angular · alan-agius4 · Aug 7, 2026 · Aug 7, 2026
diff --git a/packages/angular/build/src/builders/application/build-action.ts b/packages/angular/build/src/builders/application/build-action.ts
@@ -108,10 +108,14 @@ export async function* runEsBuildBuildAction(
         logger.info('Watch mode enabled. Watching for file changes...');
       }
 
+      const normalizedOutputBase = toPosixPath(outputOptions.base);
+      const normalizedCacheBase = toPosixPath(cacheOptions.basePath);
       const ignored: string[] = [
         // Ignore the output and cache paths to avoid infinite rebuild cycles
-        outputOptions.base,
-        cacheOptions.basePath,
+        normalizedOutputBase,
+        `${normalizedOutputBase}/**`,
+        normalizedCacheBase,
+        `${normalizedCacheBase}/**`,
         `${toPosixPath(workspaceRoot)}/**/.*/**`,
       ];
 

diff --git a/packages/angular/build/src/tools/esbuild/watcher.ts b/packages/angular/build/src/tools/esbuild/watcher.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type * as ParcelWatcher from '@parcel/watcher';
 import type * as Chokidar from 'chokidar';
 import * as fs from 'node:fs';
 import * as path from 'node:path';
+import picomatch from 'picomatch';
 import { toPosixPath } from '../../utils/path';
 
 export class ChangedFiles {
@@ -517,9 +518,19 @@ async function createChokidarWatcher(
   const rootDirPosix = toPosixPathNormalized(rootDir);
   const rootDirLookupKey = toLookupKey(rootDirPosix, isCaseSensitive);
 
+  const ignored = options?.ignored?.map((pattern) => {
+    if (/[*?[\]{}()]/.test(pattern)) {
+      const isMatch = picomatch(pattern, { dot: true });
+
+      return (filePath: string) => isMatch(toPosixPathNormalized(filePath));
+    }
+
+    return { path: toPosixPathNormalized(pattern), recursive: true };
+  });
+
   const watcher = chokidar.watch(rootDir, {
     ignoreInitial: true,
-    ignored: options?.ignored,
+    ignored,
     followSymlinks: options?.followSymlinks,
     usePolling: !!options?.polling,
     interval: options?.interval,

diff --git a/packages/angular/build/src/tools/esbuild/watcher_spec.ts b/packages/angular/build/src/tools/esbuild/watcher_spec.ts
@@ -448,5 +448,39 @@ describe('Watcher', () => {
 
       await watcher.close();
     }, 10000);
+
+    it('should ignore changes matching glob patterns in polling mode (chokidar)', async () => {
+      const ignoredDir = path.join(tempDir, 'dist');
+      fs.mkdirSync(ignoredDir);
+      const ignoredFile = path.join(ignoredDir, 'bundle.js');
+      const watchedFile = path.join(tempDir, 'src.ts');
+      fs.writeFileSync(ignoredFile, 'initial-dist');
+      fs.writeFileSync(watchedFile, 'initial-src');
+
+      const watcher = await createWatcher({
+        polling: true,
+        interval: 50,
+        cwd: tempDir,
+        ignored: [`${toPosixPathNormalized(ignoredDir)}/**`],
+      });
+
+      watcher.add(tempDir);
+      await setTimeout(100);
+
+      const iterator = watcher[Symbol.asyncIterator]();
+      const nextPromise = iterator.next();
+
+      // Trigger changes in ignored file and watched file
+      fs.writeFileSync(ignoredFile, 'updated-dist');
+      fs.writeFileSync(watchedFile, 'updated-src');
+
+      const result = await nextPromise;
+      expect(result.done).toBeFalsy();
+      const emitted = result.value?.all ?? [];
+      expect(emitted.some((f: string) => f.includes('src.ts'))).toBeTrue();
+      expect(emitted.some((f: string) => f.includes('bundle.js'))).toBeFalse();
+
+      await watcher.close();
+    }, 10000);
   });
 });