Microsoft reverses its decision to remove code editing feature Hot Reload in its upcoming .NET 6 SDK, after backlash from the open source community
The VergeTom Warren
Context & Ripple Effects
This reversal lands a decade into Microsoft's open source pivot, which began with moves like opening up .NET's CoreCLR in 2015. The company had planned to ship .NET 6 with Hot Reload restricted out of the SDK, and the open source community pushed back hard enough within days that the decision was undone entirely.
The episode matters because the same feature anchors the Visual Studio roadmap: weeks later Microsoft launched Visual Studio 2022 with Hot Reload alongside .NET 6, meaning the community fight shaped a headline capability of the release rather than a side detail.
First-order effects
.NET developers get Hot Reload in the .NET 6 SDK itself, and the CLI-based workflow stays intact instead of being gated toward Visual Studio.
Second-order effects
The reversal sets an internal precedent that repeats: eight months later Microsoft also walked back its ban on selling open source software in the Microsoft Store under comparable criticism, showing backlash now functions as a predictable check on licensing and distribution calls.
Third-order effects
The pattern cuts both ways over time — by 2026 Microsoft is reportedly steering developers away from third-party tooling like Claude Code toward GitHub Copilot CLI, suggesting community vetoes shape individual feature decisions while consolidation of the developer toolchain continues at the platform level.
The trend: Microsoft's developer-platform decisions are increasingly negotiated in public, with open source community pressure acting as a recurring override even as the company consolidates its tooling ecosystem.
Can we trust Microsoft with open source? No, of course not. Nor can we trust Google, Apple, or Facebook. Any appearance of open source friendliness is tactical; it's not and has never been a deep seated cultural value. (Applications to Github are left for Halloween scares.)
It doesn't matter if you are invested in the dotNet ecosystem, but with VSCode, GtiHub and other tools I'd suggest paying attention to this https://dusted.codes/...
It's scary to see how often Microsoft forces their people to shut up. There was a huge war with windows phone going. Now they all have to act like it never existed. Doesnt seem like a healthy company, sadly. https://twitter.com/...
“Can we trust Microsoft with Open Source?” Microsoft removed hot reload from open source dotnet, and actively sabotages better C# support in VS code, because it wants to protect VS Studio. Not smart, and shows that OSS friendly MS still is just a facade. https://dusted.codes/...
Good article, with some new info at least on the source of the decision. I'm certain most of the .NET engineers with whom I've worked and gotten to know for YEARS are absolutely LIVID about this, and I feel for them and their frustration. 😥 indeed. This was self-inflicted. https:…
While I'm exited for #dotnet hot reload making a return this cycle needs to be broken. Visual Studio and #dotnet become better through rigid design of the CLI and file formats. Stop designing .NET for Visual Studio https://devblogs.microsoft.com/ ... https://twitter.com/...
The second worst thing you can do after taking Open Source code proprietary is remove Open Source code between Beta and Release https://dusted.codes/...
Microsoft has reversed its controversial .NET 6 decision after a public outcry from the open source community. The company says “Hot Reload capability will be in the general availability build of the .NET 6 SDK available on November 8th.” Full details: https://www.theverge.com/..…
a lot of MS folks and .NET community members have got in touch privately to share their stories about this and other decisions. My Signal number is in my profile 🙏 https://twitter.com/...