# Maui Devflow Debug

> Run build, deploy, inspect, and fix loops for .NET MAUI apps that already have MAUI DevFlow integrated. USE FOR: launching MAUI apps, selecting devices or emulators, waiting for or recovering agent connections, broker/port/adb connectivity issues, visual tree inspection, screenshots, UI interaction, Blazor WebView CDP debugging, reading DevFlow logs, and iterative app debugging. DO NOT USE FOR: first-time DevFlow package setup (use maui-devflow-onboard), or generic desktop automation unrelated to MAUI. INVOKES: maui devflow CLI, dotnet CLI, Android adb/android tools, and Apple simctl tools.

- Skill: `davidortinau/maui-devflow-debug` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 9 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add davidortinau/maui-devflow-debug`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/davidortinau/maui-devflow-debug/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: davidortinau (https://skillmd.com/u/davidortinau)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/davidortinau/maui-devflow-debug

---


# DevFlow Debug

Use this skill for the active debugging loop after a MAUI app has DevFlow
packages and `builder.AddMauiDevFlowAgent()` registered.

## When to Use

- Build and run a MAUI app on Android, iOS, Mac Catalyst, macOS, Windows, or GTK.
- Choose or create a simulator/emulator for a project.
- Wait for a DevFlow agent, inspect the visual tree, tap/fill UI, or capture screenshots.
- Recover from DevFlow connection failures after the app is integrated, including broker, port, and Android adb forwarding issues.
- Debug Blazor Hybrid content through DevFlow WebView/CDP commands.
- Read app logs, network captures, preferences, device info, or recordings through DevFlow.
- Iterate on an app bug with a build -> deploy -> inspect -> fix loop.

## Route Elsewhere

- If DevFlow packages or `MauiProgram.cs` registration are missing, use `maui-devflow-onboard`.
- If the failure is a generic build or SDK issue with no DevFlow angle, use normal .NET/MAUI diagnostics.

## Optional Session Feedback Nudge

If you have retried the same MAUI DevFlow workflow several times, tried multiple
workarounds, or are ending a long DevFlow-assisted debugging session, ask
whether the user wants to run `maui-devflow-session-review` to summarize friction
for MAUI DevFlow product feedback. Do not run it automatically.

## Core Loop

1. Confirm the app is already integrated:

   ```bash
   grep -rl "Microsoft.Maui.DevFlow" --include="*.csproj" .
   ```

   If no project has DevFlow package references, stop and switch to `maui-devflow-onboard`.

2. Pick the target framework and launch target. Do not assume `net10.0`; inspect the project first.

   ```bash
   grep -i "TargetFramework" *.csproj Directory.Build.props 2>/dev/null
   ```

3. Start or select the device/emulator. For Android and iOS, avoid reusing a simulator/emulator that is already running another app under investigation.

4. Launch the app and keep the launch process alive when required.

   - iOS, Android, and Mac Catalyst `dotnet build -t:Run` usually block for the app lifetime.
   - GTK `dotnet run` blocks for the app lifetime.
   - macOS AppKit builds can exit after compiling; launch the `.app` separately.

5. Wait for the DevFlow agent before inspecting UI:

   ```bash
   maui devflow wait
   maui devflow agent status
   maui devflow ui tree --depth 3 --fields "id,type,text,automationId"
   ```

   Treat `agent status` as the runtime truth for reachability and app identity.
   `diagnose` is broader environment state; it can report broker/project details
   without proving the current app is reachable.

   If `wait`, `list`, or `ui tree` cannot connect after the app is running, load `references/connectivity.md` and recover the broker/agent connection before continuing.

6. Prefer AutomationId-first validation for UI flows:

   ```bash
   maui devflow ui query --automationId save-button
   maui devflow ui tap <element-id-from-query>
   ```

   If important controls do not have stable `AutomationId`s, add them before
   relying on text, coordinates, screenshots, or brittle tree positions.

7. Inspect, interact, capture evidence, then edit the app and repeat from launch.

## Critical Anti-patterns

- **Do not trust `wait`/`logs` without confirming WHICH app attached.** With more
  than one DevFlow-enabled MAUI app running on the machine (e.g. another project),
  `maui devflow wait` can attach to the WRONG agent and you will read a different
  app's (or no) logs while everything reports "connected". Before trusting `ui tree`,
  screenshots, or logs, run `maui devflow diagnose` and verify the attached project
  is the one you built. This directly caused a false-pass in
  `scripts/validate-mobile-migrations.sh` on 2026-07-02 (attached to FoundryStudio,
  reported "no errors" while validating nothing). If in doubt, close other DevFlow
  apps first.
- Do not treat an empty `maui devflow list` as proof the project is not integrated. `list` is runtime state; project files are source of truth.
- Do not use arbitrary sleeps after launch. Use `maui devflow wait` to gate on the actual agent connection.
- Do not kill an async `dotnet build -t:Run` or `dotnet run` shell while you still need the app; that often kills the app.
- Do not reuse a busy simulator/emulator when multiple MAUI apps or agents may be running.
- Do not debug Blazor WebView DOM issues through the native visual tree alone; use the WebView/CDP commands.
- Do not drive key app flows by coordinates when AutomationIds are available or can be added.

## Stop Signals

- Stop and switch to `maui-devflow-onboard` when package references or `AddMauiDevFlowAgent()` are absent.
- Stop and ask which project, device, or agent to target when multiple candidates match.
- Stop rebuilding after two identical failures until you inspect the first meaningful build/runtime error.
- Stop using screenshots for exact property values; query the visual tree or properties instead.

## Reference Map

Load these only when needed:

- `references/setup.md` - detailed integration, package, entitlement, and update notes.
- `references/connectivity.md` - broker, agent, port, Android forwarding, and "no agents connected" recovery.
- `references/android.md` - Android SDK, emulator, adb, build, deploy, and port forwarding details.
- `references/ios-and-mac.md` - iOS simulator, Mac Catalyst, permissions, entitlements, and Apple tooling.
- `references/macos.md` - macOS AppKit project shape, launch model, and troubleshooting.
- `references/linux.md` - GTK/Linux launch, packages, and WebKitGTK notes.
- `references/batch.md` - batching multiple DevFlow UI/WebView operations.
- `references/troubleshooting.md` - build, connection, CDP, and platform-specific failure recovery.