Developer tooling for Web Components and Web Component Libraries
Web Component DevTools Extension
Web Component DevTools is aimed at all developers working with Web Components. The tooling provided creates a new Chrome Devtools panel, which allows a quick look at the custom elements on the current page, and enables modification of attributes and properties of said components.
Web Component DevTools utilizes the Custom Elements Manifest (https://github.com/webcomponents/custom-elements-manifest) to analyze the Web Components.
Features:
Web Component DevTools provides advanced features to the developer, straight from the browser's UI to, for example:
- Listing custom elements on the page, and accessible iframes inside the page
- Filtering custom elements on the list
- Inspecting and modifying the attributes of custom elements
- Inspecting and modifying the properties (even objects and arrays) of custom elements
- Observing dispatched events
- Calling functions of the custom element, and logging the return values
- View the source code of web components on page
- Interact directly with web components through the console
Why?
In the process of developing Web Components, wether it be with a library like Lit, or without any kind of library, there comes situtations in which you might want to have a bit more control over your components than what the regular browser devtools gives you.
You might for example want to:
Toggle the Attributes of the element
Toggle the Properties of the element
Monitor when events get dispatched from the element
Call functions
And when you're working with Web Components, Shadow DOM usually is present, making it fairly difficult to find the path to the element. And even if you got the path, having to write document.querySelector(\"my-selector-string > element-name\").setAttribute(\"my-attr\", \"foo\") every time you want to modify a value is quite cumbersome.
For this use case the Web Components DevTools were created: To enable the developer to easily modify the attributes, properties and therefore state of their element straight from the devtools window with the click of a button.
Issues:
Any issues you run into while using the DevTools should be submitted to the GitHub Repository (https://github.com/Matsuuu/web-component-devtools/issues).
Source Manifest.json
How to download and manually install Web Component DevTools extension for Chrome
Looking for a way to install Web Component DevTools extensions for Chrome, you can search for them in the Chrome Web Store, clicking the "Add to Chrome" button, and following the straightforward process.
However, you may need to install Web Component DevTools extensions manually, this article outlines two simple methods to effortlessly install Web Component DevTools extensions, whether they come as unpacked folders in compressed formats like .zip or as .crx files.
Method 1: Download Web Component DevTools extension and manually install through Drag &Drop
If you ever need to manually install a Web Component DevTools extension for Chrome, don't worry, it's a simple process. Just follow these easy steps, and you will have your extension ready to use in no time.
Step 1: Download the Web Component DevTools Extension by clicking the "Download CRX" button on the website.
Look for the Web Component DevTools extension you wish to install. Go to the website and download the Web Component DevTools extension package, which is usually a .CRX file and comes in a zipped file. Here ".crx" file is the format for Web Component DevTools extension that contains all the data.
Step 2: Extract &Arrange Files
Once the file is downloaded, extract that file into its own folder. Similarly, give that extension files a permanent home. In other words, keep it in a folder that you don't accidentally delete it because these files will be needed to make that extension work.
Step 3: Go to the Chrome Extensions Page
Open Google Chrome and in the address bar, type chrome://extensions; it will open the Google Chrome extensions page. Make sure that "My extensions" is selected in the sidebar.
Step 4: Drag and Drop the Extension
Now, go to the folder where you extracted the Web Component DevTools extension and drag &drop the extension file from there anywhere onto the extension page within Google Chrome.
Step 5: Complete the Installation
Once you drag and drop the extension file, follow the steps that Google Chrome takes you through. Similarly, if the extension file is of .crx file format, you will be required to review the permissions and then add the extension.
Now, you can manage that added extension as you would like to with any other Chrome extension that you added through Chrome Webstore. Its icon will also appear in the Google Chrome Menu on the right side of the address bar once you activate it.
Method 2: Download Web Component DevTools extension for Chrome and install in Developer Mode
This is another method to install Web Component DevTools extension manually, but the twist is that here, you install by enabling the developer mode option provided in Google Chrome. This mode is commonly used for testing extensions or running unpublished tools.
Step 1: Download the Web Component DevTools extension file
Select and download the Web Component DevTools extension by clicking the 'Download CRX' button on the website.
Step 2: Extract the downloaded contents
Convert the file to a ZIP file if it is in CRX format then extract the Web Component DevTools extension zip file or folder that you downloaded. Make sure you extract it using the same folder name and keep it safely in another folder, so you don't delete it by mistake. The extracted folder will be needed to keep your Web Component DevTools extension running.
Step 3: Open Chrome Extension Setting Page
In the address bar of Google Chrome, type chrome://extensions and open the Chrome Extension Page.
Step 4: Enable Developer Mode
After opening the Chrome Extension page, look at the top right side, and you will find the toggle option of "Developer mode."Simply enable that developer mode option.
Step 5: Load the Unpacked Extension
Once you enable the developer mode option, you will see the menu of Load Unpacked, Pack Extensions and Update. From that, select the option "Load unpacked."
Step 6: Select the Extension Folder
Once the pop-up opens upon clicking Load unpacked, select the Web Component DevTools extension directory and click on the "Select Folder "button.
Step 7: Confirm and Install
After you select an extension folder of a Google Chrome extension you're installing manually, confirm its installation for the final time and let the installation complete.
Conclusion
Here we've made a step-by-step guide on How to manually install Web Component DevTools extension in 2 ways. We hope this guide proves helpful.
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User reviews
Arturo Guillén (ID: 0000006d0fa94ed7) Voted 5 ★ - Updated 07/13/2021
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