Self-hosted prototype review

Pin client feedback directly to the website you’re building.

ReviewLayer adds a contextual commenting overlay to any same-origin prototype with one script tag. Clients click, comment and resolve feedback without leaving the page.

Try the live demo Get it on GitHub

Version: 1.4.1
Integration: One script
Runtime: Self-hosted

Prototype review Live context

Illustrative preview of pins, an anchored comment and a review thread layered over a website.

01 / Live demo

Try the review flow on the product page itself.

Nothing below is a screenshot. Add a pin to a card, leave a comment, reply to it and mark the thread as resolved.

Client review / Homepage

Final layout pass

Ready for feedback

Hero message Make the value clear before the first scroll.

Pin this block if the headline needs another pass.

Responsive check Compare spacing across viewports.

ReviewLayer records the creation viewport with each pin.

Decision Resolve the thread when the change is approved.

Open and resolved discussions stay easy to scan.

02 / Workflow

A shorter path from “something feels off” to a clear decision.

Every comment keeps its page, target, viewport and conversation together. That gives designers, developers and clients one shared review context.

01
Open the prototype
The overlay loads from one deferred script.
02
Pin the exact context
The comment is anchored to the selected interface point.
03
Discuss the change
Replies and status live in one focused thread.
04
Resolve and move on
Project-wide navigation brings any pin back into view.

Context preserved

A visual flow from prototype page to pinned feedback, conversation and resolution.

03 / Built for real prototypes

Enough structure to finish the review. No new platform to manage.

ReviewLayer is deliberately small: it adds the feedback layer, stores the conversation and stays out of the project underneath.

One script for the whole prototype

The embed discovers its own installation path, works across regular pages and observes History API or hash navigation in SPAs.

Responsive context stays attached

Filter pins by the viewport in which they were created, while anchored positions adapt to common responsive layout changes.

Illustrative viewport coverage, not usage analytics.

Context stored with a pin
Viewport	Mobile / Tablet / Desktop
Location	Page + target
State	Open / Resolved

Every project pin in one view

Open the project list, jump to another page and restore the selected conversation automatically.

Conversations, not scattered screenshots

Reply in plain text, refresh a thread, change its status and delete your own feedback when allowed.

Data stays with your prototype

Use SQLite when available or the automatic JSON fallback. Manual backups, protected clearing and a CLI restore tool are included.

Preferred: SQLite
Fallback: JSON + file lock
Delivery: Your server

04 / Installation

Add the review layer in two lines.

Upload the reviewlayer directory, configure the PHP file and place the embed inside the shared <head>. No build command or package install is required.

PHP 8.1 or newer
Writable data and backup directories
Same-origin installation by default

prototype.html

<script src="/reviewlayer/embed.js" data-project="client-site" data-lang="en" defer></script>
<meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow">

The script derives every asset and API address from its own URL.

Technical profile

Small deployment footprint

Layer	Requirement	What it avoids
Server	PHP 8.1+	Node.js runtime and build process
Storage	SQLite or JSON fallback	External database service
Frontend	One deferred embed	Framework integration work
Assets	Self-hosted	CDN and SaaS dependency

05 / Source-available license

Use it in personal and commercial client projects. Keep the terms intact.

ReviewLayer is royalty-free for personal, educational, internal business and client-project use under the ReviewLayer Source-Available License 1.0.

Commercial client work is permitted when ReviewLayer is used as an internal collaboration tool, no separate fee is charged for the software and it is not offered as a standalone product or service.

Read the complete license Created by 2B.Design Web Studio

Permitted

Build, review and adapt

Use it for personal and educational work.
Use it internally and in client projects.
Modify it for those permitted purposes.
Redistribute original or modified copies free of charge.

Conditions

Keep authorship and do not resell it

Keep the complete LICENSE and visible attribution.
Identify redistributed modified copies.
Do not sell, rent, resell or sublicense it for a fee.
Do not offer paid hosted or SaaS access without written permission.

06 / Practical details

Questions before you add the script.

Does ReviewLayer modify the prototype markup?

No. It creates an isolated overlay in Shadow DOM and anchors feedback to elements on the page without rewriting the prototype content.

Do I need MySQL or a SaaS account?

No. SQLite is recommended and selected automatically when available; otherwise ReviewLayer uses its JSON storage fallback. No external SaaS account is required.

Can I use it for paid client work?

Yes, for client-project use under the included license when ReviewLayer remains an internal collaboration tool and no separate fee is charged for the software. Selling it or offering paid hosted access requires separate written permission.

What is this tool not intended for?

It is built for prototype review and small-team collaboration. Its safeguards do not replace a full account, identity and audit system for sensitive or high-risk data.

Keep the next review in context

Put ReviewLayer on your next prototype.

Download the public package, upload one directory and let the page carry its own feedback.

Open ReviewLayer on GitHub Try another pin