Onlook – Open-source, visual-first Cursor for designers
Hey HN, I’m Kiet – one half of the two-person team building Onlook (https://beta.onlook.com/), an open-source [https://github.com/onlook-dev/onlook/] visual editor that lets you edit and create React apps live on an infinite canvas. We launched Onlook [1][2] as a local-first Electron app almost a year ago. Since then, “prompt-to-build” tools have blown up, but none let you design and iterate visually. We fixed that by taking a visual-first, AI-powered approach where you can prompt, style, and directly manipulate elements in your app like in a design…
Onlook – Open-source, visual-first Cursor for designers launched on May 29, 2025 with 408 votes, #50 of 7,905 launches that month and more than 99% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 1 year on.
In plain words
Onlook is an open-source visual editor for building and editing React applications on an infinite canvas. Designed for designers and developers, it offers AI-powered features that let users prompt, style, and directly manipulate UI elements visually without leaving the editor. The browser-based tool combines visual-first design iteration with code generation, allowing real-time editing and creation of React apps in a design-tool-like interface.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
The Cursor for Designers • An Open-Source AI-First Design tool • Visually build, style, and edit your React App with AI - onlook-dev/onlook
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hey HN, I’m Kiet – one half of the two-person team building Onlook (https://beta.onlook.com/), an open-source [https://github.com/onlook-dev/onlook/] visual editor that lets you edit and create React apps live on an infinite canvas. We launched Onlook [1][2] as a local-first…
Does a similar job
all alternatives →
Open-sourced Webflow for your own app2024 · github.com · ▲336Hi HN, I’m Kiet, one of the creators of Onlook studio. I made this app that allows you to visually edit your locally running React app and write the code back to it in real-time. The purpose is to allow you to develop UI while fully owning your code the whole time. There are other visual builders out there but they either require you to upload your code to the cloud or some lengthy setup process. Onlook runs locally, deterministically, and only requires adding a plugin for the compile step (2 lines of config change). Technical details: This is technically a web browser that can point to your…
Once UI 1.5Dec 2025 · once-ui.com · ▲302When I started my career and built my first design system, I was beyond excited. It took a lot of iterations, learning and 6 months of work to launch it internally. In the next job, I did it again, then at the following job, again… And no matter which company I worked for, 80% of the design system was the same. I’ve decided to work full-time on the design system I’ve always wanted, and today I’m launching and open-sourcing it. You can use it to build Next.js apps faster, and I’ve designed it in a way that it’s hard to go wrong with it: you can choose any settings, and you’ll end up with a…
- AVA Visual IDE for React2022 · dev.aspect.app · ▲479
I made this because building UIs in a lexical medium like code is super annoying. I have to pre-render what I’m making in my head, and then jump between the browser and IDE to test. I was inspired by the developer console in chrome and safari since I end up editing css there because it’s ironically more convenient. Hope it’s useful!
Cursor for your API2025 · app.getelva.ai · ▲473Generate, edit, lint & test your API workflow in one place

More ai this month
the category →



Paintings by AI models: programs run through a simulation of oil paint.
AI · 20d ago · stillwet.art

PixVerse R2▲381A real-time world model you can explore and change
AI · 29d ago · world.pixverse.video
Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
Launched alongside, May 2025
the whole month →
Tapflow 2.0▲1,125We built Tapflow for devs, designers, PMs, and tech folks who’ve been sitting on internal docs, templates, and systems — but never productized them. Upload a PDF, notes, or workshop deck, and Tapflow drafts a structured product (with chapters, teaser and pricing plans). It’s good for AI kits, onboarding guides, design systems, and frameworks. You can sell through Stripe, LemonSqueezy, or PayPal. Real-time collaboration is in early beta. No site builder, no LMS — clean design and just focused tools to ship. Fully bootstrapped and just launched on PH today →…
Work · 2025 · tapflow.ai
- C9
Life & fun · 2025 · felixrieseberg.github.io
Appwrite Sites▲990Appwrite 2.0 brings a new engine, a rebuilt Console, five database types, an S3 API, an OAuth 2.1 server, and organization-level Domains and Firewall.
Dev tools · 2025 · appwrite.io


