@fluidframework/devtools

This library contains developer tools for use alongside the Fluid Framework. It is used to power our associated browser extension.

• Chrome: https://aka.ms/fluid/devtool/chrome
• Edge: https://aka.ms/fluid/devtool/edge

Using Fluid Framework libraries

When taking a dependency on a Fluid Framework library's public APIs, we recommend using a ^ (caret) version range, such as ^1.3.4. While Fluid Framework libraries may use different ranges with interdependencies between other Fluid Framework libraries, library consumers should always prefer ^.

If using any of Fluid Framework's unstable APIs (for example, its beta APIs), we recommend using a more constrained version range, such as ~.

Installation

To get started, install the package by running the following command:

npm i @fluidframework/devtools -D

Importing from this package

This package leverages package.json exports to separate its APIs by support level. For more information on the related support guarantees, see API Support Levels.

To access the public (SemVer) APIs, import via @fluidframework/devtools like normal.

To access the beta APIs, import via @fluidframework/devtools/beta.

To access the alpha APIs, import via @fluidframework/devtools/alpha.

API Documentation

API documentation for @fluidframework/devtools is available at https://fluidframework.com/docs/apis/devtools.

Usage

The Devtools' API surface is designed to fit nicely into most application flows.

Initialization

To initialize a devtools session for your container, call initializeDevtools. This function accepts a DevtoolsLogger for receiving Fluid telemetry from your application, a list of initial Fluid Containers to associate with the session, and (optionally) customized data visualization configurations for visualizing Container data.

About the DevtoolsLogger

The DevtoolsLogger is an optional piece when calling initializeDevtools but it is strongly recommended that you use it because several features in Fluid Devtools are powered by the telemetry that Fluid Framework generates, and this logger is the way in which that telemetry gets into Fluid Devtools.

You can obtain a DevtoolsLogger by calling its constructor, and then should pass it to initializeDevtools and to your application. This way the logger will receive all the telemetry generated by Fluid Framework in your application, and forward it to Fluid Devtools as necessary. For example, when using the AzureClient API you would do something like this (note how devtoolsLogger is passed to initializeDevtools() and to new AzureClient()):

import { createDevtoolsLogger, initializeDevtools } from "@fluidframework/devtools";

// Instantiate the logger
const devtoolsLogger = createDevtoolsLogger();

// Pass the logger when instantiating the AzureClient
const clientProps = {
    connection: { ... }, // Your application's configuration to connect to the Fluid service
    logger: devtoolsLogger,
};
const client = new AzureClient(clientProps);

// Use the AzureClient to create a Container
const containerSchema = { /* Define the objects in your Fluid Container */ };
const { container, services } = await client.createContainer(containerSchema)

// Initialize the Devtools passing the logger and your Container.
// The Container could be added later as well with devtools.registerContainerDevtools().
const devtools = initializeDevtools({
    logger: devtoolsLogger,
    initialContainers: [
        {
            container,
            containerKey: "My Container",
        },
    ],
});

If you're not working with AzureClient but with lower-level APIs (e.g. you manually instantiate a Loader from the @fluidframework/container-loader package package, you probably want to refer to the @fluidframework/devtools-core package instead of this one).

During local development the recommendation is that your application should receive the DevtoolsLogger instance instead of any logger it would normally receive when deployed to a real environment, to avoid local development activity from mixing with real telemetry. If you still want to provide a real application logger and use the Fluid Devtools features that are powered by telemetry at the same time, you can pass an existing logger to the DevtoolsLogger constructor and it will forward all telemetry it receives to that logger as well:

import { createDevtoolsLogger } from "@fluidframework/devtools";

// Your application's logger
const yourApplicationLogger = getInstanceOfYourApplicationLogger();

const devtoolsLogger = createDevtoolsLogger(yourApplicationLogger);

// Pass devtoolsLogger to initializeDevtools() and to your application as described above

Clean-up

The Devtools object is managed as a global singleton. That singleton is automatically cleaned up prior to the Window's "unload" event. So typical application flows likely won't need to worry about cleanup. That said, if you wish to have tighter control over when the Devtools are torn down, you can simply call the dispose method on the handle returned by initialization.

Contributing to the package

Build

To build the package locally, first ensure you have run pnpm install from the root of the mono-repo. Next, to build the code, run npm run build from the root of the mono-repo, or use fluid-build via fluid-build -t build.

• Note: Once you have run a build from the root, assuming no other changes outside of this package, you may run npm run build directly within this directory for a faster build. If you make changes to any of this package's local dependencies, you will need to run a build again from the root before building again from directly within this package.

Test

To run the tests, first ensure you have followed the build steps above. Next, run npm run test from a terminal within this directory.

Minimum Client Requirements

These are the platform requirements for the current version of Fluid Framework Client Packages. These requirements err on the side of being too strict since within a major version they can be relaxed over time, but not made stricter. For Long Term Support (LTS) versions this can require supporting these platforms for several years.

It is likely that other configurations will work, but they are not supported: if they stop working, we do not consider that a bug. If you would benefit from support for something not listed here, file an issue and the product team will evaluate your request. When making such a request please include if the configuration already works (and thus the request is just that it becomes officially supported), or if changes are required to get it working.

Supported Runtimes

• NodeJs ^20.10.0 except that we will drop support for it when NodeJs 20 loses its upstream support on 2026-04-30, and will support a newer LTS version of NodeJS (22) at least 1 year before 20 is end-of-life. This same policy applies to NodeJS 22 when it is end of life (2027-04-30).
• Modern browsers supporting the es2022 standard library: in response to asks we can add explicit support for using babel to polyfill to target specific standards or runtimes (meaning we can avoid/remove use of things that don't polyfill robustly, but otherwise target modern standards).

Supported Tools

• TypeScript 5.4:
  • All strict options are supported.
  • strictNullChecks is required.
  • Configuration options deprecated in 5.0 are not supported.
  • exactOptionalPropertyTypes is currently not fully supported. If used, narrowing members of Fluid Framework types types using in, Reflect.has, Object.hasOwn or Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty should be avoided as they may incorrectly exclude undefined from the possible values in some cases.
• webpack 5
  • We are not intending to be prescriptive about what bundler to use. Other bundlers which can handle ES Modules should work, but webpack is the only one we actively test.

Module Resolution

Node16, NodeNext, or Bundler resolution should be used with TypeScript compilerOptions to follow the Node.js v12+ ESM Resolution and Loading algorithm. Node10 resolution is not supported as it does not support Fluid Framework's API structuring pattern that is used to distinguish stable APIs from those that are in development.

Module Formats

• ES Modules: ES Modules are the preferred way to consume our client packages (including in NodeJs) and consuming our client packages from ES Modules is fully supported.

• CommonJs: Consuming our client packages as CommonJs is supported only in NodeJS and only for the cases listed below. This is done to accommodate some workflows without good ES Module support. If you have a workflow you would like included in this list, file an issue. Once this list of workflows motivating CommonJS support is empty, we may drop support for CommonJS one year after notice of the change is posted here.

  • Testing with Jest (which lacks stable ESM support due to unstable APIs in NodeJs)

Contribution Guidelines

There are many ways to contribute to Fluid.

• Participate in Q&A in our GitHub Discussions.
• Submit bugs and help us verify fixes as they are checked in.
• Review the source code changes.
• Contribute bug fixes.

Detailed instructions for working in the repo can be found in the Wiki.

This project has adopted the Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct. For more information see the Code of Conduct FAQ or contact [email protected] with any additional questions or comments.

This project may contain Microsoft trademarks or logos for Microsoft projects, products, or services. Use of these trademarks or logos must follow Microsoft’s Trademark & Brand Guidelines. Use of Microsoft trademarks or logos in modified versions of this project must not cause confusion or imply Microsoft sponsorship.

Help

Not finding what you're looking for in this README? Check out fluidframework.com.

Still not finding what you're looking for? Please file an issue.

Thank you!

Trademark

This project may contain Microsoft trademarks or logos for Microsoft projects, products, or services.

Use of these trademarks or logos must follow Microsoft's Trademark & Brand Guidelines.

Use of Microsoft trademarks or logos in modified versions of this project must not cause confusion or imply Microsoft sponsorship.