launch dedicated DevTools for Node.js from command-line

Question

I wondering how to launch "Open dedicated DevTools for Node" directly from the (windows or linux) command-line, without using chrome://inspect url then Open dedicated DevTools for Node button ?

My aim is to automatically run debugger for node.js:

launchDedicatedDevToolsForNode();
require('inspector').open(null, null, true); // sync
debugger;

note:
The underlying command, just behind the click handler of "Open dedicated DevTools for Node" link is:

chrome.send("open-node-frontend")

Timisoara

Check out this answer #12213004 – Brock

unfortunately, question 12212504 is not about node.js – Timisoara

Answer 1

You have to write your extension on chrome and run the command there

chrome.send("open-node-frontend")

Volley

Answer 2

Start your Node.js application with the --inspect flag:

node --inspect your-script.js

other then (another Method) you use to automate the process of opening the dedicated DevTools for Node.js, you can use the chrome-remote-interface NPM package to communicate with the Chrome instance and open the Node.js DevTools

Adversative

Answer 3

Chrome provides argument --auto-open-devtools-for-tabs to open the developer tools via cli.

Inorder to run dedicated dev tools via node.js process, Use child_process execFile() method. Check out the following snippet.

const execFile = require('child_process').execFileSync;

function launchChrome(path, hostUrl) {
    try {
        let args = [];
        args.push(hostUrl);
        args.push('--auto-open-devtools-for-tabs'); 
        execFile(path, args);
    } catch (error) {
        console.log(error)
    }
}

//launchChrome(`C:/Program Files (x86)/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe`, '127.0.0.1:8000');

Note: Tested and working in Windows

Brock

Your answer is for opening "web" devTools, my aim is to open "dedicated DevTools for Node" to debug the node.js program – Timisoara

Just for understanding, VS Code and Webstorm already having debug mode right. What is the differnce between them and "dedicated DevTools for Node" ? – Brock

You can open devTools to debug the web page (F12) and you can open devTools to debug running node.js programs (chrome://inspect then click "Open dedicated DevTools for Node" – Timisoara

Hey @FranckFreiburger chrome://inspect then click "Open dedicated DevTools for Node" -> Did you find a quicker way to do this? – Semibreve