Access debugging in add-ons

This page describes the JavaScript Debugger as it appears before Firefox 52.

See what it looks like from Firefox 52 onwards.

We are planning to deprecate the use by Firefox add-ons of the techniques described in this document. Don't write new add-ons that use these techniques.

The following items are accessible in the context of chrome://browser/content/debugger.xul (or, in version 23 beta, chrome://browser/content/devtools/debugger.xul):

window.addEventListener("Debugger:EditorLoaded") - called when the read-only script panel loaded.
window.addEventListener("Debugger:EditorUnloaded")

Relevant files:

chrome://browser/content/devtools/debugger-controller.js
chrome://browser/content/devtools/debugger-toolbar.js
chrome://browser/content/devtools/debugger-view.js
chrome://browser/content/devtools/debugger-panes.js

Unfortunately there is not yet any API to evaluate watches/expressions within the debugged scope, or highlight elements on the page that are referenced as variables in the debugged scope. (currently a work in progress, see bug 653545.)

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