chrome-devtools

name: chrome-devtools description: Uses Chrome DevTools via MCP for efficient debugging, troubleshooting and browser automation. Use when debugging web pages, automating browser interactions, analyzing performance, or inspecting network requests. This skill does not apply to --slim mode (MCP configuration).

Core Concepts

Browser lifecycle: Browser starts automatically on first tool call using a persistent Chrome profile. Configure via CLI args in the MCP server configuration: npx chrome-devtools-mcp@latest --help. Addional tooling can be enabled by providing the following flags:

• For extension tooling, use the --categoryExtensions flag.
• For memory tooling, use the --memoryDebugging flag.

Page selection: Tools operate on the currently selected page. Use list_pages to see available pages, then select_page to switch context. Element interaction: Use take_snapshot to get page structure with element uids. Each element has a unique uid for interaction. If an element isn't found, take a fresh snapshot - the element may have been removed or the page changed.

Workflow Patterns

Before interacting with a page

1. Navigate: navigate_page or new_page
2. Wait: wait_for to ensure content is loaded if you know what you look for.
3. Snapshot: take_snapshot to understand page structure
4. Interact: Use element uids from snapshot for click, fill, etc.

Efficient data retrieval

• Use filePath parameter for large outputs (screenshots, snapshots, traces)
• Use pagination (pageIdx, pageSize) and filtering (types) to minimize data
• Set includeSnapshot: false on input actions unless you need updated page state

Tool selection

• Automation/interaction: take_snapshot (text-based, faster, better for automation)
• Visual inspection: take_screenshot (when user needs to see visual state)
• Additional details: evaluate_script for data not in accessibility tree

Parallel execution

You can send multiple tool calls in parallel, but maintain correct order: navigate → wait → snapshot → interact.

Testing an extension

Before proceeding: Extension tools (install_extension, list_extensions, etc.) are only available when the MCP server is started with the --categoryExtensions flag. If these tools are not in your tool list, stop and ask the user to update their MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chrome-devtools": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["chrome-devtools-mcp@latest", "--categoryExtensions"]
    }
  }
}

After updating, the user must restart the MCP server (or their AI client) for the change to take effect.

1. Install: Use install_extension with the path to the unpacked extension.
2. Identify: Get the extension ID from the response or by calling list_extensions.
3. Trigger Action: Use trigger_extension_action to open the popup or side panel if applicable.
4. Verify Service Worker: Use evaluate_script with serviceWorkerId to check extension state or trigger background actions.
5. Verify Page Behavior: Navigate to a page where the extension operates and use take_snapshot to check if content scripts injected elements or modified the page correctly.

Troubleshooting

If chrome-devtools-mcp is insufficient, guide users to use Chrome DevTools UI:

• https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools
• https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/ai-assistance

If there are errors launching chrome-devtools-mcp or Chrome, refer to https://github.com/ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp/blob/main/docs/troubleshooting.md.