The GDevelop web editor preview is stuck in a hot-reload loop

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Describe the bug

I am having the following issue:

“The GDevelop web editor preview is stuck in a hot-reload loop.”

“Console logs show repeated File not found in IndexedDB: /X/preview/manifest.webmanifest and 404 errors for manifest.webmanifest.”

“This happens across multiple devices, browsers, networks, and even with a new account/empty project.”

“Aggressive cache clearing (including service workers and IndexedDB) did not resolve the issue.”

“There is no option to disable hot reload in the preferences.”

AI also tells me this is a widespread server-side bug originating directly from GDevelop's central deployment servers.

cheers

Steps to reproduce

N/A

GDevelop platform

Web

GDevelop version

5.6.271

Platform info

window 11

also applies to desktop and mobile versions of gdevelop

Additional context

No response

[4ian]

Can you paste here the content of the Chrome/browser debugger console?

AI also tells me this is a widespread server-side bug originating directly from GDevelop's central deployment servers.

This is an hallucination, no AI is able to know this because previews are not server side :)

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

Can you paste here the content of the Chrome/browser debugger console?

AI also tells me this is a widespread server-side bug originating directly from GDevelop's central deployment servers.

This is an hallucination, no AI is able to know this because previews are not server side :)

service-worker.js:7 [ServiceWorker] Service worker file executed
service-worker.js:259 [ServiceWorker] Workbox loaded successfully
service-worker.js:173 [ServiceWorker] File not found in IndexedDB: /5/preview/manifest.webmanifest
(anonymous) @ service-worker.js:173
manifest.webmanifest:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 ()
index.html:1 Manifest fetch from https://editor.gdevelop.io/browser_sw_preview/5/preview/manifest.webmanifest failed, code 404
logger.ts:45 [PIXI Image manager] Unable to find texture for resource "".
log @ logger.ts:45
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
service-worker.js:173 [ServiceWorker] File not found in IndexedDB: /5/preview/manifest.webmanifest
(anonymous) @ service-worker.js:173
manifest.webmanifest:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 ()
index.html:1 Manifest fetch from https://editor.gdevelop.io/browser_sw_preview/5/preview/manifest.webmanifest failed, code 404
index.html:1 is deprecated. Please include
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!
abstract-debugger-client.ts:192 [GD] New empty project scene started successfully!

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

Have you had a chance to look at this yet? No stress, just wondering...

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

Gdevelop's AI is now saying this:

Thank you for providing the console output from the HTML5 export preview.

This output is crucial because it confirms that the repeated scene re-initialization is not limited to the GDevelop editor's built-in preview system. It's happening even when you serve the exported HTML5 game locally.

This definitively rules out the GDevelop editor's preview service worker and its hot-reload mechanism as the sole cause. The problem is more fundamental and is occurring within the game's runtime environment itself, even when served statically.

What this implies:
The game's runtime is somehow being re-initialized. This could be due to:

• A very aggressive browser security feature: Some browsers might detect certain patterns (e.g., rapid JavaScript execution, certain API calls) and decide to reload the page as a protective measure.
• A specific browser extension: Even if you've tried disabling them, some can be very deeply integrated.
• A system-level interference: Some software on your computer (antivirus, security suite, system optimizer) might be interfering with how the browser executes local web content.
• A subtle bug in the GDevelop runtime itself: While rare, it's possible there's a specific interaction in your project (even an empty one) that triggers a re-initialization loop in the GDevelop game engine when running in certain browser environments.

Next Steps:
Given that this is happening even with a local HTML5 export, we need to focus on browser and system-level diagnostics.

Step 1: Test in a Browser with a Clean Profile.

-> issue still happening

All issues trace back to the scene reload loop.

And the HTML5 export test proved this loop happens even without GDevelop's preview server or service worker. It's happening at the browser/environment level.

This is now firmly outside the scope of what I can fix as an AI. You need GDevelop support to investigate. Use the details from this investigation when you contact them — it will save a lot of back-and-forth...

cheers

[BEPSY-67]

how you backed the network system yet i can help line it with a line of code i use at epic?

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

how you backed the network system yet i can help line it with a line of code i use at epic?

I am not sure what you mean sorry. I am an amateur at this stuff too by the way.

Do you mean something to do with my internet router?

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

Bit more info for the original suggested problem:

Missing Manifest: The browser is repeatedly attempting to fetch https://editor.gdevelop.io/browser_sw_preview/1/preview/manifest.webmanifest and failing. This usually indicates that the Web App Manifest is missing from the server or the path defined in your HTML is incorrect.

[BEPSY-67]

you prob have to look to see if the code goes to right page sometimes it does that i do know that these big projects require i beast amount of megabits to handle the software's so its most likely a network issue i am willing to help with this the internship at epic is a little slow these days at least for code and if anything its fixing other people typos in the code lol until October for heats in Germany

[4ian]

Is this happening on all games or just one specific project?

[michaeldamiannicol-debug]

All projects. We created a new one and stuck one event in it with one line and it happens. Doesn't stop the games from working, just can't diagnose from console as it loops/refreshes and doesn't progress. I got what I needed working anyway, cheers

[4ian]

Closing then as can't really debug unless more information are provided, feel free to re-open!