Chrome DevTools Debug Companion
Contract
Prereqs:
mcp_servers.chrome-devtools must be available and connectable.
- A reproducible target flow (URL + steps) or existing evidence from Playwright (trace, screenshot, failing step, error message).
Inputs:
- Target URL/environment and reproduction steps.
- Problem signal (error text, failing UI behavior, network symptom, performance symptom, or flaky step).
- Optional Playwright artifacts (trace/video/screenshot/log) to narrow investigation.
Outputs:
- A root-cause oriented debug summary backed by observed browser evidence.
- Actionable remediation suggestions and a Playwright follow-up check list.
Exit codes:
- N/A (interactive MCP workflow; no repo scripts)
Failure modes:
mcp_servers.chrome-devtools is missing/unavailable/times out (must stop and report; no non-browser fallback).
- The issue cannot be reproduced in a comparable environment (auth walls, feature flags, data dependency, geo/device mismatch).
Purpose
- This skill is no longer a site-search workflow.
- It is a Chrome-focused debug companion that complements Playwright by exposing low-level runtime evidence during investigation.
Playwright vs DevTools (Decision Table)
| Situation |
Primary tool |
Companion tool |
Why |
| Deterministic user-flow regression in CI |
Playwright |
DevTools only when needed |
Playwright gives stable, repeatable end-to-end verification. |
| Chrome-only bug (rendering, runtime, extension, CSP, cache, service worker) |
DevTools |
Playwright |
DevTools offers deeper Chrome runtime visibility. |
| Flaky step found in Playwright |
Playwright + DevTools |
Both required |
Use Playwright to isolate failing step and DevTools to inspect live runtime causes. |
| Performance triage for Chromium path |
DevTools |
Playwright |
DevTools provides network/runtime timing detail; Playwright confirms regression checks. |
Workflow
Start from reproducible evidence
- Prefer existing Playwright evidence first (failed step, trace, screenshot, error text).
- If no evidence exists, ask for URL + exact reproduction steps before debugging.
Reproduce in mcp_servers.chrome-devtools
- Open the target page and replay the smallest flow that still reproduces the issue.
- Keep one tab dedicated to reproduction and one tab for comparison (baseline route or prior state) when useful.
Capture layered diagnostics
- Console: errors/warnings with message, stack, and repeat count.
- Network: failed/slow requests, status codes, response headers, payload clues, and request initiator chain.
- Rendering/UI: DOM state, computed style, layout shifts, visibility/overlap issues, and event-target mismatches.
- Runtime/perf: long tasks, waterfall bottlenecks, resource contention, and script hotspots.
- Storage/session context: cookies, local/session storage, cache/service worker side effects when relevant.
Isolate root cause
- Validate one hypothesis at a time (for example: blocked API, race condition, stale cache, CSS stacking context, hydration mismatch).
- Prefer smallest reversible toggles and record what changed and what did not.
Hand off fix guidance + verification plan
- Provide root cause statement, impacted scope, suggested fix direction, and residual risk.
- Include Playwright follow-up checks to prevent regressions after the fix.
Command Patterns
Use these concise prompt patterns when running the skill:
Open <url> in chrome-devtools, reproduce <issue>, then list console errors with stack traces.
Inspect network for <failing action>; return failed/slow requests with method, status, URL, and initiator.
Diagnose why <element/interaction> fails: verify DOM presence, computed style, overlap, and event target path.
Profile page load for <route>; report largest bottlenecks and one prioritized optimization candidate.
Guardrails
- Do not position this skill as a Playwright replacement; use it as a diagnostic complement.
- Do not claim a root cause without direct browser evidence observed during this run.
- If reproducing requires sensitive data or privileged access, ask for safe redaction/approval boundaries first.
- If MCP browser control is unavailable, stop and report the exact blocker and next enablement step.
Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.
1---2name: graysurf-agent-kit-chrome-devtools-debug-companion3description: Chrome DevTools Debug Companion4---56# Chrome DevTools Debug Companion78## Contract910Prereqs:1112- `mcp_servers.chrome-devtools` must be available and connectable.13- A reproducible target flow (URL + steps) or existing evidence from Playwright (trace, screenshot, failing step, error message).1415Inputs:1617- Target URL/environment and reproduction steps.18- Problem signal (error text, failing UI behavior, network symptom, performance symptom, or flaky step).19- Optional Playwright artifacts (trace/video/screenshot/log) to narrow investigation.2021Outputs:2223- A root-cause oriented debug summary backed by observed browser evidence.24- Actionable remediation suggestions and a Playwright follow-up check list.2526Exit codes:2728- N/A (interactive MCP workflow; no repo scripts)2930Failure modes:3132- `mcp_servers.chrome-devtools` is missing/unavailable/times out (must stop and report; no non-browser fallback).33- The issue cannot be reproduced in a comparable environment (auth walls, feature flags, data dependency, geo/device mismatch).3435## Purpose3637- This skill is no longer a site-search workflow.38- It is a Chrome-focused debug companion that complements Playwright by exposing low-level runtime evidence during investigation.3940## Playwright vs DevTools (Decision Table)4142| Situation | Primary tool | Companion tool | Why |43| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |44| Deterministic user-flow regression in CI | Playwright | DevTools only when needed | Playwright gives stable, repeatable end-to-end verification. |45| Chrome-only bug (rendering, runtime, extension, CSP, cache, service worker) | DevTools | Playwright | DevTools offers deeper Chrome runtime visibility. |46| Flaky step found in Playwright | Playwright + DevTools | Both required | Use Playwright to isolate failing step and DevTools to inspect live runtime causes. |47| Performance triage for Chromium path | DevTools | Playwright | DevTools provides network/runtime timing detail; Playwright confirms regression checks. |4849## Workflow50511. **Start from reproducible evidence**52 - Prefer existing Playwright evidence first (failed step, trace, screenshot, error text).53 - If no evidence exists, ask for URL + exact reproduction steps before debugging.54552. **Reproduce in `mcp_servers.chrome-devtools`**56 - Open the target page and replay the smallest flow that still reproduces the issue.57 - Keep one tab dedicated to reproduction and one tab for comparison (baseline route or prior state) when useful.58593. **Capture layered diagnostics**60 - Console: errors/warnings with message, stack, and repeat count.61 - Network: failed/slow requests, status codes, response headers, payload clues, and request initiator chain.62 - Rendering/UI: DOM state, computed style, layout shifts, visibility/overlap issues, and event-target mismatches.63 - Runtime/perf: long tasks, waterfall bottlenecks, resource contention, and script hotspots.64 - Storage/session context: cookies, local/session storage, cache/service worker side effects when relevant.65664. **Isolate root cause**67 - Validate one hypothesis at a time (for example: blocked API, race condition, stale cache, CSS stacking context, hydration mismatch).68 - Prefer smallest reversible toggles and record what changed and what did not.69705. **Hand off fix guidance + verification plan**71 - Provide root cause statement, impacted scope, suggested fix direction, and residual risk.72 - Include Playwright follow-up checks to prevent regressions after the fix.7374## Command Patterns7576Use these concise prompt patterns when running the skill:7778```text79Open <url> in chrome-devtools, reproduce <issue>, then list console errors with stack traces.80```8182```text83Inspect network for <failing action>; return failed/slow requests with method, status, URL, and initiator.84```8586```text87Diagnose why <element/interaction> fails: verify DOM presence, computed style, overlap, and event target path.88```8990```text91Profile page load for <route>; report largest bottlenecks and one prioritized optimization candidate.92```9394## Guardrails9596- Do not position this skill as a Playwright replacement; use it as a diagnostic complement.97- Do not claim a root cause without direct browser evidence observed during this run.98- If reproducing requires sensitive data or privileged access, ask for safe redaction/approval boundaries first.99- If MCP browser control is unavailable, stop and report the exact blocker and next enablement step.100101---102> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/graysurf) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.103<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-13 -->