live-css server

live-css is a Node JS based development server for use with the browser extension Live editor for CSS, Less & Sass - Magic CSS.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ifhikkcafabcgolfjegfcgloomalapol

For availability of the latest version of Magic CSS extension on Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Opera, follow:

https://github.com/webextensions/live-css-editor

Installation and Usage

There are two ways to install live-css server: globally and locally.

Global installation and usage

$ npm install --global @webextensions/live-css

$ live-css

Local installation and usage (for Node JS based projects)

$ npm install --save-dev @webextensions/live-css

var express = require('express');
var app = express();
var httpServer = app.listen(3000, function () {
    console.log('Server started');
});

if (codeIsRunningInDevelopmentMode) {
    var liveCssServer = require('@webextensions/live-css');

    // Start live-css server
    liveCssServer({
        // Optional - If provided, the live-css server will reuse your current HTTP server port.
        //            Otherwise, live-css server would run on a separate port.
        httpServer: httpServer,

        // Optional - If provided, routes for '/live-css/' requests would be setup appropriately
        expressApp: app,

        // Optional - Use it along with "expressApp" if the "live-css" server runs on a different port
        runningOnSeparatePort: false,

        // Optional - Useful for providing some common configuration options.
        //            This example assumes that the path of the config file is same as that of
        //            server code file initiating live-css server
        configFilePath: require('path').resolve(__dirname, '.live-css.config.js')
    });
}

How to use

Install the Magic CSS browser extension from the link mentioned above
Open the web page you are developing
Click on the Magic CSS icon to launch the floating CSS editor
In top bar of the floating CSS editor, under the reload icon, click on the option "Watch CSS files to apply changes automatically"
A dialog would open, which would guide you how to connect this live-css server with the Magic CSS extension
Once the connection is setup, you can edit and save the CSS files in your favorite code editor and they would automatically get reloaded in the web page

Command line options

To get the full list of options:
$ live-css --help
To generate the configuration file:
$ live-css --init
To run live-css server on a custom port:
$ live-css --port <custom-port-number>
To list the files being watched:
$ live-css --list-files
To allow symlinks:
$ live-css --allow-symlinks
To specify the HTTP server's root folder:
$ live-css --root <http-server-root-folder>

Configuration file

The configuration file can be generated using $ live-css --init

Note: Configuration options are described in the configuration file

TODO

Ability to auto-connect live-css server without launching the browser extension
Ability to integrate webpage front-end and live-css server without the browser extension

Author

Priyank Parashar - GitHub | Twitter | LinkedIn

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