---
name: chrome-devtools-69a65d0276dd
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 targeting**: Page-scoped tools require a `pageId` parameter to target a specific page. Use `list_pages` to see available pages and their IDs (e.g. `pageId: 1`), or use the ID returned when creating a page with `new_page`.
Note: For `evaluate_script`, `pageId` is required when targeting pages. However, when `--categoryExtensions` is enabled, `pageId` is optional so you can pass `serviceWorkerId` instead to evaluate inside an extension background service worker.
**Element interaction**: Use `take_snapshot` to get page structure with element `uid`s. 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` with `pageId` to understand page structure
4. Interact: Use element `uid`s from snapshot for `click`, `fill`, etc., passing the corresponding `pageId`.

### 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)
- **CSS & Styling inspection**: Use `get_css_styles` to inspect matched rules, cascade, and CSS variables. Treat the output as authoritative and complete.
- **Additional details**: Use `evaluate_script` for runtime DOM/JS data not available via `get_css_styles` or `take_snapshot`.

### 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:
>
> ```json
> {
>   "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` (omitting `pageId` and `args`) to check extension state or trigger background actions. When evaluating in a page, pass `pageId` (omitting `serviceWorkerId`).
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.


---
Source attribution: ChromeDevTools
Original project: https://github.com/ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gabriel Moreira

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: ChromeDevTools
Original project: https://github.com/ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp
Attribution basis: Upstream repository explicitly recorded in package mirror path

Fields of work: Development & Engineering
Roles: DevOps / SRE, Frontend Developer, QA / Test Engineer
Specialties: API, Backend, Frontend, Git, Testing
Tools: Chrome Devtools
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 6a1d256305016ba5802ca77d5cd6c493ac6c319d8dd8cb796d264577d023b4dd