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---
layout: "docs"
page_title: "Commands: Watch"
sidebar_current: "docs-commands-watch"
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description: |-
The `watch` command provides a mechanism to watch for changes in a particular data view (list of nodes, service members, key value, etc) and to invoke a process with the latest values of the view. If no process is specified, the current values are dumped to stdout which can be a useful way to inspect data in Consul.
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---
# Consul Watch
Command: `consul watch`
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The `watch` command provides a mechanism to watch for changes in a particular
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data view (list of nodes, service members, key value, etc) and to invoke
a process with the latest values of the view. If no process is specified,
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the current values are dumped to STDOUT which can be a useful way to inspect
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data in Consul.
There is more [documentation on watches here ](/docs/agent/watches.html ).
## Usage
Usage: `consul watch [options] [child...]`
The only required option is `-type` which specifies the particular
data view. Depending on the type, various options may be required
or optionally provided. There is more documentation on watch
[specifications here ](/docs/agent/watches.html ).
The list of available flags are:
* `-http-addr` - Address to the HTTP server of the agent you want to contact
to send this command. If this isn't specified, the command will contact
"127.0.0.1:8500" which is the default HTTP address of a Consul agent.
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* `-datacenter` - Datacenter to query. Defaults to that of the agent.
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* `-token` - ACL token to use. Defaults to that of the agent.
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* `-stale=[true|false]` - Specifies if watch data is permitted to be stale. Defaults
to false.
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* `-key` - Key to watch. Only for `key` type.
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* `-name` - Event name to watch. Only for `event` type.
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* `-passingonly=[true|false]` - Should only passing entries be returned. Defaults to
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`false` and only applies for `service` type.
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* `-prefix` - Key prefix to watch. Only for `keyprefix` type.
* `-service` - Service to watch. Required for `service` type, optional for `checks` type.
* `-state` - Check state to filter on. Optional for `checks` type.
* `-tag` - Service tag to filter on. Optional for `service` type.
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* `-type` - Watch type. Required, one of "`key`, `keyprefix` , `services` ,
`nodes` , `service` , `checks` , or `event` .
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