Summary

jfernandez/mdserve provides a zero-configuration, single-binary Markdown preview server designed specifically for AI coding agents. It addresses the challenge of presenting AI-generated Markdown content, such as tables, diagrams, and code blocks, in a human-readable, live-rendered format within a browser, rather than as raw text in a terminal. This enhances the developer experience by offering instant visual feedback during AI-assisted coding sessions.

How It Works

The project utilizes a minimalist, single-binary approach with no runtime dependencies, simplifying deployment. It leverages WebSockets to achieve instant live reloading, reflecting file changes in the browser immediately. The server supports GitHub Flavored Markdown (GFM), including tables and task lists, and integrates Mermaid for diagram rendering. A directory mode offers sidebar navigation for multiple files and watches for new Markdown files, focusing on content typically produced by AI agents.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Installation: macOS users can install via brew install mdserve. Linux users can use curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jfernandez/mdserve/main/install.sh | bash. Alternative methods include cargo install mdserve, sudo pacman -S mdserve (Arch Linux), nix profile install github:jfernandez/mdserve, or manual binary download from releases. Building from source requires Rust 1.85+.
• Prerequisites: No runtime dependencies for pre-compiled binaries. Rust 1.85+ is needed for building from source.
• Links: Installation script: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jfernandez/mdserve/main/install.sh. Source code: https://github.com/jfernandez/mdserve.git.
• Claude Code Plugin: An optional plugin is available for Claude Code to automatically launch mdserve during coding sessions.

Highlighted Details

• Zero-configuration, single-binary deployment.
• Instant live reload via WebSockets.
• Full GFM support, Mermaid diagrams, and directory mode with sidebar.
• Designed for ephemeral sessions, not long-running services.
• Integrated Claude Code plugin for automated preview triggering.
• Includes five built-in themes with persistent selection.

Maintenance & Community

The project uses conventional commits for contributions, prioritizing enhancements to the agent-companion workflow, rendering robustness, and the zero-config experience. Features extending mdserve into a full documentation platform or configurable server are considered out of scope. No specific community links (e.g., Discord, Slack) or roadmap details are provided in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

This project is licensed under the MIT License. This permissive license generally allows for commercial use and integration into closed-source projects without significant restrictions.

Limitations & Caveats

mdserve is explicitly not a documentation site generator (alternatives like mdBook, Docusaurus, MkDocs are recommended) nor is it intended for production deployment. It is not a general-purpose markdown authoring tool. The directory mode is non-recursive, only monitoring the immediate directory.