The latest articles on DEV Community by Dilshod Gaipov (@orivo). https://dev.to/orivo https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3910557%2F4f51e518-e9fc-4559-955e-f8401d224096.jpg https://dev.to/orivo en Dilshod Gaipov Sun, 03 May 2026 16:22:50 +0000 https://dev.to/orivo/why-i-built-orivo-a-browser-workspace-for-frontend-prototypes-4aol https://dev.to/orivo/why-i-built-orivo-a-browser-workspace-for-frontend-prototypes-4aol <p>I'm a freelance frontend developer. For years my "client prototype" workflow looked the same:</p> <ol> <li> <code>npx create-...</code> something</li> <li>Wait for <code>node_modules</code> to install</li> <li>Configure tailwind / vite / whatever</li> <li>Write 30 lines of HTML</li> <li>Realize the client just wanted to see a button move</li> </ol> <p>Most of the value lived in step 4. Steps 1–3 were tax I paid every time.</p> <p>So I built <strong><a href="https://orivo.dev" rel="noopener noreferrer">Orivo</a></strong> — a browser workspace for frontend prototypes.</p> <h2> What it actually does </h2> <ul> <li>HTML, CSS and JavaScript editor with <strong>instant preview</strong> (no build step, no waiting)</li> <li> <strong>Share links</strong> so the client can review without me sending a zip</li> <li> <strong>Export</strong> to HTML / JSON / ZIP when work needs to leave the tool</li> <li> <strong>Snapshots</strong> so I can roll back when a client says "actually, the previous version"</li> <li> <strong>Project structure</strong> that doesn't pretend a quick prototype is a full app</li> </ul> <h2> Who it's for </h2> <p>Not for full production apps — VS Code is fine for that.<br> Not for one-off snippets — CodePen is fine for that.</p> <p>It's for the <strong>commercial middle</strong>: paid client prototype work that needs to move fast, stay organized, and look credible in front of a client.</p> <h2> What I learned shipping it </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>The hard part wasn't the editor.</strong> It was deciding what to <em>not</em> include. Every "what about X" feature I cut made the rest sharper.</li> <li> <strong>Free tiers attract the wrong users.</strong> I made Free intentionally narrow — enough to test the tool, not enough to live there forever. Surprisingly that <em>increased</em> trust, not lowered it.</li> <li> <strong>Sharing is the killer feature.</strong> Once a freelancer realizes they can send a review link instead of a screenshot, the workflow shift is immediate.</li> </ul> <h2> I'd love your honest reaction </h2> <p>If you've got 60 seconds, here's what would actually help me:</p> <ol> <li>Open <strong><a href="https://orivo.dev" rel="noopener noreferrer">orivo.dev</a></strong> (no signup needed for the playground).</li> <li>Try to recreate any tiny UI you've built recently — a card, a form, a hero section.</li> <li>Tell me <strong>the first thing that annoyed you</strong> in the comments below.</li> </ol> <p>I'm not asking for compliments. I'm asking for the friction. The thing that made you go "ugh, why doesn't it just…" — that's the gold I'm looking for.</p> <p>Bonus question for freelancers / studio devs reading this:<br> <strong>How do you currently send a frontend prototype to a client for review?</strong> Loom video? CodePen? Vercel preview? A zip on Google Drive? I'm collecting answers and the patterns are fascinating.</p> <p>Thanks for reading. If the post resonated, a ❤️ or 🦄 reaction helps it reach other devs working in the same messy middle.</p> <p>— Dilshod (<a href="https://github.com/DilshodGaipov" rel="noopener noreferrer">@DilshodGaipov</a>)</p> webdev javascript frontend css