PHPStorm File Watcher + WSL rsync for composer package

It's often necessary to simultaneously maintain a composer package and test it in another project where it is actually used. Options like composer update with a defined version, manual edits directly in the target project, or copying changes back to the package quickly turn into a pain — it's easy to get confused and waste time.

The solution is to set up automatic synchronization: we work in a clean repository of the package, and any saves immediately go to the project where the package is used. The scheme is simple: the IDE watches for changes and, via a sync tool, updates them in the target project folder. As a result, the edit-test cycle becomes almost instantaneous, without manual updates.

That is, the task: edit the package code in a separate project, and test the changes where the package is used — without additional composer update.

  • If you work on Ubuntu - it’s simple: rsync is out of the box, PhpStorm runs on Ubuntu, commands are executed directly. The watcher is configured without workarounds.

  • Here I show a case for WSL: PhpStorm runs on Windows, and synchronization is done by a command started inside WSL. The idea is the same, only we start rsync from the Linux environment while we edit code in Windows.

Conditions:

  • Windows + WSL.
  • Both paths are accessible in WSL as Linux paths.

Configuring PHPStorm File Watcher

  • Name: Sync package via WSL rsync
  • File type: Any
  • Scope: Project Files
  • Program: wsl.exe
  • Arguments: 
    -e rsync
-azv
--delete
--exclude=.idea/
--exclude=.git/
--exclude=.github/
--exclude=vendor/
--exclude=node_modules/
--exclude=tests/
--exclude=tmp/
--exclude=phpunit.xml
--exclude=composer.json
--exclude=composer.lock
--exclude=.distignore
--exclude=.gitignore
--exclude=.gitattributes
--exclude=.editorconfig
/home/user/packs/composer-package/
/home/user/sites/mysite/vendor/vendor-name/pack-name/

Notes:

  • The --delete parameter keeps the target folder up to date if the file is deleted in the source.

  • The {...} construction for --exclude does not work in this mode.

  • More details about rsync