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Zed can help you edit HTML and CSS, but the screenshot workflow documented for Zed uses the HTML/CSS to Image (HCTI) remote MCP integration to render a public webpage or supplied source files. For a public page, ask Zed’s Agent Panel to capture its public URL; for a local design, attach the HTML and CSS files to the agent’s context and ask HCTI to render them. The renderer returns a hosted image URL in the documented workflow. Zed itself is the editor, not the documented rendering engine.
Choose the workflow that matches what you want to capture
| Task | What you give the Agent Panel | What the documented workflow does |
|---|---|---|
| Capture an existing page | A public URL, such as https://example.com |
HCTI captures the page as an image, with options such as viewport width and device scale. |
| Render your HTML/CSS design | The HTML and CSS files attached to the conversation | The agent reads the files, makes the markup self-contained if needed, then asks HCTI to render it. |
These are related but different inputs. A URL capture tells the hosted renderer to visit a page. A source render asks it to turn the supplied markup and styles into an image. In HCTI’s documented hosted workflow, a local file path or a localhost URL on its own is not a substitute for providing the HTML and CSS in the Agent Panel context.
The examples below reflect the HCTI integration guide’s documented workflow; they are not claims of independent testing. MCP setup fields and available tool options can change, so check the current HCTI Zed integration guide for connection instructions and current details.
Connect HCTI to Zed through MCP
Zed’s Agent Panel can use tools exposed by an MCP server. The workflow in HCTI’s guide depends on connecting its remote MCP server, then asking the agent to invoke the appropriate image operation. The available source material does not establish an exact current settings JSON snippet or a stable click-by-click connection sequence, so use the integration guide’s live setup section rather than copying an unverified configuration.
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- Open the HCTI Zed integration guide and follow its current instructions to connect the remote MCP server.
- Open Zed’s Agent Panel. If you cannot find the panel or a relevant action, open the command palette with Cmd+Shift+P on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+P on Linux or Windows, then search for the appropriate action. Zed describes the command palette as a gateway to actions; labels and layout can vary by version.
- In the Agent Panel, make the request for either a public URL capture or a render of attached source files. State the desired format and dimensions explicitly.
- Inspect the image URL returned by the workflow. If the result is not right, adjust the request or source files and ask for another render.
Capture a public webpage as a screenshot
Use a page that the hosted renderer can reach publicly. The HCTI guide’s example requests a PNG at a viewport width of 1440 pixels and a device scale of 1. Those are example settings, not requirements for every capture.
In the Agent Panel, adapt this prompt to your page:
Use HTML/CSS to Image to screenshot https://example.com as a PNG. Set viewport_width to 1440 and device_scale to 1. Return the image URL.
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HCTI’s integration guide also documents a create_url_image operation for capturing a public page or a CSS-selected element. For element capture, tell the agent the selector you want captured and check the live documentation for the current selector and output options.
Render HTML and CSS files from your project
Attach the relevant HTML and CSS files to the Agent Panel conversation. Then tell the agent to read them, make the markup self-contained if necessary, and render the result. For example:
Read the attached HTML and CSS. Make the markup self-contained, render it as a PNG with HCTI at device_scale 1, and return the image URL.
“Self-contained” matters when the design relies on local assets or styles that a hosted renderer cannot resolve from your machine. The HCTI guide says a local path or localhost URL alone is not enough for its hosted renderer. Include the relevant markup and styles in the agent’s context, and make sure linked assets are available to the rendering service in a way supported by the current integration.
For a first pass, keep the design explicit: specify the text, colors, and dimensions you expect. The guide gives a 1200 × 630 card as an example for a simple render, not as a required canvas size. Once you have the hosted image URL, inspect it, adjust the files or prompt, and request a new render.
Use Zed’s HTML and CSS tools for editing—not rendering
Zed documents built-in CSS support and HTML support through its automatically installed HTML extension. Those features help author and format code; the documented conversion of HTML/CSS to an image is done through HCTI, not a built-in Zed screenshot command.
HTML formatting
Zed’s HTML documentation identifies Prettier as the default formatter. It also documents manual formatting through Cmd+Shift+I on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+I on Linux and Windows, as well as formatting actions available through the command palette. Language-server formatting can be configured. See Zed’s HTML documentation for current behavior.
CSS and Tailwind
Zed documents CSS support and optional Tailwind-specific completions, diagnostics, and hover previews. Its Tailwind CSS IntelliSense setup for CSS requires configuring the Tailwind CSS language server for CSS and disabling the default CSS language server. These are editing conveniences; they do not themselves produce a rendered screenshot. See Zed’s CSS documentation.
Other HCTI operations you may encounter
The integration documentation lists several operations beyond the two basic workflows. Use them only when they match the job; verify current names and options in the live HCTI documentation before relying on them.
create_image: render HTML/CSS into an output such as PNG, JPG, WebP, or PDF.create_url_image: capture a public page or a CSS-selected element.create_templated_image: render from a saved template.create_batch_images: generate image variations in a batch.
The required inputs depend on the operation. A one-off screenshot usually needs a URL or source files and an output format. A template or batch workflow has its own setup and parameters; do not assume that a prompt for a single capture will configure those automatically.
Troubleshooting common problems
The agent cannot use HTML/CSS to Image
Check that the remote MCP server is connected according to HCTI’s current setup guide and that you are making the request in Zed’s Agent Panel. If the connection steps or labels differ from an older guide, follow the current integration documentation rather than guessing at configuration fields.
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The render cannot reach the page
For URL capture, use a public URL reachable by the hosted service. For source rendering, attach the HTML and CSS files rather than passing only a path on your computer or a localhost address. The HCTI guide describes the local-path/localhost limitation specifically for its hosted renderer.
The image does not reflect the intended layout
State the target viewport width and device scale in the prompt, and check that your HTML and CSS include the styles and content needed for the layout. A viewport setting affects responsive behavior; it is not simply a crop size. If a first render is close but not correct, change the source or specify the intended dimensions and content more explicitly, then render again.
The returned image URL is not the output format you expected
Name the desired format in the prompt, such as PNG, and consult the current operation documentation for supported output formats. The integration guide lists PNG, JPG, WebP, and PDF for the HTML/CSS image operation; do not assume every operation accepts identical parameters.
The editor formats code differently than expected
Zed’s HTML support uses Prettier by default according to its HTML documentation, while language-server formatting can be configured. Check the active formatter and use the command palette or documented manual-format shortcut if needed. Formatting changes source presentation; it does not fix a hosted renderer’s access to missing assets.
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If you simply need a screenshot from a URL, ScreenshotNeo offers a one-request API and an MCP server. This is an alternative to setting up a browser workflow inside Zed; it does not replace the HCTI-specific workflow for rendering attached local HTML/CSS source files.
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For the API’s current parameters and response details, see the ScreenshotNeo documentation. This cURL example saves a screenshot of Stripe as WebP:
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Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your key and the target URL with the public page you want to capture. ScreenshotNeo accepts PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF output. It removes known consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture, and those cleanup steps can be turned off. Bot checks/CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing; response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents including Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can Zed render HTML and CSS to an image by itself?
The documented Zed workflow uses HCTI’s remote MCP integration for the rendering step; Zed’s HTML and CSS features are for editing and formatting.
Can HCTI capture a page running only on localhost?
Its hosted-renderer guide says a local path or localhost URL alone is not enough; use a reachable public URL for page capture or attach the HTML and CSS source files for source rendering.
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