Android Hot Reload
for Jetpack Compose
Instant Compose UI changes on your running Android app with state preserved.
No rebuilds, no relaunching, no navigating back to the same screen again and again, right from Android Studio.
Skip the slow Live Edit. Test your UI on a real device, instantly, run @Preview in ~1 second, and take snapshots.
How It Works
Hot reload for Android, right from your IDE. No rebuild, no restart.
What You Can Reload
Not just composables. Hot reload any Kotlin function, theme value, or resource. Updates in seconds in your real Android devices.
Composable UI Changes
Change modifiers, text, colors, and layout. The UI updates in place.
@Composable
fun Greeting() {
Text(
text = "Hello",
color = Color.Gray,
fontSize = 16.sp
)
}@Composable
fun Greeting() {
Text(
text = "Hello, World!",
color = Color.Blue,
fontSize = 24.sp
)
}Tweak Modifier Parameters
Adjust layout modifiers like size, padding, and animations on the fly.
@Composable
fun ContentPanel() {
Box(
modifier = Modifier
.fillMaxWidth()
.animateContentSize()
.height(200.dp)
) {
// content
}
}@Composable
fun ContentPanel() {
Box(
modifier = Modifier
.fillMaxWidth()
.animateContentSize()
.height(300.dp)
) {
// content
}
}Adding a New Composable
Add a new composable function and call it from the same file. No rebuild needed.
@Composable
fun Profile() {
Avatar(user)
UserName(user)
}@Composable
fun Profile() {
Avatar(user)
UserName(user)
Bio(user)
}
@Composable
private fun Bio(user: User) {
Text(text = user.bio)
}Composable Reordering
Reorder composable calls and see the layout update instantly without losing state.
@Composable
fun Profile() {
Avatar(user)
UserName(user)
Bio(user)
}@Composable
fun Profile() {
UserName(user)
Bio(user)
Avatar(user)
}Resource Changes
Update strings, colors, and dimensions in XML resources.
<resources>
<string name="app_name">My App</string>
<string name="welcome">Welcome</string>
</resources><resources>
<string name="app_name">My New App</string>
<string name="welcome">Hello there!</string>
</resources>UI States Get Preserved
Your app state survives every hot reload.
No more navigating back to the screen you were working on.
Fast Preview Runner
Run @Preview composables on a real device in under 0.5 seconds.
No full rebuild, no waiting. Just click the HotSwan icon and see results instantly.
Isolate a single composable and get faster, more precise hot reload without navigating through your full app.
One-Click Preview
Click the HotSwan icon next to any @Preview function. The composable renders on-device in under half a second, isolated from the rest of the app.
Zero Rebuild
Uses the same hot reload pipeline. No full build, no Gradle sync. Change a parameter, save, and the preview updates on device instantly.
HTML Preview Catalog
Generate a browsable HTML catalog of all @Preview functions across your project with a single Gradle task. Search, filter by module, and inspect parameters.
Visual Snapshot
Capture device screenshots on every hot reload automatically.
Browse visual history, time-travel through code changes, and share design reports with your team.
Auto Screenshot
Every hot reload automatically captures a device screenshot and pairs it with the code diff. Browse your entire UI editing history as a chronological visual strip.
Code Time Traveling
Revert your source code to any previous snapshot with a single click. The device UI updates instantly via hot reload. Full IDE undo support lets you jump back to your latest code anytime.
Design Bridge
Export your snapshot history as a shareable visual report with screenshots, metadata, and code diffs. Bridge the gap between development and design by giving your team the full visual context.
Pixel-Perfect Design Collaboration
Fine-tune your UI to match design specs down to the pixel. Adjust colors, spacing, and typography with hot reload, then instantly verify the result on a real device. Use sliders and overlays to compare your implementation against the design mockup and close the gap between what designers envision and what ships.
No more back-and-forth screenshots over Slack. Export a visual diff report and let your design team review every change in context, with before-and-after screenshots and the exact code that produced them.
Try Design Bridge Report→Join the Community
Get help, share feedback, and connect with other Android developers using Compose HotSwan.
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