Files & previews
View — and edit — code, markdown, images, video, and diffs in render panes that live-reload as files change.
hob is not a file-centric IDE — agent panes are the centerpiece — but you still need to see files: a spec while an agent works, a generated report, a diff. Render panes tile alongside your agents for exactly that.
What render panes show
| Content | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Code | Syntax-highlighted source, editable |
| Markdown | Rendered preview or raw source |
| Images | Inline preview with zoom and pan |
| Video | Inline playback |
| Diffs | Inline (unified) changes with accept/reject — see Diff viewer |
| Large text | Fast viewer for big files and very long lines |
For text files, the header shows preview / source / diff pill buttons — click to switch.
(preview appears only for markdown and SVG; diff compares against git HEAD.)
Editing files
Render panes are mostly for context — the agent edits, you review — but you can also edit code
files directly. Make a change, save with Cmd/Ctrl+S, and a Modified indicator tracks
unsaved edits. Press Cmd/Ctrl+F to search within a file.
If a file changes on disk while you have unsaved edits, hob shows a bar offering Reload (take the disk version) or Overwrite (keep yours). Very large files open read-only in the fast Large-text viewer.
Live reload
Render panes watch their file. When an agent edits the file — or you do — the pane updates automatically. Open a spec or report once and it stays current for the rest of the session.
Opening files
- Explorer —
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+E, then click any file - Go to file —
Cmd/Ctrl+P, fuzzy-find by name - From agent output — click a file preview in an agent's tool output
- From an agent — agents can open relevant files, diffs, and previews for you while they work