Debugging Dioxus Apps with Inspector

Workflows for debugging running Dioxus Desktop apps via MCP.

Prerequisites

• dioxus-inspector embedded in app (see psn:code:dioxus-inspector)
• App running with desktop feature
• Claude Code restarted after MCP config

Debugging Workflow

1. Check Connection

mcp__dioxus__status

Returns: app name, PID, uptime. If this fails, app isn't running or bridge isn't embedded.

2. Get DOM Overview

mcp__dioxus__get_dom

Returns simplified DOM tree. Use to understand current UI structure.

3. Query Specific Elements

# Get text content
mcp__dioxus__query_text { selector: ".header-title" }

# Get full HTML
mcp__dioxus__query_html { selector: "#main-content" }

# List all matching elements
mcp__dioxus__query_all { selector: "button" }

4. Inspect Visibility

mcp__dioxus__inspect { selector: ".modal" }

Returns visibility analysis: is element in viewport, dimensions, computed styles.

5. Quick Health Check

mcp__dioxus__diagnose

Runs automated checks for common UI issues.

Interactive Debugging

Click Elements

mcp__dioxus__click { selector: "#submit-button" }

Type Into Inputs

mcp__dioxus__type_text { selector: "#search-input", text: "test query" }

Execute JavaScript

mcp__dioxus__eval { script: "document.querySelector('.count').textContent" }

Use for:

• Reading computed values
• Triggering custom events
• Checking JavaScript state

Visual Debugging

Take Screenshot

mcp__dioxus__screenshot

Captures current window state. macOS only.

Resize Window

mcp__dioxus__resize { width: 1280, height: 720 }

Test responsive layouts.

RSX Conversion

Convert HTML to RSX

mcp__dioxus__dom_to_rsx { html: "<div class=\"foo\">bar</div>" }

Uses dx translate under the hood.

Build Diagnostics

Check Environment

mcp__dioxus__doctor

Runs dx doctor to verify Dioxus toolchain.

Validate Project

mcp__dioxus__check

Runs dx check for project issues.

Common Patterns

Debug State Changes

1. mcp__dioxus__query_text on state-displaying element
2. mcp__dioxus__click to trigger action
3. mcp__dioxus__query_text again to see change

Find Hidden Elements

mcp__dioxus__query_all { selector: "[style*='display: none']" }
mcp__dioxus__query_all { selector: ".hidden" }

Debug Event Handlers

mcp__dioxus__eval { script: "window.debugLastEvent" }

Add window.debugLastEvent = evt in your Dioxus event handlers to capture.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Selector returns empty	Element not rendered	Check conditional rendering logic
Click has no effect	Wrong selector or element disabled	Use query_all to verify element exists
Eval errors	JavaScript not valid in webview	Check browser compatibility
Screenshot blank	Window minimized or off-screen	Resize/reposition window

Related Skills

• psn:code:dioxus-inspector - Setup and configuration
• psn:code:rust-dioxus - Dioxus development patterns