Inspect CLI

Inspect CLI is a Chrome DevTools Protocol adapter for WebKit on iOS that enables debugging websites and web views with Chrome DevTools and other CDP-compatible tools.

It's the command-line counterpart to Inspect, providing lower-level CDP endpoints for iOS debugging.

Inspect CLI is the spiritual successor to ios-webkit-debug-proxy, handling device communication, simulator discovery, and protocol mappings between WebKit and CDP.

Note: Inspect CLI is a commercial product that requires an Inspect Pro or Inspect Teams subscription.

Installation

npm install -g @inspectdotdev/cli

Start Inspect CLI by running

inspect

📱 What is Inspect CLI?

Key Features:

• 🔍 Debug iOS and Android apps with Chrome DevTools
• 🔐 Secure OAuth authentication with inspect.dev
• 📱 Automatic device discovery and connection
• ⚡ Fast setup - works in seconds

📋 System Requirements

• Node.js: 16 or higher
• macOS: Required for iOS device debugging
• iOS Devices: iOS 6+ with Web Inspector enabled

🔐 Authentication

Before using Inspect CLI, you need to authenticate with your inspect.dev account:

# Login to your inspect.dev account
inspect login

# Logout when done
inspect logout

📖 Usage

Basic Usage

# Start Inspect with default settings
inspect

# Start with debug output
inspect --debug

Advanced Configuration

# Use custom ports
inspect --ports 9221,9222

# Filter to specific device
inspect --device-id 4ea8dd11e8c4fbc1a2deadbeefa0fd3bbbb268c7

# Use custom DevTools frontend
inspect --frontend http://chrome-devtools-frontend.appspot.com/static/latest/devtools.html

# Disable telemetry
inspect --no-telemetry

# Enable debug mode (includes telemetry debug)
inspect --debug

📋 Command Reference

Commands

| Command | Description | | ---------------- | -------------------------------- | | inspect login | Login to inspect.dev using OAuth | | inspect logout | Logout from inspect.dev | | inspect | Start the debug server |

Options

| Option | Short | Description | Default | | ---------------- | ----- | ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | --ports | -p | Port assignment configuration | 9221,9222 | | --frontend | -f | Frontend source URL or path | devtools://devtools/bundled/inspector.html | | --device-id | -d | Filter to specific device ID | | | --debug | | Enable verbose output and telemetry debug | false | | --no-telemetry | | Disable telemetry for this session | false | | --help | | Show help | | | --version | | Show version | |

🔌 Getting Started

1. Connect Your Device

For iOS:

1. Connect iPhone/iPad via USB
2. Enable Web Inspector: Settings → Safari → Advanced → Web Inspector
3. Trust your computer when prompted

2. Start Inspect

inspect

3. Open DevTools

1. Visit http://localhost:9221 to see connected devices
2. Click on your device to see available apps
3. Click on an app to open Chrome DevTools

🔧 Configuration

Port Configuration

By default, Inspect CLI uses ports 9221 and 9222:

• 9221: Device list server
• 9222: Debug target server

Change ports if needed:

inspect --ports 8221,8222

Custom DevTools Frontend

Use a different DevTools frontend:

inspect --frontend http://chrome-devtools-frontend.appspot.com/static/latest/devtools.html

📊 Telemetry & Privacy

Inspect CLI collects anonymous usage analytics to help improve the product. All telemetry data is processed through PostHog and follows our privacy policy.

What We Collect

• Application Events: CLI startup, shutdown, errors
• Authentication Events: Login/logout success/failure (no credentials)
• Server Events: Port usage, connection status
• Usage Statistics: Commands used, configuration options
• Technical Context: CLI version, Node.js version, platform

What We Don't Collect

• Personal information or credentials
• Code or file contents
• URLs or sensitive debugging data
• Device-specific identifying information

Disabling Telemetry

You can disable telemetry in several ways:

# Disable for a single session
inspect --no-telemetry

Debug Telemetry

To see what telemetry events are being sent:

inspect --debug

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Not authenticated" error:

inspect login

"Port already in use" error:

inspect --ports 8221,8222

iOS device not showing:

• Ensure Web Inspector is enabled in Safari settings
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting the USB cable
• Check that you've trusted the computer

Telemetry issues:

• Use --debug to see telemetry events being sent
• Use --no-telemetry to disable if causing issues

📄 License

This software is proprietary and requires a valid Inspect Pro or Inspect Teams subscription.

🆘 Support

• Documentation: https://inspect.dev/docs
• Support: https://inspect.dev/support
• Issues: https://github.com/inspectdev/inspect-issues/issues

Made with ❤️ by the Inspect team.