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    VSCode Extension

    The ciderpress VS Code extension runs your dev server and shows a live preview inside the editor — no need to keep a terminal or browser tab open while you write.

    Installation

    Search for ciderpress in the VS Code extensions marketplace, or install from the command line:

    code --install-extension bytefarm.ciderpress

    The extension activates automatically when your workspace contains a ciderpress.config.{ts,mts,mjs,js,json} file.

    Workflow

    1. Open the ciderpress view in the activity bar (the cider icon on the left rail).
    2. The dev server auto-starts the first time the view becomes visible (controlled by ciderpress.server.autoStart, default true).
    3. The Pages tree shows every page in your config. Click an entry to open the preview panel beside your editor.
    4. Open any markdown file tracked by ciderpress and the preview follows your cursor — switching files navigates the preview to the matching page.

    The extension manages its own dev server. You don't need to run ciderpress dev in a separate terminal.

    Commands

    All nine commands are registered under the ciderpress: prefix and available from the command palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P).

    CommandTitleDescription
    ciderpress.startciderpress: Start ServerStart the embedded dev server
    ciderpress.stopciderpress: Stop ServerStop the running dev server
    ciderpress.toggleciderpress: Toggle ServerStart or stop based on current state
    ciderpress.restartciderpress: Restart ServerRestart the dev server (e.g. after config changes)
    ciderpress.previewciderpress: Preview PageOpen the preview panel for the current markdown file
    ciderpress.openPageciderpress: Open PageOpen a specific page in the preview panel
    ciderpress.openInBrowserciderpress: Open in BrowserOpen the running site in the default external browser
    ciderpress.collapseAllCollapse AllCollapse every section in the Pages tree (view title bar)
    ciderpress.editSourceEdit SourceJump from a tree node to the underlying markdown file

    Settings

    Configure via VS Code settings (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,) under the ciderpress namespace.

    SettingTypeDefaultDescription
    ciderpress.server.autoStartbooleantrueAutomatically start the dev server when the ciderpress sidebar is opened
    ciderpress.server.autoOpenbooleantrueAutomatically open the docs site in the browser when the dev server starts
    ciderpress.server.portnumber6174Port for the dev server
    ciderpress.theme'base' | 'midnight' | 'arcade'nullOverride the theme used for the preview, without modifying ciderpress.config
    ciderpress.theme.mode'dark' | 'light' | 'toggle'nullOverride the color mode used for the preview, without modifying ciderpress.config

    Requirements

    • A ciderpress project with a ciderpress.config.{ts,mts,mjs,js,json} file at the workspace root.
    • VS Code ^1.115.0.

    References