Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Live.js VS LiveReload

Compare Live.js VS LiveReload and see what are their differences

Live.js logo Live.js

Live. js. one script closer to designing in the browser. Say goodbye to Alt-Tab. Live.

LiveReload logo LiveReload

LiveReload 2 proudly presents… The Web Developer Wonderland. (a happy land where browsers don't need a Refresh button). CSS edits and image changes apply live. CoffeeScript, SASS, LESS and others just work.
  • Live.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • LiveReload Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-24

Live.js features and specs

  • Automatic Reload
    Live.js automatically reloads web pages whenever HTML, CSS, or JavaScript files are modified, which enhances developer productivity by immediately reflecting changes without manual refreshing.
  • Easy Setup
    The setup process for Live.js is straightforward, requiring minimal configuration. Developers only need to include a single script tag to start using it.
  • No Build Tools Required
    Live.js does not require any build tools or server environment, making it a lightweight option for quickly setting up live reload functionality without the complexity of integrating with other toolchains.
  • Real-time Preview
    Provides real-time preview of changes, which is beneficial for rapid prototyping and design iterations, improving the workflow for front-end developers.

Possible disadvantages of Live.js

  • Limited Feature Set
    Live.js offers basic functionality focused mainly on live reloading. It may not cover more advanced use cases or features that comprehensive development tools provide.
  • Inefficient for Large Projects
    For larger projects with many files, Live.js can become inefficient as it reloads the entire page, which might interrupt development flow and increase wait times.
  • Not Suitable for Production
    Live.js is meant for development environments and should not be used in production as it can expose internal file structures and is not optimized for performance.
  • No Customization
    Offers little to no options for customization or configuration, which might be a drawback for developers who need more control over the development environment behavior.

LiveReload features and specs

  • Real-time Reloading
    LiveReload automatically refreshes your web page whenever you make changes to your files, enhancing the development workflow by providing immediate feedback.
  • CSS and Image Updates
    It allows for CSS and image changes to be applied live without requiring a full page reload, which speeds up the process of tweaking styles and visual elements.
  • Wide Language Support
    LiveReload supports a variety of languages and preprocessors such as LESS, Sass, CoffeeScript, and others, making it versatile for different projects.
  • Cross-platform Compatibility
    It's available on multiple platforms including macOS, Windows, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

Possible disadvantages of LiveReload

  • Configuration Requirements
    Setting up LiveReload might require manual configuration and integration into your build process, which can be time-consuming for new users.
  • Browser Extension Dependency
    Using LiveReload often requires a browser extension for automatic reloading, which may not be supported or available for all browsers.
  • Resource Intensive
    LiveReload can consume more system resources than manual reloading, especially on large projects, potentially slowing down the development environment.
  • Limited IDE Integration
    Some IDEs may not fully support LiveReload, requiring developers to use separate tools or plugins to integrate its capabilities.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Live.js and LiveReload)
Image Optimisation
42 42%
58% 58
Developer Tools
33 33%
67% 67
Design Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Web Development Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Live.js seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 3 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Live.js mentions (3)

  • Can I skip the system checks?
    There's a crusty old script out there called Live.js. IIRC it sends a request to the server every second or so and if it detects a different content-length header it reloads the page. It's like a poor man's version of hot reloading. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Are there any lesser-known tools you use a lot in your work?
    Live.js - automatically refreshes the page when we edit the sources. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Is there a way to see your webpage while your edit it?
    Livejs (not tested it myself) looks like what your are looking for. Source: about 3 years ago

LiveReload mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of LiveReload yet. Tracking of LiveReload recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Live.js and LiveReload, you can also consider the following products

CodeKit - CodeKit allows you to optimize the performance of your website by automatically and efficiently compiling a variety of popular languages.

Browsersync - Browsersync makes your tweaking and testing faster by synchronising file changes and interactions...

Prepros - Compile Less, Sass, Scss, Stylus, Jade, Coffeescript, Haml and Markdown with live browser refresh.

Ghostlab - Ghostlab allows you to test out a newly developed website on a variety of browsers and mobile devices at the same time. To get started, simply drag the web address to the Ghostlab system and press the play button. Read more about Ghostlab.

Browserlink.vim - Live browser editing for Vim. Contribute to jaxbot/browserlink.vim development by creating an account on GitHub.

Scout-App - Process Sass files into CSS without any knowledge of the command line.