viewMode.png on the toolbar, choose Sort by on the menu, and then choose Name.
    By default, a tree shows the tasks in the order in which they are defined in Gruntfile.js (option Definition order).

hideSide.png

Hide

Click this button to hide the tool window. To have it displayed again, choose View | Tool Windows | Grunt on the main menu. The tool window appears again showing all the previously built trees of tasks.

Context Menu of a Tree

Grunt Settings

Choose this menu item to open the Grunt Settings dialog box and view or edit the Node.js configuration

Jump to Source

Choose this menu item to open the Gruntfile.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 Gruntfile.js file according to which the current tree was built to the clipboard.

Remove Gruntfile.js

Choose this menu item to remove the tree of tasks under the selected node.

Context Menu of a Task or a Target

Run <task/target name>

Choose this menu item to run the selected task or target.

Debug <task/target name>

Choose this menu item to debug the selected task or target.

Edit <task/target name> settings

Choose this menu item to open the Run/Debug Configuration dialog box and edit the predefined settings for the selected task or target.

Jump to Source

Choose this menu item to open the Gruntfile.js file for which the current tree is built and navigate to the definition of the selected task or target.

Last modified: 20 November 2018

See Also

Language and Framework-Specific Guidelines: