Documentation

PreviewShip lets you deploy a frontend preview and get a shareable link in seconds. Choose the method that fits your workflow:

1. 1Register a free account at previewship.com
2. 2Create an API Key in the console (API Keys page)
3. 3Deploy via CLI, MCP agent, VS Code/Cursor extension, console zip/html/markdown upload, or pasted HTML
4. 4Share the preview link with your team — done!

Deploy from the terminal with a single command. The CLI also supports JSON output for AI agent integration.

Install

Use npx directly (no install needed) or install globally:

Set API Key

Set your API Key for authentication:

Or set via environment variable:

Deploy

Deploy a built static directory, a single HTML file, or a Markdown document to get a preview link:

JSON Output for Agents

Use --json flag for structured output, ideal for AI agents and CI pipelines:

The MCP server lets AI coding agents deploy previews as a native tool call. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible client.

Configuration

For Claude Code, add to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "previewship": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "previewship-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PREVIEWSHIP_API_KEY": "ps_live_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

For Cursor, create .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "previewship": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "previewship-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PREVIEWSHIP_API_KEY": "ps_live_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

For Windsurf, add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "previewship": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "previewship-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PREVIEWSHIP_API_KEY": "ps_live_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

• deploy_preview — Deploy a build-output directory, single .html file, or Markdown document and get a preview URL
• check_deployment — Check deployment status by ID
• show_usage — Show remaining deployment quota

PreviewShip also provides an optional Codex skill for sharing the current Codex conversation. It turns the visible chat transcript into a high-fidelity HTML page, deploys it with the PreviewShip CLI, and returns a public URL.

Install the skill

Use in Codex

After installation, reference the skill in a Codex conversation:

Cursor is fully compatible with VS Code extensions. You can install PreviewShip the same way.

Install via Command Palette

1. 1Open Cursor, press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on Mac)
2. 2Paste the command below and press Enter:

Install via VSIX

If you prefer offline installation, download the .vsix file and follow the "Manual VSIX Install" section below.

Open VS Code, press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on Mac), paste the command below and press Enter:

If the marketplace is unavailable in your environment, you can install the extension manually via a .vsix file.

Installation Steps

1. 1Download the .vsix file using the button above
2. 2Open Cursor or VS Code, go to Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. 3Click "..." in the top-right of the Extensions panel → "Install from VSIX..." → select the downloaded file

Alternatively, install via command line:

An API Key is required for all deployment methods (CLI, MCP, editor extension). Here's how to create one:

1. 1Log in to previewship.com and go to the API Keys page
2. 2Click "Create API Key", give it a name, and copy the generated key
3. 3Use the key in CLI (previewship login), MCP config (PREVIEWSHIP_API_KEY env var), or editor extension (Set API Key command)

Once the extension is installed and your API Key is set:

1. 1Open your frontend project folder in the editor
2. 2Open the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "PreviewShip: Deploy Workspace, HTML, or Markdown File" or "PreviewShip: Deploy Active HTML or Markdown File"
3. 3The extension packages the selected build output, HTML file, or Markdown file, uploads it, and returns a preview URL when ready

You can also deploy directly from the web console without any tools. The console supports uploading a build-output zip, uploading a single HTML or Markdown file, or pasting HTML source:

1. 1Log in and go to the Deploy page
2. 2Select or create a project, then upload a .zip containing static build output, upload a .html/.md/.markdown file, or paste a complete HTML document
3. 3PreviewShip deploys zip artifacts as static sites, packages single HTML input as index.html, and keeps single Markdown input unchanged and adds a safe Markdown viewer page before deployment

Projects organize your deployments. Each deployment belongs to a project.

• Projects are automatically created when you deploy with a new project name
• The number of projects you can have depends on your plan (Free: 1, Pro Monthly: 10, Pro Yearly: 20)
• Deleting a project also removes all its deployments and preview links

PreviewShip offers Free, Pro Monthly, and Pro Yearly plans. Here's a comparison: