Contact arcing is a loss mechanism involving resistance and radiation and is usually undesirable. The loss mechanism in charging or discharging a capacitor comes from trying to instantaneously change the voltage across a capacitor. The inductor solution places an inductor in the circuit between the capacitor and switched source so that the instantaneous voltage appears across the inductor, not the capacitor. The familiar buck-converter is an example. Switch Matrix .
Resonant converters are another example of zero voltage switching.
In this class of converters, a resonant circuit is used to provide a waveform that can be switched when the voltage is zero across a capacitor. Rudy Severns has done an excellent job of categorizing this class of converter topologies. A 1988 collection of papers on resonant circuits edited by Kit Sum makes a good starting point for resonant converters. Especially recommended is the second paper, an invited paper by Steve Freeland, An Introduction to the Principles and Features of Resonant Power Conversion . Recent Developments in Resonant Power Conversion Switch Matrix .