Fix initial watch sync for existing files

Author: chientrinh

pkg/compose/watch.go

@@ -768,10 +768,6 @@ func (s *composeService) initialSyncFiles(ctx context.Context, project *types.Pr
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	timeImageCreated, err := s.imageCreatedTime(ctx, project, service.Name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	var pathsToCopy []*sync.PathMapping
 	switch mode := fi.Mode(); {
 	case mode.IsDir():
@@ -793,15 +789,7 @@ func (s *composeService) initialSyncFiles(ctx context.Context, project *types.Pr
 				}
 				return nil // skip file
 			}
-			info, err := d.Info()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
 			if !d.IsDir() {
-				if info.ModTime().Before(timeImageCreated) {
-					// skip file if it was modified before image creation
-					return nil
-				}
 				rel, err := filepath.Rel(trigger.Path, path)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
@@ -816,7 +804,7 @@ func (s *composeService) initialSyncFiles(ctx context.Context, project *types.Pr
 		})
 	case mode.IsRegular():
 		// process file
-		if fi.ModTime().After(timeImageCreated) && !shouldIgnore(filepath.Base(trigger.Path), ignore) && !checkIfPathAlreadyBindMounted(trigger.Path, service.Volumes) {
+		if !shouldIgnore(filepath.Base(trigger.Path), ignore) && !checkIfPathAlreadyBindMounted(trigger.Path, service.Volumes) {
 			pathsToCopy = append(pathsToCopy, &sync.PathMapping{
 				HostPath:      trigger.Path,
 				ContainerPath: trigger.Target,

pkg/compose/watch_test.go

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"slices"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -194,3 +195,71 @@ func (f *fakeSyncer) Sync(ctx context.Context, service string, paths []*sync.Pat
 	f.synced <- paths
 	return nil
 }
+
+func TestInitialSyncFiles_DirectoryIncludesExistingFilesEvenIfOlderThanImage(t *testing.T) {
+	mockCtrl := gomock.NewController(t)
+	cli := mocks.NewMockCli(mockCtrl)
+	cli.EXPECT().Err().Return(streams.NewOut(os.Stderr)).AnyTimes()
+	apiClient := mocks.NewMockAPIClient(mockCtrl)
+	cli.EXPECT().Client().Return(apiClient).AnyTimes()
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	hostDir := filepath.Join(dir, "src")
+	assert.NilError(t, os.MkdirAll(hostDir, 0o755))
+	hostFile := filepath.Join(hostDir, "test.txt")
+	assert.NilError(t, os.WriteFile(hostFile, []byte("hello"), 0o644))
+
+	fileTime := time.Date(2026, 4, 1, 10, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	assert.NilError(t, os.Chtimes(hostFile, fileTime, fileTime))
+
+	service := composeService{dockerCli: cli}
+	project := &types.Project{Name: testProject}
+	trigger := types.Trigger{
+		Path:        hostDir,
+		Action:      types.WatchActionSync,
+		Target:      "/app/src",
+		InitialSync: true,
+	}
+
+	got, err := service.initialSyncFiles(t.Context(), project, types.ServiceConfig{Name: "test"}, trigger, watch.EmptyMatcher{})
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	expected := []*sync.PathMapping{{
+		HostPath:      hostFile,
+		ContainerPath: "/app/src/test.txt",
+	}}
+	assert.DeepEqual(t, expected, got)
+}
+
+func TestInitialSyncFiles_FileIncludesExistingFileEvenIfOlderThanImage(t *testing.T) {
+	mockCtrl := gomock.NewController(t)
+	cli := mocks.NewMockCli(mockCtrl)
+	cli.EXPECT().Err().Return(streams.NewOut(os.Stderr)).AnyTimes()
+	apiClient := mocks.NewMockAPIClient(mockCtrl)
+	cli.EXPECT().Client().Return(apiClient).AnyTimes()
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	hostFile := filepath.Join(dir, "test.txt")
+	assert.NilError(t, os.WriteFile(hostFile, []byte("hello"), 0o644))
+
+	fileTime := time.Date(2026, 4, 1, 10, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	assert.NilError(t, os.Chtimes(hostFile, fileTime, fileTime))
+
+	service := composeService{dockerCli: cli}
+	project := &types.Project{Name: testProject}
+	trigger := types.Trigger{
+		Path:        hostFile,
+		Action:      types.WatchActionSync,
+		Target:      "/app/test.txt",
+		InitialSync: true,
+	}
+
+	got, err := service.initialSyncFiles(t.Context(), project, types.ServiceConfig{Name: "test"}, trigger, watch.EmptyMatcher{})
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	expected := []*sync.PathMapping{{
+		HostPath:      hostFile,
+		ContainerPath: "/app/test.txt",
+	}}
+	assert.DeepEqual(t, expected, got)
+}