What is react-live?

formidablelabs/react-live — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-26

★ 4,609TypeScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((react-live))
    What it does
      Live code editor in browser
      Real-time component preview
      Modular building blocks
      Documentation embeds
    Tech stack
      React
      TypeScript
      JavaScript
      npm
    Use cases
      Docs site code examples
      Component playgrounds
      Interactive tutorials
      UI library showcases
    Audience
      React developers
      Docs site builders
      Technical writers

mindmap root((react-live)) What it does Live code editor in browser Real-time component preview Modular building blocks Documentation embeds Tech stack React TypeScript JavaScript npm Use cases Docs site code examples Component playgrounds Interactive tutorials UI library showcases Audience React developers Docs site builders Technical writers

Click or tap to explore — scroll the page freely

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Embed interactive, editable code examples in a documentation site so readers can experiment with React components in place.

USE CASE 2

Build a component playground page where users can modify props and see the rendered result update instantly.

USE CASE 3

Add live code sandboxes to a blog post or tutorial without linking out to an external tool.

USE CASE 4

Create a custom-styled interactive code block with a real-time preview as part of a UI component library.

What is it built with?

ReactTypeScriptJavaScript

How does it compare?

	formidablelabs/react-live	vuejs/router	jlcodes99/vscode-antigravity-cockpit
Stars	4,609	4,608	4,606
Language	TypeScript	TypeScript	TypeScript
Setup difficulty	easy	easy	easy
Complexity	2/5	2/5	2/5
Audience	developer	developer	developer

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

Requires React in your project, install via npm and wrap your code with LiveProvider plus the editor and preview components.

So what is it?

React Live is a library for embedding a live code editor directly inside a web page or documentation site. It is built for React, a popular JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. The idea is straightforward: you show a code snippet, the reader can edit it in place, and the result renders in real time right next to the editor. This is most commonly used in documentation sites where you want readers to experiment with component examples without setting up a separate project. The library provides modular building blocks that you can arrange and style however your project needs, rather than forcing a fixed look and layout. The README is brief and links out to a separate documentation site for full usage details. It confirms the library is under active maintenance, meaning bugs are being fixed and contributions are accepted. The project is available as an npm package (the standard distribution format for JavaScript libraries) and supports several module formats for compatibility with different build setups. The source code is written in TypeScript, which adds type checking on top of JavaScript and helps catch errors during development. The project is maintained by Formidable, a web development company.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I'm building a React docs site and want to add live editable code examples using React Live. Show me the minimal setup with LiveProvider, LiveEditor, and LivePreview.

Prompt 2

Using React Live, how do I give the editor access to my own custom components so readers can reference them in the sandbox without importing them manually?

Prompt 3

Show me how to build a custom-styled interactive code block using React Live's modular components where the editor and preview sit side by side.

Prompt 4

I'm using Next.js and want to embed a React Live editor in a blog post. Show me how to import and render an editable component example with error display.

Frequently asked questions