Overriding/Escaping

Updated Oct 20, 2026

Livemark ships a library of React components, shadcn-style primitives, and a base stylesheet. Each file can be overridden by placing a same-named file under .livemark/:

No import changes are needed. The rest of Livemark picks up the overridden file automatically.

The livemark escape command

Finding and copying a default file to override is automated:

# Pick files from a searchable list:
livemark escape

# Print every overridable file:
livemark escape --list

# Copy specific defaults into .livemark/:
livemark escape components/Footer.tsx elements/button.tsx

In a terminal, livemark escape opens a picker: type to filter, Tab to select, Enter to copy. Files you already override are shown but can't be picked. Outside a terminal (a pipe, CI) it prints the list, as --list does.

livemark escape refuses to overwrite an existing file. Delete the override first if you want to start over.

Deleting an override restores the default — at once while the dev server runs, otherwise on the next start or build.

Example: custom footer

livemark escape components/Footer.tsx

Then edit .livemark/components/Footer.tsx:

export function Footer() {
  return (
    <p className="mt-12 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
      Built by my team · 2026
    </p>
  )
}

Save — the dev server picks it up immediately.

Example: retheme buttons

livemark escape elements/button.tsx

Edit the cva class list in .livemark/elements/button.tsx to change button styling globally. Because every Livemark-shipped component imports its Button through the override system, your variant applies everywhere.

Example: tweak a token

livemark escape styles/general.css

Edit the :root block in .livemark/styles/general.css to rebrand:

:root {
  --primary: oklch(0.55 0.24 27); /* red */
}

Importing other Livemark modules from an override

Inside an override, import other Livemark modules from the livemark/<subdir>/* subpath exports:

import { cn } from "cn"
import { Button } from "livemark/elements/button"

Those paths resolve at build time and go through the same override lookup — if you've also overridden button, your override wins there too.

What you can't override this way

• Custom routes — use .livemark/routes/ instead.
• Server code (actions/, commands/) — not overridable; fork the repo if you need to change these.
• Config schema — shape of livemark.config.ts is fixed.

See also

• Syntax Themes — the lighter-weight knob if you only want to recolour code.
• Custom Routes — authoring new pages (rather than replacing existing ones).