Hot Reloading
Hot reloading is a development tool feature that allows developers to see code changes reflected in a running application without requiring a full restart or page refresh. It works by injecting updated code modules into the application while preserving its current state, such as user inputs or component data. This significantly speeds up the development feedback loop by eliminating the need to manually rebuild and reload the entire app after each small change.
Developers should use hot reloading when working on frontend frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular, or in mobile development with tools like Flutter or React Native, as it enables rapid iteration and debugging. It is particularly valuable in UI development where visual changes are frequent, as it allows instant preview of styling or layout adjustments without losing application state, which enhances productivity and reduces context-switching during development.