Hot reload fails to detect GraphQL file changes in separated client assembly - Source generator not triggered

[stevefan1999-personal]

Product

Strawberry Shake

Version

15.1.7

Link to minimal reproduction

https://github.com/stevefan1999-personal/chilicream-fullstack-bug

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a solution with a separated GraphQL client project/assembly
2. Configure Strawberry Shake in the client project with source generators
3. Run the application with hot reload enabled (dotnet watch --project ChilliCreamBlazor.Server --verbose or Visual Studio hot reload)
4. Modify any .graphql file in the separated client project (except the schema)
5. Observe that hot reload reports "No C# changes to apply"
6. Attempt manual build - source generator is not triggered
7. Try modifying generated files in obj\berry folder - no hot reload notification

What is expected?

• Hot reload should detect changes to .graphql files in the separated assembly
• Source generator should automatically regenerate C# client code
• Hot reload should recognize the regenerated files and reload the application
• Manual builds should trigger the source generator when GraphQL files are modified

What is actually happening?

• Modifying .graphql files shows "No C# changes to apply" message
• Source generator is not triggered on GraphQL file changes
• Manual builds do not trigger code regeneration
• Even direct modifications to generated files in obj\berry folder don't trigger hot reload notifications
• The application continues running with outdated GraphQL client code

Relevant log output

dotnet watch ⌚ [FW] Updated '<Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql'.
dotnet watch ⌚ File change: Update '<Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql'.
dotnet watch ⌚ [FW] Updated '<Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql'.
dotnet watch ⌚ File change: Update '<Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql'.
dotnet watch ⌚ File updated: .\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql
dotnet watch ⌚ Solution:
dotnet watch ⌚   Project: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server.csproj
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\Program.cs [kH3Me5Gz2ryIPSoKum9Bb5Pstz6JE06fLZI43mAhAtE=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server.GlobalUsings.g.cs [3N9VcC4C88yI78mo7CtogYkfiCHfJ9uQFXuklq6YE6E=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\debug\.NETCoreApp,Version=v9.0.AssemblyAttributes.cs [nnZJnE5ctiOtSInqqZsaU9nJcO/PkC2LCW54oZ7kKF0=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server.AssemblyInfo.cs [VEnw01Z9MyD6/e4BoM8Kq/wpGF9MDLMNKer9NWpW5sg=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\Components\App.razor [I8fFRjneEB5ilYgsP5ZP7sLBv74LKtnvJJzBjfCjPtU=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\Components\_Imports.razor [E7dl/08MW8s3PhhSSWcfMkkQJIGJClq5ZrT8IEF3lJ8=]       
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Server.GeneratedMSBuildEditorConfig.editorconfig [lyDOHSaAZyWHiQTZh5UcSjU98Z6fFD5BJO2Oe5gGF3c=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\10.0.100-preview.6.25326.107\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\analyzers\build\config\analysislevel_9_default.globalconfig [Z5Z6v/jv/85BTcyqLaRCJsEfeG6E0m9bq2jtPLCVjMc=]
dotnet watch ⌚   Project: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO.csproj
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\Book.cs [6CwYARGoqeipcZwzhtq74Mxd7yZh1y3R6zdUnRZkGzI=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO.GlobalUsings.g.cs [o8YEi7TZIrF5mpl3+ENio3h7aIEMrGeqhqw6ojKV8ic=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\debug\.NETCoreApp,Version=v9.0.AssemblyAttributes.cs [nnZJnE5ctiOtSInqqZsaU9nJcO/PkC2LCW54oZ7kKF0=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO.AssemblyInfo.cs [2tQAoVrJdcx1PoL2As4S5tqZYGwxSbfCRsBPiS4Ss0E=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.DTO.GeneratedMSBuildEditorConfig.editorconfig [LjztqRxUB8iU326gQeRH8VeoCZpzMo0NvgnJWGHkTsE=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\10.0.100-preview.6.25326.107\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\analyzers\build\config\analysislevel_9_default.globalconfig [Z5Z6v/jv/85BTcyqLaRCJsEfeG6E0m9bq2jtPLCVjMc=]
dotnet watch ⌚   Project: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server.csproj
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\BookContext.cs [7cU8UQGdBUOgHF+lwg8eVUvjfwBn0LG98NLCpq8KBOc=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\GraphQLServerExtensions.cs [VFFQU8MJqSa2Km9MrlH46YHbCRzo/XgyjjJVS5rEHyM=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\Query.cs [CZaHFSxImb2jycQ6/FkTcysZ3nS8Ad8aRGdSOjiAH/A=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server.GlobalUsings.g.cs [8sAcHuxbB68erO5AikA1MOLZvk2wdrXpBSVNuKUkfPg=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\debug\.NETCoreApp,Version=v9.0.AssemblyAttributes.cs [nnZJnE5ctiOtSInqqZsaU9nJcO/PkC2LCW54oZ7kKF0=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server.AssemblyInfo.cs [JoM7IRyatQFvDyBDzR14/tUOWcHu+zKL34P3RGLvJ2s=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Server.GeneratedMSBuildEditorConfig.editorconfig [vuj60qVJEsZwmr4OCUyoKl9Vi72aoPDbeLLKEqmK6bI=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\10.0.100-preview.6.25326.107\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\analyzers\build\config\analysislevel_9_default.globalconfig [Z5Z6v/jv/85BTcyqLaRCJsEfeG6E0m9bq2jtPLCVjMc=]
dotnet watch ⌚   Project: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client.csproj
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client.GlobalUsings.g.cs [o8YEi7TZIrF5mpl3+ENio3h7aIEMrGeqhqw6ojKV8ic=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\.NETCoreApp,Version=v9.0.AssemblyAttributes.cs [nnZJnE5ctiOtSInqqZsaU9nJcO/PkC2LCW54oZ7kKF0=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client.AssemblyInfo.cs [1FZDrueJdThE6rHS/LM9woWsht4BNM+Rc20iG8jUd1w=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\berry\ChilliCreamBlazorClient.Client.cs [5TJ4vdiq2OYMLfo8qRS8wtTKExhA7LkdI6OiTdCw8FA=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\berry\ChilliCreamBlazorClient.Components.cs [eH3rjnxZ3in/nZ3AeV51+mExa4OJFbLKFQtxaVaGQEs=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\GraphQL\GetBooks.graphql [MxEzTjo1s3/yfPYORyVkcES2UXI=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\schema.graphql [xbdzI0U1mh+rUkDgj8UL4kV3+xxY41MFq+muc9S+GDU=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.GraphQL.Client.GeneratedMSBuildEditorConfig.editorconfig [KFfrW0Kv9TjlfzDS+LVjlX9aOyE8pbaRJFd3KX780Z4=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\10.0.100-preview.6.25326.107\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\analyzers\build\config\analysislevel_9_default.globalconfig [Z5Z6v/jv/85BTcyqLaRCJsEfeG6E0m9bq2jtPLCVjMc=]
dotnet watch ⌚   Project: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client.csproj
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Program.cs [r5G+gTYoGeV6fCvqiXEGe0V78eBJ3ogOukqhGIXIE10=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client.GlobalUsings.g.cs [Z3dDFt3wileqyFz9wWuit9Ty+kPOd8Y4G8glc5aMXYI=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\debug\.NETCoreApp,Version=v9.0.AssemblyAttributes.cs [nnZJnE5ctiOtSInqqZsaU9nJcO/PkC2LCW54oZ7kKF0=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Document: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client.AssemblyInfo.cs [84yhRWLQeYIHtgcdZV62B/wKSNN0DFzr1ZvVZN6Pp4M=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Pages\Home.razor [4lvhULC5J1dPLh7u1SugazcW55PQxyNwG6VX/IGFnEM=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Pages\Weather.razor [8PxBskO6OTpooBsccPYBdxdP56DawHySl28Ws5AlPYY=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Routes.razor [6gckVidsuCLYBZgWG7uCVhJa6py/uytYoBwyL8xwUPM=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\_Imports.razor [vrf3Lr/4bw4wELAmCcDaYqgLrZFaQotoryxvhxwMVC8=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Layout\MainLayout.razor [i8zbm3RTiWbTtjELFa2o4Mh8Bt+RWpBihK+kiBjDbBU=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Additional: <Redacted>\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\Layout\NavMenu.razor [45UmdORjbuCHeErec5iKahFWOqf/raIWhZWMlbktxaE=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: <Redacted>\artifacts\obj\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client\debug\ChilliCreamBlazor.Client.GeneratedMSBuildEditorConfig.editorconfig [fAQuPa5DQJjQQHiwkN6wOML1FG6QVvFsWNyYY3kJSqA=]
dotnet watch ⌚     Config: C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\10.0.100-preview.6.25326.107\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\analyzers\build\config\analysislevel_9_default.globalconfig [Z5Z6v/jv/85BTcyqLaRCJsEfeG6E0m9bq2jtPLCVjMc=]
dotnet watch 🔥 Hot reload capabilities: Baseline AddMethodToExistingType AddStaticFieldToExistingType NewTypeDefinition ChangeCustomAttributes AddInstanceFieldToExistingType GenericAddMethodToExistingType GenericUpdateMethod UpdateParameters GenericAddFieldToExistingType.
dotnet watch ⌚ No C# changes to apply.
dotnet watch ⌚ Updating diagnostics in the browser.
dotnet watch ⌚ Failed to receive response from a connected browser.
dotnet watch 🔥 Hot reload change handled in 889ms.

Additional context

Using separated assembly for GraphQL client (not in the main project)
Hot reload works correctly for C# files in both projects
Source generator works on initial build but not on subsequent changes

Schema Generation Without Live Server

In the minimal reproduction repo, I've implemented a custom build trigger that generates schema.graphql without requiring a running server. This might warrant a separate feature request, but I wanted to bring it to the developers' attention as it could inspire improvements to the current workflow.

Integration Challenge: Hot Chocolate + Strawberry Shake

My goal is to create a seamless development experience using:

• Hot Chocolate (GraphQL server)
• Strawberry Shake (GraphQL client)
• Blazor WebAssembly
• Hot reload for rapid development

However, Strawberry Shake has a limitation: it requires a valid schema file path to generate client code. This constraint forced me to restructure my solution architecture:

1. Separated the GraphQL/data layer from the ASP.NET Core layer
2. Created a dedicated schema builder project that:
   • Uses Hot Chocolate server components
   • Emits the schema file during build
3. Configured Strawberry Shake to consume this generated schema for its source generation

Hot Reload Configuration Limitation

The current hot reload implementation doesn't support forcing a full rebuild when *.graphql files change. Ideally, we could configure the file watcher to treat GraphQL file changes as "rude edits" that trigger:

• A complete project rebuild
• Assembly reload
• Source generator execution

This would eliminate significant manual overhead in the development workflow. Without this capability, developers must manually rebuild after every GraphQL change, which defeats the purpose of hot reload.

[michaelstaib]

The issue is that Strawberry Shake is not a source generator but based on MSBuild code generation. This is due to a limitation in source generator not being able to use source generated code. As Blazor is a source generator it had issues with the strawberry shake source generator. For this reason we changed it back to a MSBuild base code generation. What can be done is run the code generator in watch mode in a separate process.