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browserify-hmr

★ 372 Open GitHub ↗

Hot Module Replacement plugin for Browserify

// repository documentation

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# Browserify-HMR

This an implementation of Webpack's [Hot Module Replacement
API](https://webpack.js.org/api/hot-module-replacement/) as a plugin for
Browserify. This project seems to work in many cases, but it is still early in
development and likely has some bugs at the moment. Let me know how it works
for you!

## Quick Example

```sh
git clone https://github.com/Macil/browserify-hmr.git
cd browserify-hmr/example
yarn
yarn start
```

Open [http://localhost:8080/](http://localhost:8080/) and try updating
`label.jsx` and `interval.js`.

## Hot Module Replacement Usage

Hot module replacement works by re-executing updated modules. The [Hot Module
Replacement API](https://webpack.github.io/docs/hot-module-replacement.html)
must be used to define which modules can accept updates, and what to do when a
module is going to be updated.

However, using the HMR API directly in application code is not always the best
route. Code transforms and libraries like
[react-transform-hmr](https://github.com/gaearon/react-transform-hmr) and
[ud](https://github.com/Macil/ud) can help do common tasks or entirely
automate making certain types of code be hot replaceable.

In addition to the `module.hot.*` functions from the Webpack Hot Module
Replacement API, the following is also implemented:

### module.hot.setUpdateMode(mode, options)

This allows the bundle update mode and options to be changed at runtime. `mode`
should be a string and has the same meaning as `mode` in the Plugin Options
section. `options` is an optional object which may have the properties `url`,
`cacheBust`, and `ignoreUnaccepted`, also with the same meanings as the same
options in the Plugin Options section. The HMR status must be "idle" when this
is called.

## Plugin Usage

Add the browserify-hmr plugin to your watchify call:

```sh
yarn add --dev browserify-hmr
watchify -p browserify-hmr index.js -o bundle.js
```

Browserify-HMR works with Node too! Use the m/mode option to tell it to use the
"fs" method to update itself. See more information below in the Options
section.

```sh
watchify --node -p [ browserify-hmr -m fs ] index.js -o bundle.js
```

Watchify is not required. Browserify can be run multiple times manually instead
if more control over the timing of the reloads is desired.

browserify -p [ browserify-hmr -m ajax -u /bundle.js ] index.js -o bundle.js
    nano foo.js # make some edits
    nano bar.js # edit some more files
    browserify -p [ browserify-hmr -m ajax -u /bundle.js ] index.js -o bundle.js

## Plugin Options

Browserify-HMR options can be specified from the command line following the plugin name with braces in long or short form:

```sh
watchify -p [ browserify-hmr -m fs ] index.js -o bundle.js
```

Options can be specified using the Browserify API too:

```javascript
var hmr = require('browserify-hmr');

browserify().plugin(hmr, {
  mode: "fs"
})
```

`m, mode` is a string which sets the update mode. "websocket" tells
the bundle to open a connection to a websocket server hosted by the plugin to
listen for changes. The websocket will be served over HTTP unless any of the
tlskey, tlscert, or tlsoptions options are passed. "ajax" uses AJAX requests to
download updates. "fs" uses the filesystem module and is suitable for Node use.
"none" causes the bundle to not be configured to check for updates.
`module.hot.setUpdateMode` may be called at runtime to reconfigure the bundle.
Defaults to "websocket".

`supportModes` is an optional array of strings specifying other update modes
to build support for into the bundle in addition to the given `mode`. This must
be used if the bundle is going to change the update mode by using
`module.hot.setUpdateMode` at runtime to a mode not given in the `mode` option.
You can pass this option on the command like this:

watchify -p [ browserify-hmr -m none --supportModes [ ajax websocket ] ] index.js -o bundle.js

`noServe` is a boolean which allows Browserify-HMR's automatic websocket server
to be disabled. Normally, the Browserify-HMR plugin automatically hosts a
websocket server if `mode` or `supportModes` contains "websocket". If this is
set to true, then the plugin will never host its own websocket server. You
could use this if you're building a bundle in websocket mode with the `url`
option set to point to a websocket server hosted by another instance of
Browserify-HMR. Defaults to false.

`ignoreUnaccepted` is a boolean which controls the value of the
`ignoreUnaccepted` parameter to `module.hot.apply` for the "websocket" mode.
(When the "websocket" mode is used, Browserify-HMR automatically checks for
updates and applies them, so the application never gets a chance to call
`module.hot.apply` itself.) Defaults to true.

`u, url` is a string which sets the update URL that the websocket connection or
Browserify bundle is accessible at. In "websocket" mode, this defaults to
"http://localhost:3123". This is required for the "ajax" mode. This is not
required for "fs" mode.

`p, port` is a number that sets the port to listen on if "websocket" mode is
used. If you change this, you'll most likely want to change the `url` setting
too. Defaults to 3123.

`h, hostname` is the hostname to listen on if "websocket" mode is used. This
defaults to "localhost".

`b, cacheBust` is a boolean which controls whether cache busting should be used
for AJAX requests. This only has an effect if the update mode is set to "ajax".
If true, then a random parameter is appended to the URL on every request. This
allows the cache to be bypassed when the server does not give a low Expires or
Cache-Control header value. Note that this prevents E-Tag and Last-Modified
headers from being used by the client, so keeping this disabled if it's not
needed can be better for performance. You should consider tuning the HTTP
headers your script is served with before tweaking this. Defaults to false.

`k, key` is the bundle key. If multiple bundles built using Browserify-HMR are
run within the same javascript environment, then each must have a unique bundle
key. The bundle key defaults to a value created by combining the update mode
and update url, so you generally don't need to worry about this option.

`K, tlskey` is the path to the key file to use for HTTPS mode.

`C, tlscert` is the path to the certificate file to use for HTTPS mode.

`tlsoptions` is an object of options to pass to the call to
`https.createServer`. Note that this object must be JSONifiable, so use strings
instead of any buffers inside of it. This option may not be given by the
command line.

`disableHostCheck` disables Origin and Host header checking when connecting
to the server via WebSockets. By default it is set to `false` to 3rd party
websites from connecting to a local websocket and leaking source code. For
more information see (NPM Advisory 726)[https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/726].

If you don't use the default websocket update mode, then you'll need to
manually tell browserify-hmr when it should check for and apply updates. You
can use code like the following somewhere in your project to poll for updates:

```javascript
if (module.hot) {
  var doCheck = function() {
    module.hot.check(function(err, outdated) {
      if (err) {
        console.error('Check error', err);
      }
      if (outdated) {
        module.hot.apply(function(err, updated) {
          if (err) {
            console.error('Update error', err);
          } else {
            console.log('Replaced modules', updated);
          }
          setTimeout(doCheck, 2000);
        });
      } else {
        setTimeout(doCheck, 2000);
      }
    });
  };
  doCheck();
}
```

## See Also

* [react-hot-loader](https://github.com/gaearon/react-hot-loader)
  can be used to make React code live-update-able.
* [ud](https://github.com/Macil/ud) and
  [ud-kefir](https://github.com/Macil/ud-kefir) are small simple utilities
  for declaring data and code as live-updatable.

## Planned Work

* There are known bugs currently where changes to modules without update
  accepters can cause the updates to bubble up to the entry and cause many
  modules to be reloaded incorrectly.
* The client code is a bit of a mess. It should be refactored and have many
  smaller unit tests made.

browserify-hmr

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