Phoenix Code
desktop editor where AI can see the page
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What is Phoenix Code?
Phoenix Code is a free, open-source code editor (the successor to Brackets) focused on web development, providing a live visual workflow for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Markdown that blends a traditional text editor with a visual design canvas. It offers a Community Edition that is free forever and a Phoenix Pro tier that adds AI capabilities and premium assets; the editor runs as native apps across Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS and also as a web editor in the browser. Key features include a live responsive preview (phone, tablet, desktop), a Design Mode that lets you edit the rendered page directly, a Markdown editor with visual document-style editing, an integrated terminal, fast project-wide search, simplified Git integration, and support for extensions and themes. Phoenix Pro extends the editor with visual-context AI (powered by Claude Code) that can see the rendered page as well as source files, a curated stock image library, and additional productivity tools; Pro is offered as a 15-day free trial with no credit card required. The product is aimed at web developers, front-end designers, students, educators (ChromeOS option for schools), and anyone who wants a visual-first, live-preview web development environment that still supports advanced developer workflows like Git and terminals.
Phoenix Code pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Community Edition: free, open-source, and available forever with core features like live preview, Design Mode, Markdown editor, terminal, Git integration, extensions, and native installers; Web Editor is free to use in-browser. Phoenix Pro: paid tier that powers AI features (Claude Code with visual/runtime context), the curated stock image library, and other premium productivity features; Phoenix Pro is available as a 15-day free trial with no credit card required (pricing tiers and recurring plan specifics are provided on the site during sign-up).
Phoenix Code pros
- Live responsive preview for phone, tablet, and desktop
- Design Mode to edit the rendered page directly
- Markdown editor with visual document-style editing
- Integrated terminal with multiple tabs
- Fast project-wide search that filters by file type
- Built-in Git staging, commit, and sync UI
- Thousands of extensions and themes for customization
- Native installers for Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), and Linux
- Web editor option that requires no installation
- ChromeOS app distribution suitable for classrooms
- Community Edition is free and open-source forever
- Phoenix Pro’s AI uses rendered visual context (Claude Code)
- Stock image library integrated for quick visual assets
- Linux native app optimized for better performance
- 15-day free trial of Phoenix Pro with no credit card
Phoenix Code cons
- Advanced AI features require Phoenix Pro subscription
- Pro requires a Claude login/key for AI functionality
- Some features (stock images, premium options) gated behind Pro
- Not all third-party extensions may be fully compatible after migration from Brackets
- System requirements: macOS 12 or higher, Windows 10+, certain Linux distros
- Installer scripts for Linux require terminal comfort and elevated commands
- Web editor may lack some native-app capabilities (e.g., local filesystem shortcuts)
- Feature parity across platforms may lag (mobile/ChromeOS differences)
Frequently asked questions about Phoenix Code
What is Phoenix Code and who is it for?
Phoenix Code is a modern, open-source text editor and visual web IDE — the official successor to Brackets — designed for web developers, designers, students, and educators who want a live visual workflow for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Markdown.
What’s included in the free Community Edition?
The Community Edition includes live real-time preview as you type, Design Mode for editing the rendered page, the Markdown visual editor, code intelligence (completion and error hints), project-wide lightning-fast search, built-in terminal, simplified Git UI, extension/theme support, and native installers for major desktop platforms.
What additional features does Phoenix Pro provide?
Phoenix Pro adds AI-powered coding with visual and runtime context (Claude Code), access to the integrated curated stock image library, and other premium productivity features not available in the free Community Edition.
How does the AI in Phoenix Pro work?
Phoenix Pro’s AI (Claude Code) can inspect both your source code and the rendered page so it has visual context; you bring your own Claude login/key and your project files remain local while the AI uses the rendered output to provide more accurate, visually aware suggestions.
Can I try Phoenix Pro before buying?
Yes — Phoenix Pro offers a 15-day free trial with no credit card required so you can evaluate AI features, the stock image library, and other premium tools before committing to a paid plan.
Which platforms are supported?
Phoenix provides native installers for Windows (Windows 10 and later), macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel, macOS 12+), Linux (Ubuntu 20+, Fedora 34+, Arch, and more), a ChromeOS app for schools, and a Web Editor that runs in any modern browser.
Is Phoenix Code open source?
Yes — Phoenix Code is open-source and its code and releases are hosted publicly (including GitHub), with a free Community Edition intended to preserve Brackets’ legacy and a Pro tier for premium features.
Does Phoenix support extensions and themes?
Yes — Phoenix supports thousands of extensions and themes so you can customize language support, UI, tooling, and visual appearance much like other extensible editors.
How does the web editor differ from the native app?
The web editor runs in the browser with no installation required for quick access and simple workflows, while native apps provide deeper platform integration (native performance, filesystem access, and full feature parity such as the terminal and certain native dialogs).
What are the Linux installation options?
Linux users can install Phoenix using an x64 installation script (copy-and-paste installer) that supports major distributions like Ubuntu 20+, Fedora 34+, and Arch; there are also packaged releases and GitHub assets for alternative installation methods.