diff --git a/docs/requirements/Component-Communication.md b/docs/requirements/Component-Communication.md
index 6d959e5..2a6472a 100644
--- a/docs/requirements/Component-Communication.md
+++ b/docs/requirements/Component-Communication.md
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Both central and site clusters. Each side has communication actors that handle m
 - **Pattern**: Broadcast with per-site acknowledgment (deploy to all sites), or targeted to a single site (per-site deployment).
 - When shared scripts, external system definitions, database connections, data connections, notification lists, or SMTP configuration are explicitly deployed, central sends them to the target site(s).
 - Each site acknowledges receipt and reports success/failure independently.
+- **Shared script deployment triggers immediate recompilation on the site** — the site's `SharedScriptLibrary` replaces its in-memory compiled code, making updated shared scripts available to all running instances without redeployment. Other artifact types (external systems, database connections, etc.) are stored but do not require recompilation.
 
 ### 4. Integration Routing (External System → Central → Site → Central → External System)
 - **Pattern**: Request/Response (brokered).
diff --git a/docs/requirements/Component-InboundAPI.md b/docs/requirements/Component-InboundAPI.md
index a4f989d..fad57e0 100644
--- a/docs/requirements/Component-InboundAPI.md
+++ b/docs/requirements/Component-InboundAPI.md
@@ -99,6 +99,21 @@ Each API method definition includes:
 - This allows complex request/response structures (e.g., an object containing properties and a list of nested objects).
 - Template attributes retain the simpler four-type system. The extended types apply only to Inbound API method definitions and External System Gateway method definitions.
 
+## Script Compilation & Hot-Reload
+
+API method scripts are compiled at central startup — all method definitions are loaded from the configuration database and compiled into in-memory delegates.
+
+### Update Workflow
+
+- Updating a method via the CLI (`api-method update --id <N> --code '...'`) or Management API triggers immediate recompilation (`CompileAndRegister`). The updated script takes effect on the next API call — no node restart is required.
+- Creating a new method after startup: if the method is created but not yet compiled, the first invocation triggers lazy (on-demand) compilation.
+
+### Direct SQL Warning
+
+> **Do not edit API method scripts via direct SQL.** The in-memory compiled script will not be updated until the next node restart. Always use the CLI, Management API, or Central UI to modify API method scripts.
+
+---
+
 ## API Call Logging
 
 - **Only failures are logged.** Script execution errors (500 responses) are logged centrally.
diff --git a/docs/requirements/Component-SiteRuntime.md b/docs/requirements/Component-SiteRuntime.md
index 110298d..a802a23 100644
--- a/docs/requirements/Component-SiteRuntime.md
+++ b/docs/requirements/Component-SiteRuntime.md
@@ -209,6 +209,32 @@ When the Instance Actor is stopped (due to disable, delete, or redeployment), Ak
 
 ---
 
+## Script Lifecycle
+
+All script types can be updated without restarting the cluster, but the mechanism differs per type.
+
+### Instance Scripts and Alarm On-Trigger Scripts
+
+- Compiled at deployment time when the Deployment Manager receives a flattened configuration and creates the Instance Actor hierarchy.
+- **To update**: modify the script in the template, then redeploy the instance (`instance deploy --id <N>`).
+- Redeployment stops the existing Instance Actor and all its children, creates a new Instance Actor, and recompiles all scripts and alarms from the updated configuration.
+- There is no way to hot-reload a single instance script without redeploying the entire instance.
+
+### Shared Scripts
+
+- Compiled at the site when received from central via artifact deployment (`deploy artifacts`).
+- The `SharedScriptLibrary` replaces its in-memory compiled code dictionary under a lock, making updated code immediately available to all Script Actors.
+- **To update**: modify the shared script via the CLI or UI, then run `deploy artifacts` to push the change to sites.
+- No instance redeployment is required — running instances pick up the new shared script code on the next `Scripts.CallShared()` invocation.
+
+### Inbound API Method Scripts
+
+- See Component-InboundAPI.md for the compilation and hot-reload lifecycle of API method scripts.
+
+> **Warning**: Editing scripts via direct SQL does not trigger recompilation. The in-memory compiled script will remain stale until the next node restart or redeployment. Always use the CLI, Management API, or Central UI to modify scripts.
+
+---
+
 ## Script Runtime API
 
 Available to all Script Execution Actors and Alarm Execution Actors:
diff --git a/src/ScadaLink.CLI/README.md b/src/ScadaLink.CLI/README.md
index 092f56a..1c42fe9 100644
--- a/src/ScadaLink.CLI/README.md
+++ b/src/ScadaLink.CLI/README.md
@@ -1260,6 +1260,8 @@ scadalink --url <url> api-method update --id <int> [--name <string>] [--code <st
 | `--code` | no | Updated script source code (or `@filepath`) |
 | `--description` | no | Updated description |
 
+Script changes take effect immediately — the updated code is recompiled in-memory on the active central node. No restart is required.
+
 #### `api-method delete`
 
 Delete an inbound API method.