AIRRELOAD / DOCUMENTATION
Everyday development
Reload, rebuild, and reconnect while you work.
Keep airreload run open and edit your project in your usual editor. Once Flutter attaches, save your changes and use the terminal controls below.
Terminal controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
r | Hot reload and preserve app state |
R | Hot restart and reset Dart state |
d | Detach Flutter |
q | Quit Flutter |
Ctrl-C | Stop the Airreload session |
A successful detach or normal quit also ends the session.
When to rebuild
Dart changes under lib/ usually hot reload. Use hot restart when you need to rerun initialization or Flutter rejects a reload.
For assets, dependencies, native code, or build settings, stop the session, run airreload run again, and install the new APK. Also rebuild after updating Airreload's native integration.
Reconnect
Keep your computer awake and the original CLI session running:
- Project app closed? Reopen it. Airreload waits for the app and attaches again.
- Go lost its connection? Return to the same Wi-Fi and tap Reconnect to computer in Go. You can also scan Show reconnect QR on the computer's pairing page with the same phone.
Go resumes the existing build or downloads the finished APK without rebuilding. The computer must remain at the same network address.
Restarted the CLI? Scan the new QR and install the new session's APK. Reconnection only works while the original session is running.
DevTools
Open the DevTools URL printed by Flutter in your computer's browser once it attaches.
Airreload generates its debug integration in a separate session copy and links to your original lib/ directory. Your source files and FVM configuration stay in place. Other files are copied, which is why assets, native files, and local package changes outside that lib/ tree need a fresh build.
External Gradle file references are not rewritten for the prepared copy.
Go offers to open the app after installation. Choose Always open apps after installation, or change it later in Settings → After installation.
Installed apps appear in Apps; validated downloads remain in History until you delete them. An old APK cannot connect to a newly started CLI session.
Go accepts pairing QR codes or pairing links only. For manual entry, use the link encoded by the QR, not the computer's QR-page address or a direct APK URL.
Use a trusted development network and keep pairing codes private. Go's pre-build handshake uses local HTTP; the installed app connects through an authenticated TLS tunnel with certificate pinning. Don't expose development ports to the internet.
Airreload produces debug APKs for local development. Use your normal release workflow for production apps.