What’s new in Playcode

Fixes

• Moving Files No Longer Deletes Images - Fixed a critical bug where moving or renaming image files (e.g., dragging to /public folder) would delete the actual image from storage. Your uploaded assets now stay safe when reorganizing your project structure.
• Upload Images to Shared Projects - You can now upload images to projects with web write access enabled. Previously, only project owners could upload assets. Storage quota is correctly tracked for the project owner.

New

• Voice Input - Click the microphone button to describe your ideas by voice. Your speech is transcribed and inserted into the chat input, so you can review and edit before sending. Perfect for quickly explaining complex features or when typing feels slow.
• Crash-Safe Recording - If your browser crashes or refreshes during transcription, your recording is automatically saved locally. Just click the microphone again to retry - no lost voice messages.

New

• Attach Files in Chat - Upload images and files directly from the chat toolbar. Click the paperclip button to add photos for your website or upload documents. Files are saved to your project's /assets/ folder and the AI can reference them in your code.
• TinyPNG-like Compression - Images are now automatically compressed before upload. JPEGs use MozJPEG (same as TinyPNG) for ~65% smaller files. PNGs use color quantization to reduce file sizes by 60-75% while maintaining visual quality.
• Smart Image Resizing - Large images (over 2048px) are automatically resized. A 12MP phone photo becomes web-optimized in seconds. No more uploading multi-megabyte images that slow down your site.

Improvements

• Unified AI Experience - The AI now guides you from idea to published website like an agency would. It automatically asks clarifying questions to understand your vision, builds step by step, and helps you iterate. No mode switching required - just describe what you want and the AI figures out the rest.

Fixes

• AI Chat Stability - Fixed an issue where certain AI model responses could cause the chat to crash. Conversations are now more reliable across all models.

New

• New Credit System - We've redesigned how AI credits work. Choose from flexible credit tiers: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,200, or 2,000 credits per month. Pick the plan that fits your usage.
• Credits Roll Over - Unused credits now roll over to the next month. No more "use it or lose it" pressure. Monthly plans roll over for 1 month, annual plans keep rolling until your subscription renews.
• Upgrade or Downgrade Anytime - Change your credit tier whenever you want. Upgrading? You get extra credits immediately. Downgrading? Keep all your existing credits.
• Top-Up Credits - Need more credits mid-month? Buy additional credits starting at $15. Top-up credits are valid for 12 months.

Improvements

• Clearer Credit Display - See exactly how many credits you have and where they come from: subscription credits, rollover credits, and purchased credits.
• Better Billing Portal - Switch between credit tiers directly from your billing settings. No need to cancel and resubscribe.

For Existing Subscribers

If you're already a Pro subscriber, nothing changes for you. Your subscription continues at the same price with the same benefits. You can switch to a new credit tier anytime if you'd like.

New

• Free Unlimited Coding - We've completely removed the 8-line code limit! Code as much as you want, experiment freely, build anything. No restrictions, no timers, no paywalls blocking your creativity.

Why the change?

We believe in encouraging you to use the editor, not restricting it. We're removing friction from the coding experience. Write unlimited code for free, and upgrade when you need AI assistance, private projects, or more than 3 saved projects.

New

• Gemini 3 Flash is Now the Default AI Model - Google's latest Gemini 3 Flash delivers great results at a fraction of the cost. Build entire pages for just $0.05-$0.10 per task. Fast, cheap, and with a massive 1M token context window for complex projects.
• New Recommended Model - Gemini 3 Flash now appears in the recommended models section, right after Claude Opus 4.5. Perfect balance of speed, quality, and cost.

Fixes

• Usage History Now Shows Accurate Costs - Fixed an issue where the "Total spent" in Usage History showed lower amounts than what was actually deducted from your balance. The numbers now match exactly what you paid.

Improvements

• Simpler AI Model Selection - No more confusion with 10+ models. We now show 5 recommended models at the top with plain-English descriptions like "Balanced quality and price" or "Best UI/UX design quality".
• New Default: Claude Sonnet 4.5 - The best balance of quality and cost. Creates beautiful designs without burning through credits too fast.
• Power Users: Other Models - Need something specific? Click "Other models" to access Grok, Gemini, and GPT variants. Collapsed by default to reduce clutter.

Improvements

• Import from AI - Redesigned - The "Import from AI" popover now clearly explains what it's for: importing code from ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, or any AI assistant. Each step has a help tooltip explaining exactly what to do.
• 90%+ Success Rate - Smart content detection now works almost perfectly. Paste any code and Playcode figures out if it's HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, C, C++, Go, or SQL and puts it in the right file automatically.

Improvements

• AI Now Understands All Languages - The built-in AI assistant now fully understands Python, C, C++, Go, and SQL projects. It knows how each language works in Playcode, including entry points, package management, and execution modes.
• Import from AI - Multi-Language - The Import from AI feature now detects Python, C, C++, Go, and SQL code automatically. Paste code from ChatGPT or Claude and it goes to the right file (main.py, main.c, main.cpp, main.go, or main.sql).
• Smarter Code Detection - Improved detection patterns for all supported languages. Python imports, C/C++ includes, Go packages, and SQL queries are now recognized instantly.

New

• Import from AI - New button in the header to easily import code from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any AI assistant. Just copy the AI's response and paste it directly. Playcode automatically detects whether it's HTML, JavaScript, or CSS and puts it in the right file. No more manually creating files or figuring out where code should go.

Improvements

• Smart Content Detection - When you paste code, Playcode now intelligently detects the content type. HTML goes to index.html, JavaScript to your main script file, and CSS to your stylesheet. Works perfectly with code copied from ChatGPT Canvas.
• One-Click Undo - Made a mistake? The Import panel includes Undo/Redo buttons so you can quickly revert any changes without leaving the workflow.

Fixes

• Assets Lost When Deleting Cloned Projects - Fixed a critical bug where images and other files would disappear from your original project after deleting a cloned copy. The issue occurred because cloned projects were sharing file references with the original instead of creating independent copies. Now when you clone a project or create a new version, all assets are properly duplicated to separate storage locations, ensuring each project's files are completely independent.
• Version Creation Reliability - Fixed an issue where creating a new project version could fail with a timeout error. The version creation process has been redesigned to work reliably without interrupting your current editing session.

Fixes

• Missing Projects After Update - Fixed a critical bug where some users couldn't see their projects after app updates. The issue occurred when internal data structures changed, causing the app to read from empty storage instead of existing data. Projects are now automatically recovered from the server when this situation is detected. No more need to log out and back in.

Improvements

• Go Runtime Now Works Everywhere - Rebuilt the Go interpreter with self-hosted WebAssembly. No more CDN dependencies that were blocked in some regions. Go code execution is now reliable worldwide.
• Python Runtime Self-Hosted - Core Python runtime (Pyodide 0.29.1) now loads from our servers instead of external CDN. Faster initial load and works in regions where jsdelivr was blocked.

New

• Multi-Language Playground - Playcode now supports Python, SQL, C++, C, and Go alongside JavaScript/TypeScript. All languages run 100% in your browser via WebAssembly. No server, complete privacy.
• Python with Pyodide - Full Python 3.12 with pip package manager. Install NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, scikit-learn, and 300+ packages. Visualizations render inline.
• SQL with PostgreSQL - Real PostgreSQL via PGlite with persistent IndexedDB storage. 18+ extensions including pgvector for AI, pg_trgm for fuzzy search. Database Explorer with pagination.
• C++ and C Compilers - Modern C++20 and C17 support via Clang/LLVM compiled to WebAssembly. Write, compile, and run instantly.
• Go Compiler - Run Go code in browser using Yaegi interpreter. Standard library support included.

Improvements

• Language-Aware UI - Header buttons adapt based on project language. Preview for JavaScript, Output for Python/C++/Go, Database Explorer for SQL.
• Python Package Manager - See popular packages (NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib) immediately. Install any PyPI package by typing its name.
• New Templates - Quick-start templates for Python, SQL (PostgreSQL and SQLite), C++, C, and Go. Create a new project and start coding in seconds.

New

• AI Access Control - Project owners can now disable AI chat for collaborators. Perfect for coding interviews where you want to test candidates without AI assistance. Find the toggle in Share settings (Pro feature).

Improvements

• Redesigned Navigation - Console, Preview, and AI buttons now have text labels for better discoverability. Core features should be visible, not hidden behind icons.

Improvements

• Redesigned AI Mode Selector - The mode selector now explains exactly how to work with AI. Each mode is color-coded: Plan (blue) for planning, Agent (green) for building, and Ask (orange) for questions only.
• Recommended Workflow Guide - The menu now shows "Plan → Agent → Ask" as the recommended workflow, with step numbers (1, 2, 3) and clear descriptions for each mode. Perfect for non-programmers!
• Mode Badges - Each mode has a helpful badge: "Start here" for Plan, "Default" for Agent, and "Read-only" for Ask.
• Learn More Link - Quick access to detailed documentation about how each mode works.

New

• Claude Opus 4.5 is Now Default - As the creator of Playcode, I believe in giving you the best experience from the start. The AI now uses Claude Opus 4.5 by default, the most capable model available. It costs more per message, but the quality difference is immediately visible. Magic should feel like magic.
• Cleaner Chat Interface - Removed the model selector from the chat toolbar for a simpler experience. Power users can still change models via Menu → Preferences → AI Model.

Improvements

• Reduced AI System Prompt - Optimized the AI system prompt by ~60%, making each request slightly cheaper.

Fixes

• Chat Character Escaping - Fixed an issue where HTML entities and escape sequences were displayed in the chat preview instead of actual characters.
• Preview URL Dropdown - The HTML page selector in the preview toolbar now stays open when clicking, allowing you to actually select a page.

Improvements

• AI Import Now Works with Full Responses - Copy the entire AI response including explanations and markdown. We automatically extract the JSON code block and apply changes. No more "Failed to parse" errors!
• Helpful Tooltips - Hover over Copy, Paste, and Apply buttons to see step-by-step instructions on how to use the ChatGPT/Gemini workflow.
• Better Error Messages - When something goes wrong, you now get actionable guidance on how to fix it.

New

• ChatGPT/Gemini Import/Export Buttons - Copy your project files with one click, paste into your AI, then paste the response back and apply changes instantly. Includes Undo/Redo to rollback if something breaks.
• Inspiring Placeholder - The AI input now shows animated examples of what you can build: customer portals, admin dashboards, landing pages, and more.

Improvements

• Consistent Design - All primary action buttons now use the signature orange gradient for a unified look across popups and notifications.
• Pro Badge Styling - Updated Pro badges to match the marketing design with the correct gradient colors.

Improvements

• Truly Empty Templates - Empty JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, and CSS templates are now minimal. Just the bare essentials with a single comment to get you started from scratch.

Fixes

• Live View Delay - Changing the delay setting now applies immediately. Previously, adjusting the delay in preferences had no effect until page reload.

Changes

• Free tier adjustments - To keep Playcode sustainable and continue offering a great experience, we've had to reintroduce some coding limits for free accounts. Pro users continue to enjoy unlimited lines of code, along with all other premium features. We appreciate your understanding and support!

New

• GPT-5.2 Model - OpenAI's most capable model is now available. Advanced reasoning and planning capabilities for complex coding tasks.

Improvements

• Cleaner Read-Only Presentations: When sharing a read-only project, only the owner's cursor is now visible. Viewer cursors are hidden, preventing visual chaos when presenting to large groups like classrooms with 40+ students.

Fixes

• Binary Assets in NPM Packages: Fixed support for npm packages that include binary assets like fonts, images, audio, and video files. Packages like @expo/vector-icons, icon libraries, and media packages now work correctly.

Major Update: Unlimited Free Coding!

We've removed all code limits. Playcode is now completely free to use with unlimited coding in the playground.

New

• Unlimited Free Coding - We've completely removed the 8-line code limit! Code as much as you want, experiment freely, build anything - no restrictions, no timers, no paywalls.
• Simplified Pricing - One simple plan: Playcode Pro at $9.99/month or $99/year (save $20 annually). No confusing tiers, no feature gates.
• Embedded Stripe Checkout - Upgrade without leaving Playcode. Supports all payment methods: cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank accounts. 3D Secure handled automatically.
• Instant Cancellation Option - New "Cancel immediately" option for those who need to downgrade right away (standard cancellation still available).
• Plan Switching in Billing Portal - Switch between monthly and yearly billing anytime. Get prorated credits when upgrading to annual.
• Collaboration Limits - Free accounts support 1 collaborator (perfect for pair programming and 1-on-1 interviews). Pro gets unlimited collaborators for team sessions.
• Project Export (Pro) - Download your projects as ZIP files with source code and production build. Pro-only feature.

Improvements

• Grandfathering Policy - Already have 100 projects? Keep them all! The 3-project limit only applies to NEW saves. We don't punish early adopters.
• Smarter Upgrade Prompts - Hit a limit? See exactly what you have (your 3 projects listed) and what you'd get with Pro. No more confusion.
• Stripe Billing Portal Integration - Full control over your subscription: download invoices, update cards, add tax IDs, switch plans - all without contacting support.
• Real-time Webhook Sync - Cancel in Stripe? Reactivates in Playcode instantly. Switch plans? Updates immediately. Everything stays in perfect sync.
• Project Counter in Dashboard - Free users see "2/3 projects" right in the header. Always know where you stand.
• Reactivation Support - Changed your mind? "Don't Cancel" button brings back your subscription instantly, or use the billing portal.

Fair Downgrade Policy

If you cancel, here's what happens:

• Keep all existing projects - Even if you have 100, they're safe (grandfathered)
• Private → Public - Your private projects become public
• Custom domains removed - Sites get random number subdomains
• Storage: 1GB → 4MB - Large assets over 4MB will be deleted
• Keep using Playcode - Continue coding, just can't save new projects over limit

Questions? Check our billing help articles or [chat with us](#).

Fixes

• Chat Connection Stability: Fixed multiple bugs causing the AI chat to disconnect unexpectedly. The chat is now much more stable and reliable.
• Agent Task Interruption: Fixed an issue where the AI agent would randomly stop working on tasks without being prompted to do so.
• GPT-5.1 Codex Pricing: Fixed incorrect cost calculation for GPT-5.1 Codex model usage.

New

• Import Maps Support: Use import maps with CDN URLs like unpkg, esm.sh, or skypack. Import Three.js, React, or any library directly from CDN without npm install.

Improvements

• Smaller Published Sites: Simple HTML pages without npm dependencies no longer include unnecessary runtime code, reducing bundle size by ~238KB.
• Better Error Messages: Module resolution errors now show the actual esbuild error with helpful suggestions instead of generic "not installed" messages.

Fixes

• Production Build Errors: Fixed "Identifier already declared" errors in published sites caused by minification conflicts between bundles.
• Dependencies Now Minified: Published sites now properly minify npm dependencies for smaller file sizes.

Improvements

• AI Usage History Redesign: Completely redesigned usage tracking with server-side pagination, quick time filters (Today, Yesterday, This Week, etc.), spending summaries, and model names for each request.
• Updated Code Editor: Upgraded Monaco Editor (VSCode engine) to the latest version with improved TypeScript support and better performance.
• Faster Bundler: Updated esbuild to version 0.27.1 for faster builds and improved module resolution.

Fixes

• AI Chat Revert: Fixed an issue where AI-generated code changes didn't always revert properly when clicking "Reject".
• Chat Input Overflow: Fixed the chat input field growing excessively large when pasting long content.