diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5396b94a..d5afd046 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 *~
 node_modules
+.preview
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4c6e2017..9d32340b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ website will not be available.
 If a commit is meant to be backported to a stable branch, it must be
 labelled with `backport/v1.20`, `backport/v1.19`, etc.
 
+### Previewing changes
+
+Run `pnpm run preview` to clone the [website repo](https://codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo)
+and launch a local development server. The current docs branch will be opened in the browser.
+
+Modifications can be made to the docs while the dev server is running, and the preview will live-reload.
+
 ### Links
 
 All internal links within the documentation content should be relative to each page's path
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 97e9a73a..93737fa6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "license": "CC-BY-SA-4.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
+    "preview": "./scripts/preview.sh",
     "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
     "lint:remark": "remark . --quiet --frail",
     "lint:prettier": "prettier --check .",
diff --git a/scripts/preview.sh b/scripts/preview.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..440df8b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/preview.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+current_branch=$(git branch --show-current)
+repo_path=$(pwd)
+
+# Clone the website repo, or make sure the current clone is up to date
+if [ ! -e "./.preview" ];then
+	git clone https://codeberg.org/forgejo/website.git .preview
+	cd .preview
+else
+	cd .preview
+	git checkout main
+	git pull
+fi
+
+# make sure the docs content of the website is up to date
+git submodule update --remote
+
+# install the website dependencies
+pnpm install
+
+# symlink the current docs branch from the website content repo
+rm -rf ./src/content/docs/$current_branch
+mkdir -p $(dirname ./src/content/docs/$current_branch)  # in case of branch names with slashes
+ln -s $repo_path/docs/ ./src/content/docs/$current_branch
+
+rm -rf ./public/images/$current_branch
+mkdir -p $(dirname ./src/content/images/$current_branch)  # in case of branch names with slashes
+ln -s $repo_path/images/ ./public/images/$current_branch
+
+# once the dev server is running, open the current docs branch in the browser
+sleep 3 && open http://localhost:3000/docs/$current_branch/ &
+
+# start the dev server
+pnpm run dev