It can be used to automatically update directory views, reload configuration files, log changes, backup, synchronize, and upload.
inotify replaced an earlier facility, dnotify, which had similar goals.
The required library interfaces were added into the GNU C Library (glibc) in its version 2.4, released in March 2006, while the support for inotify was completed in glibc version 2.5, released in September 2006.
The inotify API uses fewer file descriptors, allowing programmers to use the established select and poll interface, rather than the signal notification system used by dnotify.
This also makes integration with existing select- or poll-based libraries (like GLib) easier.