Agent skill · software engineering · steipete
node-inspect-debugger
Debug Node.js with node inspect, --inspect, breakpoints, CDP, heap, and CPU profiles.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific commands and patterns for debugging Node.js applications that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires node installed locally. About 2k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 385,400 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Node Inspect Debugger Use for Node.js debugging that needs inspector access: hidden locals, async hangs, flaky tests, child processes, startup races, memory growth, or CPU hot paths. Default to node inspect first. Use Chrome DevTools Protocol only when you need scripted breakpoints, automated state capture, heap snapshots, or CPU profiles. Quick start Pause on entry: node inspect path/to/script.js TypeScript: node --inspect-brk --import tsx path/to/script.ts Existing PID: kill -SIGUSR1 <pid> then node inspect -p <pid> Inspect target list: curl -s http://127.0.0.1:9229/json/list jq OpenClaw CLI path: node --inspect-brk openclaw.mjs ... OpenClaw test path: OPENCLAWVITESTMAXWORKERS=1 node --inspect-brk scripts/run-vitest.mjs <file> Debugger REPL Continue/step: cont, next, step, out, pause Breakpoints: sb('file.js', 42), sb(42), sb('functionName'), breakpoints, cb('file.js', 42) Inspect: bt, list(8), watch('expr'), exec expr Current scope: repl, then evaluate locals directly; Ctrl+C exits repl mode. Exit safely: cont before quitting if the process should continue; otherwise kill. OpenClaw tips Prefer 127.0.0.1 inspector binds. Do not expose --inspect=0.0.0.0 unless the network is isolated. For Vitest, debug one file with one worker. Avoid worker pools while stepping. For TS source breakpoints, use --enable-source-maps when useful; node inspect can still show emitted paths. For child processes, NODEOPTIONS=--inspect-brk can propagate the inspector, but each child needs its own port. For long-lived gateway or dev processes, attach by PID after confirming the target with /json/list. Programmatic CDP Install tooling outside the repo unless the project already depends on it: Minimal driver: Profiles CPU: enable Profiler, start, wait, stop, write /tmp/profile.cpuprofile, open in Chrome DevTools. Heap: enable HeapProfiler, collect addHeapSnapshotChunk, call takeHeapSnapshot, write /tmp/heap.heapsnapshot. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills steipete/node-inspect-debugger