# Settings

There are a number of options available. Please review the [minimatch options here](https://github.com/isaacs/minimatch#options). As well as some additional options as follows:

## files
Type: `String|Array`

This defines what file patterns this task will watch. Can be a string or an array of files and/or minimatch patterns.

## tasks
Type: `String|Array`

This defines which tasks to run when a watched file event occurs.

## options.interrupt
Type: `boolean`
Default: false

As files are modified this watch task will spawn tasks in child processes. The default behavior will only spawn a new child process per target when the previous process has finished. Set the `interrupt` option to true to terminate the previous process and spawn a new one upon later changes.

Example:
```js
watch: {
  scripts: {
    files: '**/*.js',
    tasks: ['jshint'],
    options: {
      interrupt: true
    }
  }
}
```

## options.debounceDelay
Type: `Integer`
Default: 500

How long to wait before emitting events in succession for the same filepath and status. For example if your `Gruntfile.js` file was `changed`, a `changed` event will only fire again after the given milliseconds.

Example:
```js
watch: {
  scripts: {
    files: '**/*.js',
    tasks: ['jshint'],
    options: {
      debounceDelay: 250
    }
  }
}
```

## options.interval
Type: `Integer`
Default: 100

The `interval` is passed to `fs.watchFile`. Since `interval` is only used by `fs.watchFile` and this watcher also uses `fs.watch`; it is recommended to ignore this option. *Default is 100ms*.