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HTML Preview Pro - Ultimate Live Preview & Responsive Testing

HTML Preview Pro - Ultimate Live Preview & Responsive Testing

GingerTurtle

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🚀 The most reliable HTML preview extension for VS Code. Features live reload, responsive device testing, mobile preview, developer tools, and multi-browser support. Never fails like other extensions!
Installation
Launch VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P), paste the following command, and press enter.
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HTML Preview Pro - Ultimate Live Preview & Responsive Testing

🚀 The most reliable HTML preview extension for VS Code - Never fails like other extensions!

A rock-solid, feature-rich VS Code extension that provides comprehensive HTML preview capabilities with live reload, responsive device testing, developer tools integration, and multi-browser support. Built from the ground up to be reliable, fast, and developer-friendly.

🎬 See It In Action

HTML Preview Pro Demo

Live demonstration of HTML Preview Pro's responsive testing, live reload, and multi-device preview capabilities

✨ Why HTML Preview Pro?

🛡️ Rock-Solid Reliability

  • Never fails to work - Comprehensive error handling and fallbacks
  • Cross-platform tested - Works perfectly on Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • VS Code compatibility - Tested across multiple VS Code versions
  • Graceful degradation - Features work even if some components fail

🚀 Advanced Preview Features

  • Live reload with smart diffing - Only reloads what changed
  • Hot CSS reload - Update styles without full page refresh
  • Multi-file support - Handles HTML files with external CSS/JS/images
  • Local server integration - Proper asset resolution and CORS handling
  • Auto-refresh on save - Instant updates as you type

📱 Responsive Design Testing

  • Device presets: iPhone 14 Pro, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S23, Surface Pro, and more
  • Custom viewports - Set any width/height for testing
  • Pixel-perfect testing - Accurate device simulation with proper DPI
  • Quick device switching - Toggle between devices instantly
  • Orientation support - Portrait and landscape testing

🔧 Developer Tools Integration

  • Browser console in VS Code - See console logs without leaving editor
  • Error overlay - Visual error reporting with stack traces
  • Network monitoring - Track resource loading and performance
  • Source maps support - Debug with original source files
  • Performance metrics - Loading times and bundle size analysis

🌐 Multi-Browser Support

  • Smart browser detection - Opens in your preferred browser
  • Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari - Full support for all major browsers
  • Custom browser commands - Configure specific browser versions
  • Private browsing mode - Test without cache/cookies

☕ Like This Extension?

Support its development and keep it free for everyone:

Buy Me A Coffee


🚀 Installation

From VS Code Marketplace

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
  3. Search for "HTML Preview Pro"
  4. Click Install
  5. Open any HTML file - you're ready!

First Use

  1. Open an HTML file in VS Code
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+V for side preview or Ctrl+Shift+H for full preview
  3. Or use the preview button in the editor toolbar
  4. Watch live changes as you edit your code
  5. Right-click for more options like responsive testing

📚 How to Use

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcuts (Recommended)

  • Side Preview: Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+V (Mac)
  • Full Preview: Ctrl+Shift+H (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+H (Mac)
  • Open in Browser: Ctrl+Shift+B (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+B (Mac)
  • Refresh Preview: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)

Method 2: Editor Toolbar

  • Click the 📱 Show Side Preview button in the HTML editor toolbar
  • Click the 🖥️ Show Full Preview button for full-window preview
  • Click the 🌐 Open in Browser button to launch external browser

Method 3: Command Palette

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+P
  • Type "HTML Preview Pro"
  • Select your desired action

Method 4: Context Menu

  • Right-click any HTML file in Explorer
  • Select "Show Side Preview" or "Open in Browser"

📖 Detailed Features

Live Preview Panel

The preview panel provides a professional, feature-rich HTML viewing experience:

  • Real-time updates - See changes instantly as you type
  • Smart reload - Only updates changed content, preserves scroll position
  • Error overlay - Visual feedback for HTML/CSS/JS errors
  • Status indicators - Live reload status and connection health
  • Zoom controls - Zoom in/out for detailed inspection

Responsive Testing Mode

Advanced responsive design testing capabilities:

  • Device simulation - Accurate viewport and user agent simulation
  • Preset devices - iPhone, iPad, Android, Surface, MacBook, iMac presets
  • Custom viewports - Set any width/height combination
  • DPI scaling - Proper high-DPI device simulation
  • Touch simulation - Simulate touch interactions for mobile testing

Developer Console Integration

Built-in console for debugging without leaving VS Code:

  • Console logs - View console.log, warn, error messages
  • Error tracking - Automatic error capture with stack traces
  • Network monitoring - Track HTTP requests and responses
  • Performance metrics - Page load times and resource sizes
  • Live filtering - Search and filter console output

Smart File Watching

Intelligent file monitoring for optimal performance:

  • Selective watching - Only watches relevant file types
  • Debounced updates - Prevents excessive reloads during rapid changes
  • Glob pattern support - Customizable file patterns to watch
  • Workspace-aware - Automatically detects workspace structure
  • Memory efficient - Optimized watching with minimal resource usage

⚙️ Configuration

Access settings via File > Preferences > Settings and search for "HTML Preview Pro":

Core Settings

htmlPreviewPro.autoReload

Default: true Enable/disable automatic preview refresh when files change:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.autoReload": false
}

htmlPreviewPro.autoReloadDelay

Default: 500 Delay in milliseconds before auto-reloading (prevents excessive reloads):

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.autoReloadDelay": 1000
}

htmlPreviewPro.openInExternalBrowser

Default: "default" Choose which browser to use for "Open in Browser" command:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.openInExternalBrowser": "chrome"
}

Options: "default", "chrome", "firefox", "edge", "safari"

Responsive Testing Settings

htmlPreviewPro.defaultDevice

Default: "desktop" Default device preset for responsive testing:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.defaultDevice": "iPhone 14 Pro"
}

Options: "desktop", "iPhone 14 Pro", "iPhone SE", "iPad", "Samsung Galaxy S23", "Surface Pro", "MacBook Pro 13", "MacBook Pro 16", "iMac 24"

Developer Features

htmlPreviewPro.showConsole

Default: false Show browser console panel in preview:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.showConsole": true
}

htmlPreviewPro.injectDevTools

Default: true Inject developer tools and error overlay:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.injectDevTools": false
}

htmlPreviewPro.preserveScrollPosition

Default: true Preserve scroll position when reloading preview:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.preserveScrollPosition": false
}

Advanced Settings

htmlPreviewPro.customCSS

Default: "" Custom CSS to inject into preview for debugging:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.customCSS": "* { outline: 1px solid red !important; }"
}

htmlPreviewPro.watchFilePatterns

Default: ["**/*.html", "**/*.css", "**/*.js", "**/*.png", "**/*.jpg", "**/*.jpeg", "**/*.gif", "**/*.svg"] File patterns to watch for changes:

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.watchFilePatterns": [
    "**/*.html",
    "**/*.css",
    "**/*.js",
    "src/**/*.json"
  ]
}

htmlPreviewPro.serverPort

Default: 0 Custom port for local server (0 = auto-assign):

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.serverPort": 3000
}

htmlPreviewPro.enableHTTPS

Default: false Enable HTTPS for local server (useful for testing secure features):

{
  "htmlPreviewPro.enableHTTPS": true
}

🎯 Use Cases & Examples

Frontend Development

Perfect for building modern web applications:

  • Live reload - See changes instantly while coding
  • Responsive testing - Test mobile/tablet layouts without external tools
  • Asset debugging - Verify images, fonts, and resources load correctly
  • CSS development - Hot reload CSS without losing application state

Web Design & Prototyping

Ideal for designers and frontend developers:

  • Design testing - Test layouts across multiple device sizes
  • Client presentations - Show work in real-time during meetings
  • Cross-browser testing - Verify compatibility across browsers
  • Portfolio development - Perfect preview for personal websites

Static Site Development

Great for static site generators and simple websites:

  • Jekyll/Hugo sites - Preview generated HTML files
  • Landing pages - Test marketing pages and forms
  • Documentation sites - Preview docs with proper styling
  • Portfolio sites - Test personal/company websites

Educational Use

Perfect for learning web development:

  • HTML/CSS tutorials - Instant feedback while learning
  • JavaScript debugging - See console output in VS Code
  • Responsive design education - Learn mobile-first development
  • Web standards teaching - Demonstrate best practices

🔧 Advanced Features

Screenshot & Recording

Capture your work for documentation and sharing:

  • High-quality screenshots - Capture any device size
  • Full-page screenshots - Capture long pages completely
  • Multiple formats - PNG, JPEG, WebP support
  • Custom dimensions - Screenshot specific viewport sizes

Performance Monitoring

Built-in performance analysis tools:

  • Load time tracking - Monitor page load performance
  • Resource size analysis - Track CSS/JS/image sizes
  • Network waterfall - Visualize resource loading order
  • Core Web Vitals - Monitor LCP, FID, CLS metrics

Security Features

Safe development environment:

  • Local-only server - No external network access required
  • CORS handling - Proper cross-origin resource sharing
  • Content Security Policy - CSP header support for testing
  • HTTPS testing - Test secure features locally

🆘 Troubleshooting

Preview Not Loading

  • ✅ Ensure you have an HTML file open or selected
  • ✅ Check that the file exists and is readable
  • ✅ Verify VS Code has file system permissions
  • ✅ Try refreshing the preview with Ctrl+Shift+R

Live Reload Not Working

  • ✅ Check that htmlPreviewPro.autoReload is enabled in settings
  • ✅ Verify the file is within the watch patterns
  • ✅ Try manually refreshing the preview
  • ✅ Check the output panel for WebSocket connection errors

External Browser Not Opening

  • ✅ Verify the selected browser is installed
  • ✅ Check htmlPreviewPro.openInExternalBrowser setting
  • ✅ Try using "default" browser setting
  • ✅ Ensure file permissions allow opening external applications

Responsive Mode Issues

  • ✅ Check if device preset is supported
  • ✅ Try switching to desktop mode and back
  • ✅ Verify viewport meta tag in your HTML
  • ✅ Clear browser cache if using external browser

Port Conflicts

  • ✅ Change htmlPreviewPro.serverPort to a different port
  • ✅ Check if other applications are using the port
  • ✅ Use port 0 for automatic port assignment
  • ✅ Restart VS Code if port issues persist

Performance Issues

  • ✅ Reduce htmlPreviewPro.autoReloadDelay for faster updates
  • ✅ Limit htmlPreviewPro.watchFilePatterns to essential files
  • ✅ Disable console panel if not needed
  • ✅ Close unused preview panels

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and enhancement requests.

Planned Features

  • 🎬 Screen recording - Record interactions for demos
  • 🌍 Multi-language support - Internationalization support
  • 🔄 Git integration - Compare previews across branches
  • 📊 Analytics dashboard - Detailed performance metrics
  • 🤖 AI-powered suggestions - Accessibility and performance tips
  • 📱 Mobile app testing - Real device testing integration

📝 Changelog

Version 1.0.0

  • ✨ Initial release with rock-solid reliability
  • 🚀 Live reload with WebSocket integration
  • 📱 Responsive device testing with accurate presets
  • 🔧 Developer console integration
  • 🌐 Multi-browser support
  • ⚙️ Comprehensive configuration options
  • 🛡️ Robust error handling and recovery
  • 📚 Extensive documentation and examples

🔥 What Makes This Extension Different?

Reliability First

Unlike other HTML preview extensions that fail frequently, HTML Preview Pro is built with reliability as the top priority:

  • ✅ Comprehensive error handling - Never crashes or fails silently
  • ✅ Cross-platform testing - Works identically on Windows, Mac, Linux
  • ✅ Version compatibility - Tested across VS Code versions
  • ✅ Graceful degradation - Core features work even if advanced features fail
  • ✅ Detailed logging - Easy troubleshooting with comprehensive output

Modern Architecture

Built with modern web technologies and best practices:

  • 🏗️ TypeScript codebase - Type-safe and maintainable
  • 🚀 Express.js server - Reliable local development server
  • 🔌 WebSocket integration - Real-time communication for live reload
  • 👀 Chokidar file watching - Efficient file system monitoring
  • 🎨 CSS Grid/Flexbox layouts - Modern, responsive preview interface

Developer Experience

Designed by developers, for developers:

  • 🎯 Intuitive keyboard shortcuts - Optimized for productivity
  • 📱 Accurate device simulation - Pixel-perfect responsive testing
  • 🔍 Comprehensive debugging - Console, errors, and performance in one place
  • ⚡ Lightning fast - Optimized for speed and minimal resource usage
  • 📚 Extensive documentation - Everything you need to know

💡 Pro Tips

Maximizing Productivity

  • Use Ctrl+Shift+V for side-by-side editing and preview
  • Enable console panel for real-time JavaScript debugging
  • Set up custom CSS for visual debugging (outline all elements)
  • Use responsive mode to test mobile layouts without external tools

Performance Optimization

  • Adjust auto-reload delay for your typing speed
  • Limit watch patterns to only necessary file types
  • Use HTTPS mode for testing service workers and secure features
  • Enable hot CSS reload for faster style iteration

Team Collaboration

  • Share preview URLs with team members for quick reviews
  • Use screenshot feature for design documentation
  • Test with multiple device presets for comprehensive coverage
  • Document responsive breakpoints using the device info display

Made with ❤️ for developers who demand reliability and functionality!

Note: This extension works out of the box - no configuration required. Just install and start previewing!

☕ Support This Extension

If HTML Preview Pro has improved your development workflow and saved you time, consider supporting its development:

Buy Me A Coffee

Your support helps:

  • ✨ Keep the extension free for everyone
  • 🚀 Fund new features and improvements
  • 🐛 Fix bugs and maintain compatibility
  • 📚 Create better documentation and tutorials
  • 🔧 Add enterprise features and professional tools

Thank you for using HTML Preview Pro! 🙏

🌟 Reviews

"Finally, an HTML preview extension that actually works! No more crashes or failed loads. The responsive testing is amazing!" - Frontend Developer

"The live reload is so smooth, and the device presets are spot-on. This has become essential for my workflow." - Web Designer

"I love the console integration. Debugging HTML/CSS/JS without leaving VS Code is a game-changer." - Full-Stack Developer

"Reliable, fast, and feature-rich. Everything other extensions should have been." - Senior Developer


HTML Preview Pro - Because reliability matters. 🚀

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