Watchman

A watchman is a person assigned to keep watch, protect people and property, and report danger. The role traditionally involves observation, patrols, crowd control, and warning others to prevent harm. The term combines “watch” with “man,” reflecting duties that are vigilantly maintained, especially at night.

Historically, watchmen served in towns and cities to guard streets, walls, and markets. They patrolled on foot or by night watch, carried lanterns or bells, and sounded alarms when threats such as fire, crime, or enemy approaches were detected. Responsibilities varied by region, but common tasks included enforcing curfews, guiding travelers, and coordinating with authorities during emergencies.

In modern contexts, watchmen are often security guards or patrol officers employed by organizations to protect property, people, and information. Duties may include patrolling premises, monitoring surveillance systems, controlling access, responding to incidents, and writing incident reports. The role ranges from private security to municipal policing, and it may require training, licensing, and adherence to established protocols.

In technology, Watchman is the name of a file-watching service developed by Facebook (now Meta) that monitors changes in the file system and triggers actions for development workflows. It is designed to speed up tasks such as builds and tests by delivering real-time filesystem events to supporting tools.

Culturally and historically, watchmen appear as guardians or sentinels in religious and literary contexts, often depicted as warning of danger or proclaiming messages. The concept remains a familiar metaphor for vigilance, protection, and timely warning.