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Add interactive code snippets to statically generated sites

Blog post from LogRocket

Post Details
Company
Date Published
Author
Peter Ekene Eze
Word Count
2,160
Language
-
Hacker News Points
-
Summary

Interactive code snippets have become an essential component of enhancing user engagement on statically generated sites, such as developer documentation and blogs, by allowing real-time code experimentation directly within the content. The blog-cells library is an open-source tool that facilitates this interactive experience by transforming web pages into interactive code notebooks, requiring no server-side components and operating entirely in the browser. It is compatible with HTML websites and static site generators like Middleman, Hugo, and Jekyll. Implementing blog-cells involves importing its JavaScript and CSS files into a project's root HTML file, enabling users to create and execute code cells that can log messages, run functions, and even make API calls. The library supports multiple languages and console functions, allowing for auto-run snippets and the export of contextual values across cells. However, as blog-cells is maintained by a single contributor, users should be aware of potential limitations in support and feature updates. Despite these constraints, the library offers a powerful way to improve the learning experience and engagement time on websites by providing a playground for users to experiment with and learn from code in a dynamic environment.