What is Sandpack?
Sandpack is an open-source live code editor component by CodeSandbox. It renders a code editor with instant browser preview — users can edit code and see results in real time, all in the browser with no server needed. For AI applications, Sandpack is the go-to solution for rendering AI-generated code with live preview, used by Claude.ai artifacts, Vercel v0, and other AI coding platforms.
Answer-Ready: Sandpack is a live code editor component by CodeSandbox. Embeds editable code with instant preview in web apps. Used by Claude.ai artifacts and Vercel v0 for rendering AI-generated code. Supports React, Vue, Angular, Vanilla JS. Zero server needed. 5k+ GitHub stars.
Best for: AI chatbots and platforms rendering code with live preview. Works with: React, Next.js, any web framework. Setup time: Under 3 minutes.
Core Features
1. Multiple Templates
// React
<Sandpack template="react" />
// Vue
<Sandpack template="vue" />
// Vanilla JS
<Sandpack template="vanilla" />
// Next.js
<Sandpack template="nextjs" />
// Angular
<Sandpack template="angular" />
// Node.js
<Sandpack template="node" />2. Custom Files
<Sandpack
template="react"
files={{
"/App.js": { code: "...", active: true },
"/styles.css": `body { background: #f0f0f0; }`,
"/utils.js": `export const add = (a, b) => a + b;`,
}}
/>3. npm Dependencies
<Sandpack
template="react"
customSetup={{
dependencies: {
"date-fns": "latest",
"lodash": "^4.17.21",
"axios": "^1.6.0",
},
}}
/>4. Theme Customization
import { Sandpack } from "@codesandbox/sandpack-react";
import { dracula } from "@codesandbox/sandpack-themes";
<Sandpack theme={dracula} />
// Or: "light", "dark", "auto", custom theme object5. AI Integration Pattern
// Render AI-generated code with live preview
function AICodePreview({ generatedCode }) {
return (
<Sandpack
template="react"
files={{ "/App.js": generatedCode }}
options={{
showNavigator: true,
showTabs: true,
editorHeight: 400,
}}
/>
);
}Who Uses Sandpack?
| Platform | How |
|---|---|
| Claude.ai | Artifacts code preview |
| Vercel v0 | Generated UI preview |
| CodeSandbox | Core editor |
| Documentation sites | Interactive code examples |
| Education platforms | Live coding exercises |
Sandpack vs Alternatives
| Feature | Sandpack | StackBlitz | Monaco | CodeMirror |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live preview | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Browser-only | Yes | WebContainers | N/A | N/A |
| React component | Yes | Partial | Community | Community |
| npm packages | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Bundle size | ~300KB | ~2MB | ~1MB | ~200KB |
| Open source | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes |
FAQ
Q: Does it need a server? A: No, Sandpack runs entirely in the browser using in-browser bundling.
Q: Can I use it for non-React projects? A: Yes, supports Vue, Angular, Svelte, Vanilla JS, Node.js, and more.
Q: How does Claude.ai use it? A: Claude.ai artifacts use Sandpack to render React code that Claude generates, giving users a live preview they can edit.