Firebase cloud function local code changes are not reflected in emulators

Question

I am trying to develop API for my apps using Firebase cloud functions.
Following this site to use the firebase emulator suite for development and testing locally.

Issue: The changes are not reflected in the locally emulated functions.

Steps:

1. index.js:

   exports.test = functions.https.onRequest(async (request, response) => {
      response.status(200).send("First");
   });
   

2. Successfully deployed the test method.

   firebase deploy --only functions:test
   

3. In Postman made the following GET request.

    https://us-central1-<project-name>.cloudfunctions.net/test
   

   Result: First
   Status: 200 OK

4. Started the emulators:

   firebase emulators:start --only functions
   

5. In Postman made the following GET request.

    http://localhost:5001/<project-name>/us-central1/indexTest
   

   Result: First
   Status: 200 OK
   Same as the actual deployed function.

6. Changed the function code to:

   exports.test = functions.https.onRequest(async (request, response) => {
       response.status(200).send("Second");
   });
   

7. Getting the same result as before when hitting the emulated function in localhost. The changes are not reflected.

Also, tried stopping the emulator and starting it again. No luck.

Answer 1

I had raised an issue in the firebase-tools repo as suggested by DougStevenson. Got the issue resolved with Sam Stern's support.

Posting the solution here for anyone else who gets stuck in the same issue.

Solution:

1. After every change to the ts files, run "npm run build" to compile the code again.
2. Change "build": "tsc" to "build": "tsc -w" in package.json if you want to auto-compile after every change.