reloader

Reloader is a term used to describe a person or device involved in reloading. The core idea is to produce a new item from components or to refresh a resource in a running system. The term is most common in firearms and software, but appears in other technical fields as well.

In firearms and ammunition, a reloader refers to a person who creates new cartridges from existing cases and components, or to the equipment used for this purpose, such as a reloading press, dies, and ancillary tools. Reloading is performed to customize ammunition for specific firearms, achieve particular ballistic characteristics, or reduce cost. It requires careful handling, adherence to safety standards, and compliance with laws.

In software and computing, a reloader is a feature or tool that detects changes in source code or resources and reloads the affected parts of a running program. This enables developers to see updates immediately without restarting the entire application. Reloader mechanisms are commonly associated with hot module replacement in web development frameworks, live reload in development servers, and autoreload facilities in interactive environments.

Other contexts use reloader less commonly, such as industrial packaging or media pipelines, where a reloader might denote equipment that replenishes consumables or reloads inputs. The exact meaning depends on the domain and is typically clarified by surrounding terminology.