feat: introduce hot reload system for views in development mode

README.md

@@ -42,6 +42,42 @@ framework are exposed.
 
 **Please** read the user guide for a better explanation of how CI4 works!
 
+# 🔥 Hot Reload for Views (Development Feature)
+
+CodeIgniter 4 includes a lightweight **Hot Reload** system designed to improve development workflow.  
+It automatically refreshes the browser whenever a file inside `app/Views/` changes — with **no external tools required**.
+
+### ✨ Key Features
+
+- No **Node**, **Webpack**, **Vite**, or external watchers  
+- Runs **entirely in PHP**  
+- Starts **automatically** when you run:
+
+`php spark serve`
+
+When the server starts, CodeIgniter launches:
+
+1. **The PHP development server**  
+2. **A file watcher** that monitors:
+
+app/Views/
+
+Whenever a view file changes, the watcher updates a timestamp.  
+Your browser polls `/hotreload/check`, and when it detects an update, the page reloads instantly.
+
+---
+
+## ⚡ Enabling Hot Reload in Your Views
+
+To activate Hot Reload on any view, include the following partial:
+
+```php
+<?= $this->include('partials/hotreload') ?>
+```
+You may place this partial:
+
+✔ In each view
+
 ## Repository Management
 
 CodeIgniter is developed completely on a volunteer basis. As such, please give up to 7 days

app/Commands/HotReload.php

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Commands;
+
+use CodeIgniter\CLI\BaseCommand;
+
+class HotReload extends BaseCommand
+{
+    protected $group       = 'Development';
+    protected $name        = 'hotreload';
+    protected $description = 'Monitor changes in app/Views and trigger browser reload.';
+
+    public function run(array $params)
+    {
+        $watchPath = APPPATH . 'Views';
+        $flagFile  = WRITEPATH . 'cache/hotreload.txt';
+
+        if (!file_exists($flagFile)) {
+            file_put_contents($flagFile, time());
+        }
+
+        echo "🚀 HotReload activo — Monitoreando: {$watchPath}\n";
+
+        $lastHash = null;
+
+        while (true) {
+            clearstatcache();
+
+            $currentHash = md5(json_encode($this->scanFiles($watchPath)));
+
+            if ($lastHash !== null && $currentHash !== $lastHash) {
+                file_put_contents($flagFile, time());
+                echo "♻ Cambio detectado → Recargando navegador…\n";
+            }
+
+            $lastHash = $currentHash;
+            sleep(1);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private function scanFiles($path)
+    {
+        $rii = new \RecursiveIteratorIterator(new \RecursiveDirectoryIterator($path));
+        $files = [];
+
+        foreach ($rii as $file) {
+            if ($file->isDir()) continue;
+            $files[] = [
+                'file' => $file->getPathname(),
+                'mtime' => $file->getMTime(),
+            ];
+        }
+
+        return $files;
+    }
+}

app/Commands/Serve.php

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Commands;
+
+use CodeIgniter\CLI\CLI;
+use CodeIgniter\Commands\Server\Serve as CoreServe;
+
+class Serve extends CoreServe
+{
+    protected $group       = 'CodeIgniter';
+    protected $name        = 'serve';
+    protected $description = 'Start CI4 dev server with integrated HotReload.';
+
+    public function run(array $params)
+    {
+        CLI::write("🚀 Iniciando servidor con HotReload integrado…", 'green');
+
+        $this->startHotReloadWatcher();
+        return parent::run($params);
+    }
+
+    private function startHotReloadWatcher()
+    {
+        $php = PHP_BINARY;
+        $spark = realpath(ROOTPATH . 'spark');
+
+        if (stripos(PHP_OS, 'WIN') === 0) {
+            $cmd = "start /B $php $spark hotreload >nul 2>&1";
+            pclose(popen($cmd, "r"));
+        } else {
+            shell_exec("$php $spark hotreload > /dev/null 2>&1 &");
+        }
+
+        CLI::write("🔁 HotReload watcher iniciado.", 'yellow');
+    }
+}

app/Config/Routes.php

@@ -6,3 +6,8 @@
  * @var RouteCollection $routes
  */
 $routes->get('/', 'Home::index');
+
+/**
+ *HOT RELOAD ROUTE
+ */
+$routes->get('hotreload/check', 'HotReloadController::check');

app/Controllers/HotReloadController.php

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Controllers;
+
+use CodeIgniter\Controller;
+
+class HotReloadController extends Controller
+{
+    public function check()
+    {
+        $cacheFile = WRITEPATH . 'cache/hotreload.txt';
+
+        if (!file_exists($cacheFile)) {
+            file_put_contents($cacheFile, '0');
+        }
+
+        return $this->response->setJSON([
+            'hash' => file_get_contents($cacheFile)
+        ]);
+    }
+}

app/Views/partials/hotreload.php

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<script>
+    let lastHash = null;
+
+    async function checkReload() {
+        try {
+            const res = await fetch("<?= base_url('/hotreload/check') ?>");
+            const data = await res.json();
+
+            if (lastHash === null) {
+                lastHash = data.hash;
+            } else if (data.hash !== lastHash) {
+                console.log("HotReload: cambio detectado, recargando...");
+                location.reload();
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.warn("HotReload error:", e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    setInterval(checkReload, 1000);
+</script>

app/Views/welcome_message.php

@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
     <meta name="description" content="The small framework with powerful features">
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/png" href="/favicon.ico">
-
+    <!-- HOT RELOAD -->
+    <?= $this->include('partials/hotreload') ?>
     <!-- STYLES -->
 
     <style {csp-style-nonce}>