Suggest an editImprove this articleRefine the answer for “What is a hotfix?”. Your changes go to moderation before they’re published.Approval requiredContentWhat you’re changing🇺🇸EN🇺🇦UAPreviewTitle (EN)Short answer (EN)**A hotfix** is an urgent fix for a critical error in production that needs to be released as quickly as possible, without waiting for a planned release. **Key point:** a hotfix is released separately from planned releases, usually from the stable branch, with minimal changes and a fast deployment.Shown above the full answer for quick recall.Answer (EN)Image**A hotfix** is an **urgent fix for a critical error in production**, which needs to be released **as quickly as possible**, without waiting for a planned release. Put simply: *a hotfix is an "emergency fix," used when production is already broken or is about to break.* --- ## When a hotfix is needed A hotfix is made if: - the application is crashing - users are hitting a critical bug - there is a security problem - the system is not performing a key function (payments, login, etc.) The main point is that **you cannot wait for the next regular release**. --- ## What a hotfix looks like in Git (the process logic) Most often (in Gitflow and similar approaches): 1. A hotfix branch is created **from the stable branch (**`main`**)** 2. A **minimal fix** is made in it 3. The fix is **urgently merged back into** `main` 4. A new version is released (a tag + a release) 5. The changes **are brought back into** `develop`, so they are not lost --- ## Why a hotfix is a separate process A hotfix: - **does not add new functionality** - contains **only the fix** - minimizes the risk of side effects Less code means fewer new bugs. --- ## Hotfix and versions (SemVer) A hotfix usually: - increments the **PATCH version** Example: ``` 1.4.2 → 1.4.3 ``` If the fix breaks compatibility (rare, but it happens): - a MAJOR bump is possible --- ## Hotfix and CI/CD Often: - a hotfix triggers a separate pipeline - deployment to production happens **by tag** - the process is automated as much as possible From the fix to production takes minutes or hours. --- ## What is important to say in an interview - a hotfix is **not an ordinary bug fix** - it is made **from the production branch** - the goal is to **quickly restore stability** - after a hotfix, the changes **must be synchronized** with the main development branch --- ## Short answer for an interview > **A hotfix is an urgent fix for a critical error in production, released separately from planned releases, usually from the stable branch, with minimal changes and a fast deployment.**For the reviewerNote to the moderator (optional)Visible only to the moderator. Helps review go faster.