FG
📱 Mobile & Cross-PlatformGoogle

Enable "hot reload" (not just "hot restart") for Flutter Web

Freshabout 21 hours ago
Mar 14, 20260 views
Confidence Score95%
95%

Problem

Latest update: https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/53041#issuecomment-1367615679 ---- Hello! Trying the web development currently in beta version. actually quite satisfied as the browser reloads very quick. Only annoying thing is that the hot restart doesn't work properly, imho. Please check on this. Best Regards, Jakob P.S.: Hope this is enough information - First time opening an issue here :) Steps to Reproduce 1. Setup flutter project for web development 2. Run `flutter run -d Chrome` 3. Navigate to a view != main view 4. hot restart (small 'r') without browser refresh (like it should do with capital 'R') Expected results: Browser should reload, but stay on the same view Actual results: Browser fully restarts the app --> Again at the main view

Unverified for your environment

Select your OS to check compatibility.

2 Fixes

Canonical Fix
Unverified Fix
New Fix – Awaiting Verification

Implement Hot Reload for Flutter Web to Retain Current View

Medium Risk

The current implementation of hot restart for Flutter Web resets the application state, causing the browser to navigate back to the main view. This is due to the way Flutter Web handles state preservation during hot reload and restart, which does not maintain the current route context.

Awaiting Verification

Be the first to verify this fix

  1. 1

    Update Flutter SDK

    Ensure you are using the latest version of the Flutter SDK, as improvements and bug fixes related to hot reload may have been implemented.

    bash
    flutter upgrade
  2. 2

    Modify Web App Routing

    Implement a state management solution that preserves the current route when a hot restart is triggered. Use the `Navigator` widget to manage routes effectively.

    dart
    Navigator.pushNamed(context, '/currentRoute');
  3. 3

    Use State Restoration

    Integrate Flutter's state restoration feature to save and restore the application state across hot reloads. This can help maintain the current view.

    dart
    RestorationScope(restorationId: 'app', child: MyApp());
  4. 4

    Test Hot Reload Functionality

    Run the application in debug mode and perform a hot reload to verify that the current view is retained without navigating back to the main view.

    bash
    flutter run -d Chrome
  5. 5

    Report Feedback

    If the issue persists, gather logs and feedback from the console and report it on the Flutter GitHub issue tracker for further investigation.

    bash
    flutter logs

Validation

Confirm that after performing a hot reload, the application retains the current view without resetting to the main view. Check the console for any errors or logs that indicate state preservation.

Sign in to verify this fix

1 low-confidence fix
Unverified Fix
New Fix – Awaiting Verification

Implement Hot Reload for Flutter Web to Retain Current View

Medium Risk

The current implementation of hot restart in Flutter Web resets the entire application state, including the navigation stack, which causes the browser to return to the main view instead of retaining the current view. This is due to the way Flutter Web handles state management and routing during a hot restart, which does not preserve the current route context.

Awaiting Verification

Be the first to verify this fix

  1. 1

    Update Flutter SDK

    Ensure you are using the latest version of the Flutter SDK, which may include fixes and improvements for hot reload functionality.

    bash
    flutter upgrade
  2. 2

    Check for Web-Specific Hot Reload Settings

    Verify if there are any new configurations or flags in the Flutter Web settings that enable better hot reload functionality. Check the official Flutter documentation for any updates.

    bash
    flutter config --enable-web
  3. 3

    Implement State Management Solution

    Use a state management solution (like Provider, Riverpod, or Bloc) to manage the application state and retain the current view during hot reload. This will help preserve the navigation stack.

    dart
    import 'package:provider/provider.dart'; // Example for Provider
  4. 4

    Modify Main App Structure

    Adjust the main app structure to ensure the current route is preserved. Use a GlobalKey for the Navigator to maintain the state across hot reloads.

    dart
    final GlobalKey<NavigatorState> navigatorKey = GlobalKey<NavigatorState>();

MaterialApp(
  navigatorKey: navigatorKey,
  // other properties
)
  5. 5

    Test Hot Reload Functionality

    Run the application in a web environment and test the hot reload functionality by making changes to the code. Verify that the current view is retained after performing a hot reload.

    bash
    flutter run -d chrome

Validation

To confirm the fix worked, run the application and make changes to a widget. After saving, use the hot reload command (small 'r') and observe if the current view remains unchanged. If the view is retained, the fix is successful.

Sign in to verify this fix

Environment

Submitted by

AC

Alex Chen

2450 rep

Tags

flutterdartmobilec:-new-featuredependency:-dartt:-hot-reloadcustomer:-crowd