claudegoodies
Skill

node-inspect-debugger

From NousResearch

Debug Node.js via --inspect + Chrome DevTools Protocol CLI.

Facts

Repository
NousResearch/hermes-agent
Status
Actively maintained
Last commit
Source file
skills/software-development/node-inspect-debugger/SKILL.md

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The instructions Claude Code reads when this skill runs.

# Node.js Inspect Debugger

## Overview

When `console.log` isn't enough, drive Node's built-in V8 inspector programmatically from the terminal. You get real breakpoints, step in/over/out, call-stack walking, local/closure scope dumps, and arbitrary expression evaluation in the paused frame.

Two tools, pick one:

- **`node inspect`** — built-in, zero install, CLI REPL. Best for quick poking.
- **`ndb` / CDP via `chrome-remote-interface`** — scriptable from Node/Python; best when you want to automate many breakpoints, collect state across runs, or debug non-interactively from an agent loop.

**Prefer `node inspect` first.** It's always available and the REPL is fast.

## When to Use

- A Node test fails and you need to see intermediate state
- ui-tui crashes or behaves wrong and you want to inspect React/Ink state pre-render
- tui_gateway child processes (`_SlashWorker`, PTY bridge workers) misbehave
- You need to inspect a value in a closure that `console.log` can't reach without patching
- Perf: attach to a running process to capture a CPU profile or heap snapshot

**Don't use for:** things `console.log` solves in under a minute. Breakpoint-driven debugging is heavier; use it when the payoff is real.

## Quick Reference: `node inspect` REPL

Launch paused on first line:

```bash
node inspect path/to/script.js
# or with tsx
node --inspect-brk $(which tsx) path/to/script.ts
```
View full source on GitHub →

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