How do I set up gulp-remember for incremental builds with watch mode?

Pair it with gulp-cached: use gulp-cached to pass only changed files, process them, then use gulp-remember to add all files back for tasks like concatenation. The README provides a full example with a watch task handling deletions.

What's the difference between gulp-remember and gulp-cached?

gulp-cached filters the stream to only changed files for incremental processing, while gulp-remember caches and reintroduces all files to ensure downstream tasks have the complete set. They are complementary, not alternatives.

How to handle file deletions in gulp watch when using remember?

In the watch event, check for 'deleted' type, then use remember.forget() to remove the file from the cache and delete it from gulp-cached's cache, as shown in the example to prevent stale files in the stream.

Does gulp-remember work with file transformations like TypeScript or Sass?

Yes, but you must be cautious with paths: if transformations change file extensions (e.g., .ts to .js), use the processed path when forgetting files, which might require tracking or using plugins like gulp-remember-history.

How to clear the entire cache in gulp-remember?

Use remember.forgetAll() with the cache name to drop all files, or access the raw cache with remember.cacheFor() for manual inspection, though direct manipulation is not recommended due to potential issues.

What are common pitfalls when using gulp-remember?

Key issues include forgetting files with altered paths (requiring processed paths), lack of file ordering (needs gulp-order), and ensuring proper setup with gulp-cached to avoid cache mismatches in watch mode.

gulp-remember or gulp-watch for incremental builds?

gulp-remember is for caching files within Gulp streams, while gulp-watch handles file system events. Use gulp-remember with gulp-cached for efficient rebuilds; gulp-watch can trigger tasks but doesn't manage file caches.

gulp-remember — Gulp Plugin for Incremental Builds

What is gulp-remember?

gulp-remember is a plugin for the Gulp build system that caches files it has processed and can add them back into the stream when needed. It solves the problem of incremental builds where only changed files are processed, but downstream tasks like concatenation require the entire set of files to produce correct output.

Target Audience

Frontend and Node.js developers using Gulp for build automation who need to optimize build performance through incremental processing while maintaining complete file sets for tasks like bundling or concatenation.

Value Proposition

Developers choose gulp-remember because it seamlessly integrates with gulp-cached to enable true incremental builds without breaking tasks that depend on all files, reducing build times while ensuring correctness.

A plugin for gulp that remembers and recalls files passed through it

Use Cases

Best For

Implementing incremental builds in Gulp workflows
Concatenating files where only some have changed
Watching file changes and rebuilding only modified files
Managing file caches across different build stages
Optimizing build performance for large JavaScript projects
Handling file deletions in watch mode without breaking builds

Not Ideal For

Projects using modern build tools like Webpack or Vite instead of Gulp
Workflows where files undergo significant path changes during processing (e.g., from .coffee to .js)
Builds requiring strict file ordering without relying on additional plugins like gulp-order

Pros & Cons

Pros

Efficient Incremental Builds

When paired with gulp-cached, it rebuilds only changed files while still providing the complete file set to downstream tasks like concatenation, as demonstrated in the scripts task example.

Flexible Cache Management

Supports named caches for different file types and offers API methods like remember.forget() to drop specific files or clear entire caches, giving developers fine-grained control.

File Isolation via Cloning

Files are cloned when cached and retrieved, preventing modifications in the stream from affecting the cache, which ensures data integrity and avoids side effects.

Seamless Gulp Integration

Designed specifically for Gulp, it works well with other plugins such as gulp-concat and gulp-header, enabling robust build pipelines without major setup overhead.

Cons

Tricky Path Management

Forgetting files requires the processed path, not the source path, which can lead to errors if paths change during transformations, as admitted in the README's gotchas section.

No Built-in File Ordering

Does not maintain file order; developers must use additional plugins like gulp-order if their build depends on specific sequencing, adding complexity and dependencies.

Gulp-specific Lock-in

Only functions within the Gulp ecosystem, making it irrelevant for projects using other build tools, and its utility declines as Gulp's popularity wanes compared to alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gulp-remember?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Implementing incremental builds in Gulp workflows
Concatenating files where only some have changed
Watching file changes and rebuilding only modified files
Managing file caches across different build stages
Optimizing build performance for large JavaScript projects
Handling file deletions in watch mode without breaking builds

Not Ideal For

Projects using modern build tools like Webpack or Vite instead of Gulp
Workflows where files undergo significant path changes during processing (e.g., from .coffee to .js)
Builds requiring strict file ordering without relying on additional plugins like gulp-order

Pros & Cons

Pros

Efficient Incremental Builds

When paired with gulp-cached, it rebuilds only changed files while still providing the complete file set to downstream tasks like concatenation, as demonstrated in the scripts task example.

Flexible Cache Management

Supports named caches for different file types and offers API methods like remember.forget() to drop specific files or clear entire caches, giving developers fine-grained control.

File Isolation via Cloning

Files are cloned when cached and retrieved, preventing modifications in the stream from affecting the cache, which ensures data integrity and avoids side effects.

Seamless Gulp Integration

Designed specifically for Gulp, it works well with other plugins such as gulp-concat and gulp-header, enabling robust build pipelines without major setup overhead.

Cons

Tricky Path Management

Forgetting files requires the processed path, not the source path, which can lead to errors if paths change during transformations, as admitted in the README's gotchas section.

No Built-in File Ordering

Does not maintain file order; developers must use additional plugins like gulp-order if their build depends on specific sequencing, adding complexity and dependencies.

Gulp-specific Lock-in

Only functions within the Gulp ecosystem, making it irrelevant for projects using other build tools, and its utility declines as Gulp's popularity wanes compared to alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

gulp-remember

What is gulp-remember?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

gulp-remember

What is gulp-remember?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?