Output to Chrome console from Node.js

Question

I\'m looking for a way to output Node variables directly into the google chrome browser console. The same way a console.log() works on the client side. Somethin

Answer 1

You can use bonsole, a simple way to log something in browser. Even in Linux, you can go to the LAN's ip to check it.

Answer 2

For users with nodejs on linux via ssh-shell (putty):

Problem with nodejs on linux-ssh-shell is, that you have no browser connected. I tried all this solutions, but didnt get it to work.

So i worked out a solution with firebase (https://firebase.google.com), because my project uses firebase. If you are familiar with firebase, than this is a great way. If not, firebase is worth using in combination with nodejs - and its free!

In the server-side-script (started with node) use a own function log():

// server-side:
// using new firebase v3 !
var fbRootRef = firebase.database();
var fbConsoleRef = fbRootRef.ref("/console");
var log = function(args) {
  fbConsoleRef.set({'obj': args});
}

// inside your server-code:
log({'key':'value'});

On client-side you create a firebase-reference on this console-object:

// client side:
fbRootRef.child('/console').on('value', function(d) {
  var v = d.val();
  console.log(v);
});

Now everything logged on server-side with the log() - function is transferred in realtime to the firebase-database and from there triggering the client-console-reference and logged into the browsers console.

If anyone needs help, i will explain in more detail and could give a more extended version of this logging with types (console./log/warn/info), grouping with title-info (i.e. server says: (filename + line).

Setting up firebase for your project is done in max 30 minutes, inserting the console-function in 30 minutes. I think its worth the time!

Answer 3

The closest thing to this I've seen is Node JS console object debug inspector

See this post for usage and potential issues: http://thomashunter.name/blog/nodejs-console-object-debug-inspector/

Answer 4

I know it's an old question but came on top of my Google search so maybe somebody will find my answer useful.

So you can use node --inspect-brk index.js

Now, all you have to do is basically just type chrome://inspect in your Chrome address bar and click Open dedicated DevTools for Node

In DevTools, now connected to Node, you’ll have all the Chrome DevTools features you’re used to:

• Complete breakpoint debugging, stepping w/ blackboxing

• Source maps for transpiled code

• LiveEdit: JavaScript hot-swap evaluation w/ V8

• Console evaluation with ES6 feature/object support and custom object formatting

• Sampling JavaScript profiler w/ flamechart

• Heap snapshot inspection, heap allocation timeline, allocation profiling

• Asynchronous stacks for native promises

Hope that helped.

Answer 5

You might want to try NodeMonkey - https://github.com/jwarkentin/node-monkey

Answer 6

NOTE: Since the old answer (written in september 2014) refers to an older version of node-inspector, my instructions are not relevant anymore in 2017. Also, the documentation has gotten a lot better, so I have updated my original answer:

node-inspector is what you need. It opens up an instance of Chrome with its developer tools for debugging.

It's also easy to use:

1. Install

$ npm install -g node-inspector

2. Start

$ node-debug app.js

Source: https://github.com/node-inspector/node-inspector