Free Live Code Editor — Write HTML, CSS & JavaScript with Instant Preview

What Is the Live Code Editor?

The Live Code Editor is a free, browser-based code playground that lets you write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript side by side with an instant live preview. Unlike locally installed editors, it requires zero setup—open the page and start coding immediately.

Powered by CodeMirror for syntax highlighting and intelligent editing, the editor features an integrated console for debugging, responsive device preview modes, and multiple export options including direct HTML download, ZIP archive, CodePen integration, and shareable URLs. Everything runs entirely client-side—your code never leaves the browser.

Key Features

Live Preview

See your code rendered in real-time as you type, with auto-refresh after brief pauses.

Syntax Highlighting

CodeMirror-powered color coding for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with bracket matching and auto-close.

Integrated Console

Capture console.log, errors, and warnings directly inside the editor—no browser DevTools needed.

Responsive Device Preview

Toggle between desktop, tablet, and mobile viewports to verify your layout adapts correctly.

Auto-Save

Code persists in localStorage across browser sessions. Your work is saved automatically.

Multiple Export Options

Download as a single HTML file, export as a ZIP with separate files, open in CodePen, or share via URL.

Dark Mode

Syncs with your system preference or site toggle. The editor theme switches automatically.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+Enter to run, Ctrl+S to save, Escape to exit fullscreen. Code efficiently without a mouse.

Who Is This Tool For?

Learners & Students

Experiment with HTML, CSS, and JS concepts without setting up a local environment. See results instantly.

Frontend Developers

Quickly prototype UI components, test layout ideas, or debug CSS snippets before committing to your project.

Technical Writers

Create live code examples for tutorials, blog posts, or documentation. Export clean HTML files to embed anywhere.

Common Use Cases

Rapid UI Prototyping

Build and iterate on card layouts, navbars, forms, or hero sections in seconds.

CSS Debugging

Isolate and fix tricky flexbox, grid, or animation issues without touching your main codebase.

Code Snippet Sharing

Generate a shareable URL to send working code examples to teammates or Stack Overflow answers.

Responsive Testing

Toggle between desktop, tablet, and mobile views to verify your layout adapts correctly.

How It Works

  1. Write Your Code

    Select the HTML, CSS, or JS tab and start typing. Syntax highlighting and auto-close brackets help you code faster.

  2. Preview Instantly

    The right panel renders your code live. Changes auto-refresh after a short pause, or press Ctrl+Enter to run immediately.

  3. Debug with Console

    Open the built-in console to see log output, errors, and warnings from your JavaScript code without switching to DevTools.

  4. Export or Share

    Download as HTML, export as ZIP with separate files, open in CodePen, or copy a shareable URL containing your code.

Quick Tips

Ctrl+Enter

Run your code and refresh the preview without reaching for the mouse.

Ctrl+S

Manually save your work to localStorage. Auto-save also triggers 600ms after each edit.

Drag

Drag the divider between the editor and preview to resize panels to your preferred ratio.

Privacy & Data

Your code never leaves your browser. The Live Code Editor runs entirely client-side. All editing, previewing, and saving happens locally using your browser's localStorage. No code is transmitted to any server, and no account or signup is required.

When you use the Share URL feature, your code is encoded into the URL itself and is never stored on our servers. If you clear your browser data, your saved code will be removed. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is my code stored on any server?

No. All code stays in your browser's localStorage. Nothing is sent to any server. Your work is completely private and remains only on your device.

Can I use this editor offline?

Once loaded, the editor works offline. Your code is auto-saved locally and persists across sessions. You only need an internet connection for the initial page load.

How do I export my code as separate files?

Click the download icon and select "Export as ZIP". You'll get a ZIP archive with separate index.html, style.css, and script.js files.

What keyboard shortcuts are available?

Ctrl+Enter (or Cmd+Enter on Mac) runs your code and refreshes the preview. Ctrl+S manually saves your work. Escape exits fullscreen preview mode.

Does the editor support preprocessors like Sass or TypeScript?

The editor runs plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript directly in the browser. It does not compile Sass, Less, TypeScript, or other preprocessors. For those, use a dedicated build tool or full IDE.

How do I share my code with someone else?

Click the more options menu (three dots) and select "Share URL". A URL containing your encoded code is copied to your clipboard. Anyone who opens that link will see your exact code in the editor.

Is there a file size or code length limit?

There is no hard limit on how much code you can write. However, shareable URLs may fail if the encoded code exceeds roughly 8,000 characters. localStorage has a typical limit of 5 MB per origin, which is generous for code snippets.