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IVG-Design edited this page Sep 22, 2025 · 2 revisions

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Q: What is DevMirror? A: DevMirror is a VS Code extension that captures browser console output to timestamped log files using Chrome DevTools Protocol via Puppeteer-core.

Q: Which browsers are supported? A: Chrome, Chromium, Edge, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers. Firefox is not supported as it uses a different protocol.

Q: Does it work with Adobe CEP extensions? A: Yes, use CEF mode with the debug port from your .debug file.

Installation & Setup

Q: Do I need to install devmirror-cli separately? A: No, the extension automatically creates a wrapper in your project's node_modules/.bin/ that links to the CLI bundled with the extension.

Q: What is puppeteer-core and why is it needed? A: Puppeteer-core is a library that controls Chrome via DevTools Protocol. DevMirror uses it to connect to your browser and capture console output. It will be installed automatically when needed.

Q: Can I use this without VS Code? A: No, DevMirror is a VS Code extension. The CLI component requires the extension to be installed.

Configuration

Q: Where is the configuration stored? A: In devmirror.config.json in your project root.

Q: Can I filter which logs are captured? A: Currently, basic throttling is supported to prevent log flooding. Advanced filtering is planned for future releases.

Q: How do I change the output directory? A: Edit outputDir in devmirror.config.json.

Q: Can I use a different Chrome installation? A: Yes, specify the path in chromePath in your config file.

Usage

Q: Why does a browser window open? A: In CDP mode, DevMirror launches Chrome with DevTools to capture console output. The browser window is necessary for the connection.

Q: Can I close the browser window? A: No, closing the browser stops the console capture. Minimize it instead.

Q: What are the :mirror scripts? A: DevMirror creates modified versions of your scripts (with :mirror suffix) that run DevMirror alongside your development server.

Q: How do I stop capturing? A: Press Ctrl+C in the terminal or use the "DevMirror: Stop Capture" command.

Troubleshooting

Q: My script uses ES modules and fails A: The background script created for interactive CLIs uses ES module syntax. Ensure your package.json has "type": "module" if using ES modules.

Q: Logs aren't appearing A: Check that:

  1. Chrome/Chromium is installed
  2. Your dev server is running
  3. The correct port is configured
  4. No firewall is blocking connections

Q: Getting "port already in use" error A: Another process is using the debug port. Either stop that process or configure a different port.

Q: DevMirror can't find Chrome A: Specify the exact path to Chrome in chromePath in your config file.

Features

Q: Can I capture Node.js console output? A: Not yet. Node.js debugging support is planned for a future release.

Q: Is there an API for other extensions? A: Not currently. The extension API is planned for future development.

Q: Can I export logs in different formats? A: Logs are currently saved as plain text files. Other formats may be added in the future.

Q: Does it work with remote development? A: It should work if ports are properly forwarded. Ensure the debug port is accessible.

Performance

Q: Does DevMirror slow down my application? A: The performance impact is minimal. DevMirror runs as a separate process and writes logs asynchronously.

Q: How are large log volumes handled? A: DevMirror includes throttling (configurable in config) and creates new log files at 50MB.

Q: Can I disable certain log types? A: Not currently, but this feature is planned.

Privacy

Q: Is any data sent externally? A: No, all logs are stored locally on your machine. DevMirror does not send any data to external servers.

Q: Are logs encrypted? A: No, logs are stored as plain text files in your specified output directory.


For more help, visit: https://github.com/ivg-design/devMirror/issues

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