https://github.com/m-fatah/hot_reloading_with_cmake

An example to demonstrate how to implement hot reloading for a game engine and integrate it with CMake.
https://github.com/m-fatah/hot_reloading_with_cmake

c cmake cpp game-development game-engine gamedev hot-reload

Last synced: about 1 year ago
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An example to demonstrate how to implement hot reloading for a game engine and integrate it with CMake.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/m-fatah/hot_reloading_with_cmake
• Owner: M-Fatah
• License: mit
• Created: 2022-09-25T14:39:02.000Z (almost 4 years ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2022-09-26T21:04:21.000Z (almost 4 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-04-14T07:47:26.718Z (about 1 year ago)
• Topics: c, cmake, cpp, game-development, game-engine, gamedev, hot-reload
• Language: C++
• Homepage:
• Size: 14.6 KB
• Stars: 17
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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# **Hot reloading with CMake**

##### An example that demonstrates how to implement hot reloading for a game engine and integrate it with `CMake`.

##### The code example provided compiles and runs on both `Linux` and `Windows`.

[hot_reloading_with_cmake.webm](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/6799254/192156217-d6ae8a05-b6f5-48d3-aa7c-eaaa21dd1c3e.webm)

## **The basic idea behind it:**

The engine neeeds to be built as a `dll`.

- Copy the game engine's `dll` to a new file.

- Load the copied `dll` from the `platform` layer or a `launcher` at runtime.

- Every frame check if the original `dll` has been modified and if so unload the copied `dll` and repeat the process.

- In debug mode, ensure that the generated `pdb` files are named randomly to avoid locking.

## **Platforms:**

- Linux.

- Windows.

## **Prerequisites:**

#### **Linux:**

- ```sudo apt install -y cmake```

#### **Windows:**

- Download and install [CMake](https://cmake.org/download/) (version 3.20 atleast).

## **Building:**

- Run one of the provided scripts, for example `build_debug.sh` or `build_debug.bat`.

- Output is in `build/bin/${CONFIG}/` directory.