diff --git a/test_manual.ps1 b/test_manual.ps1
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_manual.ps1
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+# Manual test for nightwatch CLI.
+# Usage: .\test_manual.ps1 [path-to-nightwatch-binary]
+#
+# Run this in one terminal. It starts nightwatch watching a temp dir,
+# performs a sequence of filesystem operations, then exits.
+# You should see one event per line on stdout as they happen.
+
+param(
+    [string]$NW = ".\zig-out\bin\nightwatch.exe"
+)
+
+if (-not (Test-Path $NW)) {
+    Write-Error "error: binary not found: $NW"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+$TESTDIR = Join-Path $env:TEMP "nightwatch_manual_$PID"
+New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $TESTDIR | Out-Null
+
+Write-Host "--- watching $TESTDIR ---"
+Write-Host "--- starting nightwatch (Ctrl-C to stop early) ---"
+Write-Host ""
+
+# Start nightwatch in background, events go to stdout
+$proc = Start-Process -FilePath $NW -ArgumentList $TESTDIR -NoNewWindow -PassThru
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 500
+
+Write-Host "[op] touch file1.txt"
+New-Item -ItemType File -Path "$TESTDIR\file1.txt" | Out-Null
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] write to file1.txt"
+Set-Content -Path "$TESTDIR\file1.txt" -Value "hello nightwatch"
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] mkdir subdir"
+New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "$TESTDIR\subdir" | Out-Null
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] touch subdir\file2.txt"
+New-Item -ItemType File -Path "$TESTDIR\subdir\file2.txt" | Out-Null
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] rename file1.txt -> renamed.txt"
+Rename-Item -Path "$TESTDIR\file1.txt" -NewName "renamed.txt"
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] delete renamed.txt"
+Remove-Item -Path "$TESTDIR\renamed.txt"
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] delete subdir\file2.txt"
+Remove-Item -Path "$TESTDIR\subdir\file2.txt"
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 400
+
+Write-Host "[op] rmdir subdir"
+Remove-Item -Path "$TESTDIR\subdir"
+Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 500
+
+Write-Host ""
+Write-Host "--- done, stopping nightwatch ---"
+Stop-Process -Id $proc.Id -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+$proc.WaitForExit()
+Remove-Item -Recurse -Force -Path $TESTDIR