| name | task-watch |
| description | Run long local commands with live combined output, persistent logs, idle reporting, exit-code propagation, and distilled JSON evidence. Use for builds, tests, or other verbose tasks that need monitoring. |
Task Watch
Run the command after a required literal -- separator without a shell. Never omit the separator; it prevents watcher options from being confused with child arguments.
python3 scripts/task_watch.py --log build.log --json-summary build.json -- make test
Tune --idle-seconds, --heartbeat-seconds, and --summary-lines as needed. Idle detection reports state and does not kill the child. The JSON summary preserves the command, outcome, timing, log location, and numbered error/fail/warn-plus-tail evidence.
Forward output in chunks so flushed text updates activity even before a newline. Keep the queue and evidence collector bounded by fixed chunk and summary limits; only the disk log retains complete output.
Use this skill to absorb large local output and hand back concise evidence. It complements ci-monitoring, which follows remote CI rather than local long-running tasks.
