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How can you debug a Node.js application?

Q: How can you debug a Node.js application?

**TL;DR.** Use the built-in **inspector**: launch with node --inspect (or --inspect-brk ) and connect **Chrome DevTools** or your **IDE** (VS Code) for breakpoints, stepping, watches, and the console. Beyond that: structured **logging**, the debug namespace lib, CPU/heap **profiling**, and node --inspect for production triage. node --inspect inspector protocol Chrome DevTools <rect class='d-box' x='232' y='80' wid

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Launch with the inspector + namespaced logs

# Pause on first line, attach DevTools (chrome://inspect) or VS Code:
node --inspect-brk server.js

# Attach to a running process for live triage:
kill -SIGUSR1 <pid>     # opens the inspector on that process

# Lightweight tracing without a debugger:
DEBUG=app:* node server.js

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