WebStorm 2022.2 Help

Run/debug multiple targets

WebStorm provides several ways to run/debug multiple things at once, for example, a client-server app or a complex test, which requires launching several different processes or tasks. The first step in any case would be to create run configurations for each of the tasks or processes that need to be launched. Once all necessary configurations are in place, you have several options of launching them:

When multiple configurations are launched at once, each will be available in a separate tab in the Run or Debug tool window.

ws_run_config_compound_separate_tabs.png

Parallel launch with a compound run/debug configuration

A Compound run configuration lets you launch several run/debug configurations simultaneously.

When you launch a Compound configuration all the configurations in it are started in the same mode, either Run or Debug. Therefore, to start an application in the development mode before debugging its client- and server-sides, use an npm script or create a separate run configuration.

Create a compound run/debug configuration

  1. Create a run/debug configuration for each app and/or process that should be launched in your session.

  2. From the main menu, select Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, press Alt+Shift+F10, then 0.

    Run/Debug Configurations popup
  3. In the Run/Debug Configurations dialog, click the Add button or press Alt+Insert, then select Compound.

  4. Specify the run/debug configuration name in the Name field. This name will be shown in the list of the available run/debug configurations.

  5. Select Store as project file to make this run/debug configuration available to other team members.

  6. To include a new run/debug configuration into the compound configuration , click Add the Add button and select the desired one from the list.

    Create a compound run/debug configuration
  7. Apply changes and close the dialog.

Once you set up the compound configuration, you can launch it with or without debugging.

Sequential launch with the Before Launch task

You can use run/debug configuration's Before Launch tasks for many different things, and one of them is to launch other run/debug configurations. For example, you can add a Node.js run/debug configuration to a JavaScript Debug configuration.

Configure 'Before Launch' tasks

  1. Create a run/debug configuration for each app and/or process that should be launched in your session.

  2. From the main menu, select Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, press Alt+Shift+F10, then 0.

    Run/Debug Configurations popup
  3. In the Run/Debug Configuration dialog, select the configuration that should be launched last.

  4. Expand the Before Launch section in the configuration settings.

  5. Click Add Add, then App run configurations test state run Run Another Configuration, and then select the desired configuration.

  6. Make sure that all necessary configurations are added. Use the App actions move up Up Alt+Up and App actions move down Down Alt+Down to arrange the launch order (configurations at the top will be launched first).

  7. Apply the changes and close the dialog.

Once you set up Before Launch tasks in the configuration that should be started last, you can launch it with or without debugging.

Creating and launching a compound run/debug configuration
Last modified: 28 July 2022