What problem does it solve?
When console.log debugging is insufficient for Node.js applications—such as when you need to inspect closure-scoped variables, step through async execution flows, or debug pre-render state in TUI apps—this skill eliminates time-consuming trial-and-error by providing direct access to Node's built-in V8 inspector and Chrome DevTools Protocol.
Core Features & Use Cases
- Interactive CLI Debugging: Use the zero-install
node inspect REPL to set breakpoints, step through code, walk call stacks, and inspect local/closure scope variables for ad-hoc debugging sessions.
- Automated CDP Debugging: Script breakpoint setup, state collection, and non-interactive debugging via
chrome-remote-interface for agent loops, complex reproduction steps, or bulk state capture across runs.
- Hermes Ecosystem Support: Includes pre-built workflows for debugging Ink-based TUI components,
_SlashWorker child processes, and Vitest test runs, with guidance for attaching to running processes and capturing performance profiles.
- Use Case Example: If your Hermes ui-tui component renders incorrect state, use this skill to pause execution pre-render and inspect closure variables that console.log cannot reach without code patching.
Quick Start
Use the node-inspect-debugger skill to attach a debugger to your running Node.js script, set a breakpoint at the line where the unexpected value is generated, and inspect the local and closure scope variables to identify the root cause of the issue.
