tomevault-io Console Debugging Skill
Systematic approach to analyzing browser console messages using Chrome DevTools MCP.
Console Message Categories
Error Messages (Highest Priority)
| Type | Example | Typical Cause |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript Error | Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'x' of undefined |
Null reference |
| Network Error | Failed to load resource: net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED |
API unavailable |
| CORS Error | Access-Control-Allow-Origin |
Backend configuration |
| CSP Error | Content Security Policy |
Security restriction |
| Syntax Error | SyntaxError: Unexpected token |
Invalid JavaScript |
| Reference Error | ReferenceError: x is not defined |
Undefined variable |
Warning Messages (Medium Priority)
| Type | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Deprecation | 'componentWillMount' is deprecated |
Plan migration |
| Performance | Long task took 200ms |
Optimize |
| Security | Insecure form submission |
Fix HTTPS |
| Mixed Content | Mixed Content: loading HTTP on HTTPS |
Update resource URLs |
Info/Log Messages (Context)
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Debug output | Developer console.log statements |
| Library info | Framework initialization messages |
| Analytics | Tracking events |
| State changes | Application state updates |
Analysis Workflow
1. Collect Console Messages
Use Chrome DevTools MCP to list all console messages:
Tool: mcp__chrome-devtools__list_console_messages
Parameters: { "level": "error" } // or "warning", "info", "debug"
2. Filter by Severity
Start with errors, then warnings:
- Errors first - These break functionality
- Warnings second - These indicate problems
- Info last - These provide context
3. Group by Source
Categorize errors by their origin:
- Application code - Your own JavaScript
- Third-party libraries - External dependencies
- Browser/extension - Not your code
- Network - API/resource failures
4. Stack Trace Analysis
For JavaScript errors, analyze the stack trace:
Error: Cannot read property 'id' of undefined
at UserComponent.render (UserComponent.js:45)
at processChild (react-dom.js:1234)
at reconcileChildren (react-dom.js:5678)
- First line: Error type and message
- Second line: Where error occurred (your code)
- Following lines: Call stack (often framework code)
5. Timing Correlation
Note when errors occur:
- On page load?
- After user action?
- After API response?
- Periodically (interval/timeout)?
Common JavaScript Errors Reference
TypeError
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Cannot read property 'x' of undefined |
Accessing property on undefined | Add null check |
Cannot read property 'x' of null |
Accessing property on null | Add null check |
x is not a function |
Calling non-function as function | Check variable type |
Cannot set property 'x' of undefined |
Setting property on undefined | Initialize object first |
ReferenceError
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
x is not defined |
Using undefined variable | Declare variable or check spelling |
Cannot access 'x' before initialization |
Temporal dead zone (let/const) | Move declaration above usage |
SyntaxError
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Unexpected token |
Invalid syntax | Check for missing brackets/quotes |
Unexpected identifier |
Missing operator or keyword | Review line for typos |
NetworkError
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED |
Server not running | Start server or check URL |
net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED |
DNS failure | Check domain spelling |
net::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID |
SSL certificate issue | Fix certificate or bypass in dev |
Error Prioritization Matrix
| Severity | Impact | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | App crashes, data loss | Immediate fix |
| High | Feature broken | Fix before release |
| Medium | Degraded experience | Fix in next sprint |
| Low | Cosmetic issue | Track for later |
Debugging Report Template
## Console Debugging Report
**URL**: [page URL]
**Date**: [timestamp]
**Browser**: [browser version]
### Summary
- Total Errors: X
- Total Warnings: Y
- Critical Issues: Z
### Critical Errors
| Error | Location | Frequency | Impact |
|-------|----------|-----------|--------|
| [error message] | [file:line] | [count] | [description] |
### Stack Trace Analysis
#### Error 1: [title]
**Message**: [full error message]
**Stack Trace**:
[stack trace]
**Root Cause**: [analysis]
**Suggested Fix**: [recommendation]
### Warnings to Address
| Warning | Source | Recommendation |
|---------|--------|----------------|
| [warning] | [source] | [action] |
### Next Steps
1. [prioritized action 1]
2. [prioritized action 2]
Integration with Network Inspection
Console errors often correlate with network issues:
- Failed API call -> Console shows error about missing data
- CORS blocked -> Console shows CORS error + network 0 status
- JSON parse error -> Network returned invalid JSON
Use network-inspection skill alongside for comprehensive debugging.
Best Practices
- Reproduce consistently - Ensure error can be triggered reliably
- Document exact steps - Note what user action causes the error
- Capture timestamps - When did the error first appear?
- Check multiple browsers - Is it browser-specific?
- Review recent changes - What changed before error started?
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