@compodoc/live-server

This is a straightforward fork of live-server tailored for Compodoc's needs. It does what it says - serves static files and reloads browsers on changes. Setup is minimal, and for simple documentation sites or static HTML projects, it just works out of the box. The watch mechanism is reliable enough for local development iteration.

However, from an operations perspective, it's quite bare-bones. There's no built-in connection pooling configuration, limited logging hooks for observability, and timeout controls are essentially non-existent. Error handling is basic - server crashes tend to be abrupt rather than graceful. The configuration API is simple but inflexible when you need fine-grained control over resource management or want to instrument behavior under load.

The package hasn't seen updates since early 2022, which raises concerns about dependency freshness and security patches. For a quick local dev server during documentation work, it's adequate. But if you need predictable behavior under concurrent connections, structured logging for debugging, or any serious resource management, you'll quickly hit its limitations and wish you'd chosen a more actively maintained alternative like browser-sync or vite's dev server.

This is essentially a fork of the original live-server package with minor modifications for Compodoc's needs. In practice, it does exactly what it promises - serves static files with live reload. The CLI is straightforward if you've used similar tools: point it at a directory and it works. You can configure ports, ignore patterns, and proxy settings without much fuss.

The main issue is documentation. There's virtually no dedicated documentation for this fork specifically. You'll find yourself referencing the original live-server docs and hoping the APIs match (they mostly do). Error messages are minimal - if something goes wrong with file watching or ports, you get basic Node errors without much context. Debugging usually means checking if your files are in the right place or ports are available.

For simple static file serving during development, it gets the job done. The live reload is reliable once running. However, given that it hasn't been updated since 2022 and offers little advantage over alternatives like Vite's preview server or even the original live-server, it feels like a niche tool primarily meant for Compodoc's ecosystem rather than general use.

This is a straightforward fork of the original live-server package maintained by Compodoc. It does what it promises: serves static files and reloads your browser when files change. Setup is minimal - you can get running with a single command. The API is simple with sensible defaults, making it easy to understand for beginners.

However, the learning experience is hampered by sparse documentation specific to this fork. You'll find yourself referencing the original live-server docs, which mostly work but can be confusing. Error messages are generic and unhelpful when things go wrong - incorrect paths or port conflicts give you basic Node errors without guidance. The package hasn't been updated since early 2022, and you'll notice the lack of modern features like HTTP/2 support or ES modules handling.

For quick prototypes or serving pure HTML/CSS/JS, it gets the job done without fuss. But when debugging issues or needing advanced configuration, you're largely on your own. Community support is minimal since most discussions happen around the original package, not this fork.