gulp file for frontend and backend monitoring of a node app using nodemon for backend

GulpFile for Monitoring Node App

var gulp = require('gulp');
var sass = require('gulp-sass');
var concat = require('gulp-concat');
var sass = require('gulp-sass');
var watch = require('gulp-watch');
var livereload = require('gulp-livereload');
var tap = require('gulp-tap');
var nodemon = require('gulp-nodemon');
var path = require('path');
var gutil = require('gulp-util');
var exec = require('child_process').exec;
var appDependencies = require('./package.json').dependencies;
var buildDir = '.';
var publicDir = buildDir + '/public';
global._publicDir = publicDir;

/* livereload loads this page you only get one  
 * 
 * the chrome livereload plugin needs to be installed
 * 
 */
var pageURL = 'http://localhost:3000';

/**
 * 
 * task for pre compiling sass
 */
//gulp.task('sass', function () {
//    gulp.src('./sass/**/*.scss')
//            .pipe(sass().on('error', sass.logError))
//            .pipe(concat('style.css'))
//            // .pipe(uglifycss())
//            .pipe(gulp.dest('./public/stylesheets/'))
//            .on('finish', function ( ) {
//                gutil.log("processing change in css");
//                //   livereload.reload(pageURL);
//            });
//
//});
 
/**
 * task for reloading for backend, eg route changes
 * takes 3-4 seconds, will also pick up public css and js
 * but is slower for refresh compared to frontend task for css and public js
 */
gulp.task('backend', function () {

    livereload.listen();

    nodemon(
            {
                script: 'bin/localdev.js',
                 
                // watch: ['*.js'],
                ext: 'js css jade',
                ignore: ['./gulpfile.js','./bin/*.js'],
                tasks: function (changedFiles)
                {
                    var tasks = [];
                    changedFiles.forEach(function (file)
                    {
                        gutil.log(path.basename(file));
                        if (path.extname(file) === '.scss' && !~tasks.indexOf('sass'))
                        {
                            tasks.push('sass');
                        }

                        //

                    });

                    return tasks;

                }

            }).on('restart', function ()
    {
        gutil.log('restarted!');
        livereload.reload(pageURL);
         
    });
});
/* end backend task ------------------------------------- */
/* begin frontend task ---------------------------------- */
/*
 * 
 * this is a monitoring task which watch changes that DON'T
 * involve server reboot, so will be faster on refresh
 */

var watchItems = ['./views/**/*.jade', './public/**/*.js', './public/**/*.css'];

/*
 * start server
 */
gulp.task('server-start', function (cb) {
    exec('node ./bin/localdev.js', function (err, stdout, stderr) {
        console.log(stdout);
        console.log(stderr);
        cb(err);
    });
});

gulp.task('frontend-watch', function () {

    livereload.listen();

    watch(watchItems, function (events, done) {


        console.log("processing change in watched items");
        livereload.reload(pageURL);


    });

//    watch('./sass/**/*.scss', function (events, done) {
//
//        gulp.src('./sass/**/*.scss')
//                .pipe(sass().on('error', sass.logError))
//                .pipe(concat('style.css'))
//                // .pipe(uglifycss())
//                .pipe(gulp.dest('./public/stylesheets/'))
//                .on('finish', function ( ) {
//                    console.log("processing change in css");
//                    livereload.reload(pageURL);
//                });
//
//    });

});

gulp.task('frontend', ['server-start', 'frontend-watch']);

/* end fronend task ---------------------------------------- */

Gulp Node Application Monitoring Script

This script will monitor a node js web application.

Backend

Monitors via node mode and will detect js, css, jade, and node js (eg route) changes. Refresh 2-4 seconds, but covers all changes

Front end

Monitors only js,css, and jade changes. very fast

localdev script

This script launches the app