Markdown Live Server

Preview Markdown, Mermaid diagrams, and static web files from VS Code with local live reload.

Features

• Start a local server from editor, Explorer, command palette, or status bar.
• Render Markdown files as styled HTML.
• Render Mermaid code blocks.
• Reload browser automatically when files change.
• Serve images, CSS, JavaScript, and other static files from workspace.
• Switch rendered Markdown between light and dark themes.

Usage

1. Open a workspace, folder, or file in VS Code.
2. Run Markdown Live Server: Start Markdown Live Server from command palette.
3. Or right-click a file/folder and choose Start Markdown Live Server.
4. Browser opens at a local 127.0.0.1 URL.
5. Edit Markdown or static files; browser updates automatically.
6. Use status bar item or Markdown Live Server: Stop Markdown Live Server to stop server.

Mermaid

Use fenced code blocks with mermaid language:

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  A[Write Markdown] --> B[Preview]
  B --> C[Live Reload]

## Commands

| Command | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `Markdown Live Server: Start Markdown Live Server` | Start server and open browser. |
| `Markdown Live Server: Stop Markdown Live Server` | Stop current server. |
| `Markdown Live Server: Toggle Markdown Live Server` | Start or stop server from status bar. |

## Requirements

- VS Code 1.90.0 or newer.
- Internet access for Mermaid rendering via jsDelivr CDN.

## Extension settings

No settings yet. Server uses an available local port on `127.0.0.1`.

## Privacy and security

Markdown Live Server serves files from your selected workspace or folder on `127.0.0.1` only. It does not send workspace files to external services. Mermaid diagrams load the Mermaid library from jsDelivr CDN in the preview page.

## Development

```bash
npm install
npm run compile

Press F5 in VS Code to launch an Extension Development Host.

Package for Marketplace:

npm run package

Publish after setting a VS Marketplace publisher token:

npm run publish

License

MIT