How to view my HTML code in browser with Visual St

Question

How to view my HTML code in a browser with the new Microsoft Visual Studio Code?

With Notepad++ you have the option to Run in a browser. How can I do the same thing with Visual Studio Code?

Answer 1

In linux, you can use the xdg-open command to open the file with the default browser:

{
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "linux": {
        "command": "xdg-open"
    },
    "isShellCommand": true,
    "showOutput": "never",
    "args": ["${file}"]
}

Answer 2

If you would like to have live reload you can use gulp-webserver, which will watch for your file changes and reload page, this way you don't have to press F5 every time on your page:

Here is how to do it:

• Open command prompt (cmd) and type

  npm install --save-dev gulp-webserver

• Enter Ctrl+Shift+P in VS Code and type Configure Task Runner. Select it and press enter. It will open tasks.json file for you. Remove everything from it end enter just following code

tasks.json

{
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "command": "gulp",
    "isShellCommand": true,
    "args": [
        "--no-color"
    ],
    "tasks": [
        {
            "taskName": "webserver",
            "isBuildCommand": true,
            "showOutput": "always"
        }
    ]
}

• In the root directory of your project add gulpfile.js and enter following code:

gulpfile.js

var gulp = require('gulp'),
    webserver = require('gulp-webserver');

gulp.task('webserver', function () {
    gulp.src('app')
        .pipe(webserver({
            livereload: true,
            open: true
        }));
});

• Now in VS Code enter Ctrl+Shift+P and type "Run Task" when you enter it you will see your task "webserver" selected and press enter.

Your webserver now will open your page in your default browser. Now any changes that you will do to your HTML or CSS pages will be automatically reloaded.

Here is an information on how to configure 'gulp-webserver' for instance port, and what page to load, ...

You can also run your task just by entering Ctrl+P and type task webserver

Answer 3

@InvisibleDev - to get this working on a mac trying using this:

{
    "version": "0.1.0",
    "command": "Chrome",
    "osx": {
        "command": "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome"
    },
    "args": [
        "${file}"
    ]
}

If you have chrome already open, it will launch your html file in a new tab.

Answer 4

Here is a 2.0.0 version for the current document in Chrome w/ keyboard shortcut:

tasks.json

{
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Chrome",
            "type": "process",
            "command": "chrome.exe",
            "windows": {
                "command": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe"
            },
            "args": [
                "${file}"
            ],
            "problemMatcher": []
        }
    ]
}

keybindings.json :

{
    "key": "ctrl+g",
    "command": "workbench.action.tasks.runTask",
    "args": "Chrome"
}

For running on a webserver:

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ritwickdey.LiveServer

Answer 5

For Windows - Open your Default Browser - Tested on VS Code v 1.1.0

Answer to both opening a specific file (name is hard-coded) OR opening ANY other file.

Steps:

1. Use ctrl + shift + p (or F1) to open the Command Palette.

2. Type in Tasks: Configure Task or on older versions Configure Task Runner. Selecting it will open the tasks.json file. Delete the script displayed and replace it by the following:

   {
       "version": "0.1.0",
       "command": "explorer",    
       "windows": {
           "command": "explorer.exe"
       },
       "args": ["test.html"]
   }
   

   Remember to change the "args" section of the tasks.json file to the name of your file. This will always open that specific file when you hit F5.

   You may also set the this to open whichever file you have open at the time by using ["${file}"] as the value for "args". Note that the $ goes outside the {...}, so ["{$file}"] is incorrect.

3. Save the file.

4. Switch back to your html file (in this example it's "text.html"), and press ctrl + shift + b to view your page in your Web Browser.

Answer 6

Openning files in Opera browser (on Windows 64 bits). Just add this lines:

{
"version": "0.1.0",
"command": "opera",
"windows": {
    "command": "///Program Files (x86)/Opera/launcher.exe"
},
"args": ["${file}"] }

Pay attention to the path format on "command": line. Don't use the "C:\path_to_exe\runme.exe" format.

To run this task, open the html file you want to view, press F1, type task opera and press enter