reload.sh file.html titlebit; reloads file.html in a browser window when changed. Tested only on xfce/manjaro.

reload.sh

#!/bin/bash -x
# Wed 24 Jun 2020 02:39:13 PM CEST

# [email protected]

# heavily based on

# https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/37258/refresh-reload-active-browser-tab-from-command-line
# L Nix <[email protected]>

# reload browser window

# useage: reload.sh file titlebit
# file: the file loaded in the browser
# titlebit: Some unique part of the browser window title

FILETOWATCH=$1

# whether to use SHIFT+CTRL+R to force reload without cache
RELOAD_KEYS="F5"
# RELOAD_KEYS="CTRL+R"
# RELOAD_KEYS="SHIFT+CTRL+R"
#
# set to whatever's given as argument
NAMEBIT=$2
#
# if was empty, default set to name of browser, firefox/chrome/opera/etc..
if [ -z "${NAMEBIT}" ]; then
    NAMEBIT=Mozilla
fi
#

echo $NAMEBIT

while inotifywait -e close_write $FILETOWATCH;
do sleep 1
   # get which window is active right now
   MYWINDOW=$(xdotool getactivewindow)
   #
   # bring up the browser
   xdotool search --name ${NAMEBIT} windowactivate --sync
   # send the page-reload keys (C-R) or (S-C-R)
   xdotool search --name ${NAMEBIT} key --clearmodifiers ${RELOAD_KEYS}
   #
   # sometimes the focus doesn't work, so follow up with activate
   xdotool windowfocus --sync ${MYWINDOW}
   xdotool windowactivate --sync ${MYWINDOW}
   date +%Y-%m-%d_%H%M
done