LiveCodes

Self-Hosted

Open-source, web-based IDE for real-time coding & collaboration

Overview

LiveCodes is an open-source, web-based IDE supporting over 80 programming languages, frameworks, and tools (HTML/CSS/JS, React, Vue, Python, etc.). It offers real-time previews, collaborative editing, offline mode, customizable themes, and code sharing/export. Deployable via Docker or static hosting (Netlify/Vercel), it’s ideal for developers, educators, and teams seeking a privacy-focused alternative to proprietary cloud IDEs.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  livecodes:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: livecodes
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Multi-language support (80+ languages/frameworks)
Real-time collaborative editing & previews
Self-hostable via Docker or static hosting

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is LiveCodes hard to install?

LiveCodes is easy to self-host using Docker (single command) or deploy as a static site on Netlify/Vercel. Basic familiarity with Docker or static hosting helps, but no complex setup is needed.

? Is it a good alternative to CodePen?

Yes—LiveCodes offers similar real-time preview/sharing features plus self-hosting for privacy, offline support, and no subscription limits, making it a strong open-source alternative.

? Is it completely free?

LiveCodes is 100% open source (MIT license) and free to use online or self-hosted. There are no hidden fees or premium tiers.

Top Alternatives

CodePen Search Google

Replit Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Software Development - IDE & Tools

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (self-hostable)
⊕ No subscription fees (100% open source)

Cons

⊖ Requires basic server knowledge for self-hosting
⊖ Limited advanced features compared to desktop IDEs like VS Code