Simple Commenter

Product Introduction

1. Simple Commenter is a visual feedback tool that enables clients and teams to leave contextual comments directly on live websites through an intuitive browser-based interface. The tool operates through three distinct modes (Disabled, View, and Add New Comments) to balance feedback collection with normal website interaction.
2. The core value lies in eliminating fragmented communication by providing pixel-specific annotations with automatic element detection, reducing misinterpretation between developers and non-technical stakeholders. It achieves this through a 12KB script implementation that works across all CMS platforms without requiring API configurations or complex permissions.

Main Features

1. The tool offers real-time element-specific feedback collection through CSS selector-based anchoring, automatically capturing browser metadata (OS, viewport size, browser type) with each comment for precise reproduction of client environments. Comments persist through page reloads using localStorage synchronization until manually resolved.
2. Clients can upload image replacements (JPG/PNG/SVG) and PDF attachments directly through the comment interface, with automatic file compression to WebP format and storage management through AWS S3-compatible buckets. File attachments support version control through timestamped uploads visible in the comment thread.
3. Integration with project management systems occurs through webhooks that transmit comment data as JSON payloads containing element coordinates (xPath/CSS selector), screenshot thumbnails, and user metadata. Pre-built templates exist for Jira, Trello, and Slack, with custom webhook configurations supporting Zapier middleware.

Problems Solved

1. Eliminates screenshot-laden email chains and PDF markups by providing contextual feedback anchored directly to DOM elements, ensuring developers receive precise locational context for requested changes. The system automatically tracks comment status (new/open/resolved) through a color-coded tagging system visible in both the UI and webhook exports.
2. Primarily serves web development agencies managing client approvals and in-house teams handling QA for progressive web applications. Secondary users include marketing teams collecting stakeholder feedback on landing page variants during A/B testing phases.
3. Typical implementation scenarios include WordPress theme customization projects where clients request font adjustments, e-commerce product page optimizations requiring button placement feedback, and web application debugging where testers need to document UI inconsistencies across browser environments.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike markup.io and BugHerd, Simple Commenter uses a non-intrusive script implementation (1.2s median load time impact) without requiring iFrame injections or browser extensions. The tool maintains full functionality on password-protected staging environments and localhost development instances through domain whitelisting.
2. Innovative features include client-side rendering of comment threads through a WebGL-powered overlay that maintains 60fps performance during scrolling, and automatic element collision detection that repositions comment pins when DOM changes occur during CMS content updates.
3. Competitive differentiation stems from GDPR-compliant EU-based data hosting, per-domain pricing rather than user seat licenses, and client access controls through SHA-256 hashed URL tokens that prevent unauthorized feedback submission without requiring user accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does Simple Commenter handle dynamic content in SPAs like React or Vue? The tool uses MutationObserver API to track DOM changes, automatically repositioning comment pins when elements move and archiving comments related to removed elements to a separate "orphaned comments" view.
2. Can we restrict client access to specific website sections? Yes, through CSS selector allowlists in the script configuration that limit commentable areas to predefined classes/IDs, combined with IP range restrictions enforceable through the web dashboard's access control rules.
3. What happens to comments during website redeploys or CMS updates? The system automatically attempts comment recovery through CSS selector matching, with a fallback manual repositioning tool that shows element outlines from the original comment screenshot for visual realignment.