Hot Fix

What is a Hot Fix?

A hot fix is an urgent, targeted code change applied directly to a production system to resolve a critical issue, without waiting for the next scheduled release.

Key Characteristics

• Applied quickly, often outside the normal release cycle.
• Targets a specific, critical defect (e.g., a security vulnerability or system outage).
• Usually undergoes minimal but focused testing due to time pressure, though critical paths must still be verified.

Why Hot Fixes Matter

Hot fixes allow organisations to resolve severe production issues rapidly, minimising the impact on end users, while still requiring careful, targeted verification before deployment.