# Live Screen and Preview
> Part of the NocoDB documentation (Factory). Index of all pages: https://nocodb.com/llms.txt. Any docs page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL.
URL: https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/live-screen-and-preview
Last updated: 2026-10-21
Watch NocoAI work on its machine's desktop in Noco Factory with Live screen, and try the app it runs in Preview, from the side panel of a session.
Start the dev server and open the app in the browser
Open [the checkout page] in the browser and check that [the total updates]
Run the app on port [3000] so I can try it in Preview
The side panel of a Noco Factory session shows the machine of the session. **Live screen** streams the machine's desktop, so you can watch [NocoAI](/docs/product/noco-ai) use the browser and other apps. **Preview** shows the app that NocoAI runs on the machine, as a web page that you can use.
## The side panel
The side panel of a Noco Factory session is next to the chat. It has five tabs, always in this order:
| Tab | What it shows |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Live screen** | The desktop of the machine. See [Live screen](#live-screen). |
| **Preview** | A web app that runs on the machine. See [Preview](#preview). |
| **Terminal** | Shells on the machine. See [Terminal and files](/docs/factory/terminal-and-files). |
| **Changes** | The changes of the session, as a diff. See [Review changes](/docs/factory/review-changes). |
| **Files** | The files of the repository on the machine. See [Terminal and files](/docs/factory/terminal-and-files). |
A session opens with the side panel open on **Live screen**. To show or hide the panel, click **Side panel** in the session header. To give the chat and the panel more room, click **Full screen**. It hides the list of sessions. When the panel is narrow, the tabs show only icons; hover over an icon to see its name.
A tab loads the first time you open it. Then it stays loaded for the rest of the visit.
## Live screen
**Live screen** streams the desktop of the session's machine. The machine runs Ubuntu with a desktop, and has Chrome, Firefox and VS Code. When NocoAI opens the app in a browser to check its work, you see it here.
The person who started the session can use the desktop with the mouse and keyboard. Other members see it with a **View only** badge: "View only: only the person who started this session can control it".
To load the stream again, click **Reload**. To open it in a separate browser tab, click **Open in new tab**.
### While the machine starts
While the machine starts, **Live screen** shows the current boot step over an animation with cards for **CPU**, **Memory**, **Network**, **Repository**, **Services** and **Terminal**. When the desktop is ready, the animation fades out.
If the screen cannot load, the tab shows "This session has no screen to show". Click **Retry**. If the session has no machine, send a message in the chat to start one.
## Preview
**Preview** shows a web app that runs on the machine, for example the dev server of your project. Use it to click through the app and test the work of NocoAI.
1. Ask NocoAI to start the app, for example "Start the dev server".
2. Open the **Preview** tab.
3. Select the port of the app in the port menu.
If no app runs on the machine, the tab shows "Nothing is listening yet. Ask the agent to start the app." When the app runs, click **Refresh**.
The **Preview** tab has **Back**, **Forward** and **Reload** buttons and an address bar. To open the app in a separate browser tab, click **Open in new tab**.
### When a port opens
When an app on the machine starts to listen on a port, NocoDB shows a pop-up: **Port \[port] is available**, started by the process that opened it. Select one of these options:
| Option | What it does |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Open preview** | Opens the port in the **Preview** tab. |
| **New tab** | Opens the port in a separate browser tab. |
| **Copy link** | Copies the preview address. |
| **Don't show again** | Stops these pop-ups in this browser. |
### Who can open a preview
Each port of a session has its own preview address. Only signed-in members with the **Developer** role or above in the factory can open it. A preview address does not work for people outside the factory.
## Good to know
* The first time you start a session in a factory, the side panel follows the boot on **Live screen**. When the app starts to serve, the panel opens **Preview**.
* An open preview keeps the machine awake. See [When a machine sleeps](/docs/factory/sessions#when-a-machine-sleeps).
## Related
* [Sessions](/docs/factory/sessions)
* [Terminal and files](/docs/factory/terminal-and-files)
* [Review changes](/docs/factory/review-changes)
* [Machines](/docs/factory/machines)
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## Related pages
- [Noco Factory](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory.md): Noco Factory is the AI coding agent of NocoDB. NocoAI takes a task to its own cloud machine and branch, and returns a GitHub pull request for you to review.
- [Noco Factory and Other Coding Agents](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/coding-agents.md): Compare Noco Factory with cloud AI coding agents such as Devin, OpenAI Codex and the GitHub Copilot coding agent, and see when Noco Factory is the right fit.
- [Connect GitHub](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/connect-github.md): Connect GitHub to Noco Factory with the NocoDB GitHub App, choose the repositories that NocoAI can reach, and see what access it gets in a session.
- [Create a Factory](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/create-factory.md): Create a NocoDB factory from a GitHub repository: pick the repository on the workspace home screen, and NocoAI sets up the project in the first session.
- [Sessions](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/sessions.md): Start a Noco Factory session to give NocoAI a coding task on a branch, a pull request or an issue, and manage sessions: rename, archive, resume and delete.
- [Terminal and Files](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/terminal-and-files.md): Run your own commands on the machine of a Noco Factory session in the Terminal tab, and read, compare and edit the repository's files in the Files tab.
- [Review Changes](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/review-changes.md): Review the code changes of a Noco Factory session in the Changes tab, comment on lines of the diff, and send the comments back to NocoAI to fix.
- [Branches and Pull Requests](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/branches-and-pull-requests.md): How each Noco Factory session works on its own git branch, and how NocoAI commits, pushes and opens a GitHub pull request for you to review and merge.