understanding-hot-reload-limits

A full rebuild happens when the change alters the class schema, which ART cannot redefine at runtime. Common causes are adding function parameters, changing constructors, modifying interfaces, adding new resource ids, editing inline functions, or changing the lambda count inside a function.

HotSwan hot-reloads composable and non-composable function body changes, new composables, reordered composables (1.2.0+), resource value edits, extension functions, and data class property additions on API 30+. Only method bodies are mutable at runtime under ART.

Inline functions are expanded at every call site at compile time, so there is no discrete unit to swap at runtime. Editing an inline body forces a full rebuild; drop the inline modifier during iteration and restore it before commit.

No, adding a new resource id grows the generated R class, which is a schema change ART cannot redefine, so it forces a rebuild. Editing the value of an existing string resource does hot-reload, so batch new ids first and iterate on values after.

Adding a data class property hot-reloads only on devices running API 30 or higher, where ART supports that schema change. On API 29 and below the constructor change forces a full rebuild, so batch property additions when targeting older minSdk.

Order edits so body-only changes come first and hot-reload, then batch signature, constructor, interface, or new-resource-id changes into a final save that accepts one rebuild. Introduce new parameters once with a default value, then iterate on the body.