JVM Hotswapping with the Bazel Plugin in IntelliJ IDEA

July 3, 2025 ยท View on GitHub

The Bazel Plugin for IntelliJ IDEA supports JVM hotswapping, allowing you to modify code during a debug session without restarting your application.

Steps

  1. Start a Debugger Session

    • Run your Bazel application in debug mode (only bazel run launches are supported).

  2. Modify Your Code

    • Make changes to your source files while the application is running.

  3. Compile and Reload

    • Go to Build > Bazel: Apply HotSwap.

Notes

  • Supported Changes: Edits within method bodies.
  • Unsupported Changes: Adding methods, fields, or altering class structures may require a restart.