# Install wgo with Homebrew, Nix Watch arbitrary files and respond with arbitrary commands. Version 0.6.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-06. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:wgo ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install wgo ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#wgo ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wg/wgo/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:wgo - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.6.4 - **Source summary:** Watch arbitrary files and respond with arbitrary commands - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-06T18:56:37Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - wgo (cli) - wgo (alias) ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.6.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-06 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/bokwoon95/wgo - Upstream latest detected: v0.6.4 (current) ## Project history and usage wgo, expanded in the README as watcher-go, is a Go-focused live-reload and general file-watcher command. Its upstream description is direct: watch arbitrary files and respond with arbitrary commands, including multiple commands in parallel. ### Project history The GitHub repository was created in January 2023 and presents wgo as a response to file watchers that force commands into strings, require configuration files, or produce noisy output. The README emphasizes that the implementation is intentionally short and that core documentation starts with the quickstart. Release metadata shows continued development through the 0.5 series in 2024-2025 and 0.6.x releases in 2025-2026. That history is young compared with older Unix tools, but the project has settled into a recognizable niche among Go developers who want a small live-reload wrapper. ### Adoption history wgo's adoption signal is mainly GitHub- and Go-community based rather than institutional. It is packaged for Homebrew and Nix, but its source-backed identity comes from the repository, release stream, and README positioning rather than from long distribution history. ### How it is used The most common use is to prefix a command with wgo so that it reruns when files change, for example rebuilding C code, running Go code, or restarting a Go server. The special wgo run mode behaves like go run but reruns when Go files change, and flags allow users to include or exclude files and directories, debounce events, poll, chain commands, and run watchers in parallel. Because it is not limited to Go commands, wgo also fits frontend-adjacent workflows in Go projects, such as rebuilding Sass or TypeScript alongside a Go server by chaining parallel wgo commands. ### Why package nerds care wgo is significant in the small-tool sense: it keeps live reload out of a project-specific config file and makes it a command-line behavior. For package users, that means one executable can sit beside go, make, gcc, sass, or tsc and provide a simple watch loop without adopting a larger task runner. ### Timeline - 2023-01-12: The GitHub repository is created. - 2024: GitHub release metadata records the 0.5.6 series. - 2025: GitHub release metadata records multiple 0.5.x and 0.6.0 releases. - 2026-05-06: GitHub release metadata records v0.6.4. ### Related projects - Go's built-in go run is the command wgo run shadows for live reload. - General file-watcher and task-runner tools such as entr, watchexec, reflex, air, and make-based watch loops occupy adjacent space. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** wgo - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - wgo: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/wg/wgo/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gaze](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gaze/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, command-runner, developer-tools, file-watcher. - [watchexec](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/watchexec/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, file-watcher, file-watching. - [entr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/entr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, file-watcher. - [fsw](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fsw/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, file-watcher, file-watching. - [funzzy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/funzzy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, file-watcher, file-watching. - [watchman](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/watchman/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools, file-watcher, file-watching. - [webhook](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/webhook/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, command-runner, developer-tools. - [ahoy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ahoy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, developer-tools. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/wgo.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/wgo.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph