Run/Debug Configuration: Gulp.js

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

On this page:

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

Getting access to the Run/Debug Configuration: Gulp.js dialog

Make sure the Node.js plugin is enabled. The plugin is bundled with WebStorm and activated by default. If the plugin is not activated, enable it on the Plugins page of the Settings / Preferences Dialog as described in Enabling and Disabling Plugins.
Download and install the NodeJS runtime environment that contains the Node Package Manager(npm).
Install the Gulp package as described in Installing Gulp.js.

Gulp.js-specific configuration settings

Item	Description
Gulpfile	In this field, specify the location of the `Gulpfile.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.
Arguments	In this text box, specify the arguments for tasks to be executed with. Use the following format: `--<parameter_name> <parameter_value>` For example: `--env development`. For details about passing task arguments, see https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp/blob/master/docs/recipes/pass-arguments-from-cli.md
Node Interpreter	In this field, specify the NodeJS installation home. Type the path to the NodeJS executable file manually, or click the button and select the location in the dialog box, that opens. 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 NodeJS-specific command line options to be passed to the NodeJS executable file. See Node Parameters for details. In the default configuration, type `--harmony` in this text box to have WebStorm build a tasks tree according to a `Gulfile.js` written in ECMA6. Technically, WebStorm invokes Gulp.js and processes `Gulpfile.js` according to the default Gulp.js run configuration. However this is done silently and does not require any steps from your side. However, if your `Gulpfile.js` is written in ECMA6, by default WebStorm does not recognize this format and fails to build a tasks tree. To solve this problem, specify `--harmony` as a Node parameter of the default Gulp.js run configuration.
Gulp Package	In this field, specify the path to the `Gulp` package installed locally, under the project root. See Installing Gulp.js for details.
Environment Variables	In this field, specify the environment variables for the NodeJS 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.
	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.

The shared run/debug configurations are kept in separate xml files under .idea\runConfigurations folder, while the local run/debug configurations are kept in the .idea\workspace.xml.

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, WebStorm 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 WebStorm. In the dialog that opens, select the application or applications that should be run. If the necessary application is not defined in WebStorm yet, add its definition. For more information, see Configuring Third-Party Tools and External Tools. 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 File Watchers. Select this option to have WebStorm apply all the currently active file watchers, see Using File Watchers for details. 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 check box to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected: If the Check errors check box is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start. If the Check errors check box 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 Support. 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.
	`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.

Procedures:

Using Gulp Task Runner

Reference:

Gulp Tool Window

Last modified: 2 September 2016

WebStorm 2016.2 Help