Karma builder doesn't watch files with "builderMode: application"

[cexbrayat]

Command

test

Is this a regression?

• Yes, this behavior used to work in the previous version

The previous version in which this bug was not present was

No response

Description

Using the "builderMode": "application", option in the Karam builder breaks ng test watch capabilities

Minimal Reproduction

Create a new project with npx @angular/cli@19.0.0-next.13 new karma-watch --defaults --no-routing
Add "builderMode": "application", to angular.json in the karmaoptions.
Launch ng test
Update any file of the project like app.component.ts or app.component.spec.ts: the tests don't run again.

Exception or Error

No response

Your Environment

Angular CLI: 19.0.0-next.13
Node: 20.13.1
Package Manager: npm 9.7.1
OS: darwin arm64

Angular: 19.0.0-next.11
... animations, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms
... platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, router

Package Version

@angular-devkit/architect 0.1900.0-next.13
@angular-devkit/build-angular 19.0.0-next.13
@angular-devkit/core 19.0.0-next.13
@angular-devkit/schematics 19.0.0-next.13
@angular/cli 19.0.0-next.13
@schematics/angular 19.0.0-next.13
rxjs 7.8.1
typescript 5.6.3
zone.js 0.15.0

Anything else relevant?

No response

[jkrems]

I can repro:

-- Watches for changes:
$ ng test --builder-mode=application --watch

-- Doesn't watch for changes (but keeps browser open):
$ ng test --builder-mode=application

-- Doesn't watch for changes, closes browser.
$ ng test --builder-mode=application --no-watch

-- Watches for changes:
$ ng test --builder-mode=browser
$ ng test --builder-mode=browser --watch

-- Doesn't watch for changes, closes browser.
$ ng test --builder-mode=browser --no-watch

So it looks like the --watch default behavior is different. Specifically for the implicit default when --watch isn't passed.

[jkrems]

Thanks for trying this out & the great bug details. Verified that the following fixes the bug: #28739

[jkrems]

The fix should be included in this week's next release (e.g. ~tomorrow).

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