This document is intended as a description of HTTP Inspector feature allowing inline inspection of HTTP logs displayed in the Console panel. The documents focuses on internal architecture.
For detailed feature description see the following doc (many screenshots included): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zQniwU_dkt-VX1qY1Vp-SWxEVA4uFcDCrtH03tGoHHM/edit#
HTTP Inspector feature is available in the Console panel (for web developers) as well as in the Browser Console (for devtools and extension developers).
The current implementation is based on React (no XUL) and some of the existing components should also be used when porting the Network panel to HTML.
The entire feature lives in devtools/client/webconsole/net
directory.
The entry point for HTTP log inspection is represented by an expand/toggle button displayed in front a log in the Console panel:
[+] GET XHR http://example.com/test-request.php
Clicking on the [+] button expands the log and shows a body with HTTP details
right underneath. The info body is rendered by:
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/net-info-body
component.
HTTP info is divided into several tabs:
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/headers-tab
This is the default active tab and it's responsible for rendering HTTP headers. There are several header groups displayed:
Individual sections are expandable/collapsible.
Rendering of the groups is done by NetInfoGroup
and NetInfoGroupList
components.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/params-tab
This tab is responsible for rendering URL parameters (query string) and it's available only if the URL has any parameters. Individual parameters are parsed and displayed as a list of name/value pairs.
Rendering of the parameter list is done by NetInfoParams
component.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/post-tab
This tab is responsible for rendering HTTP post body sent to the server.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/response-tab
This tab is responsible for rendering HTTP response body received from the server. There might be more than one section displaying the data depending on the current response mime-type.
[1] List of JSON mime-types: devtools/client/webconsole/net/utils/json
[2] List of Image mime-types: devtools/client/webconsole/net/utils/json
[3] List of XML/HTML mime-types: devtools/client/webconsole/net/utils/net
Response data are fetched using LongStringClient
, so if data are bigger
than defined limit (see `devtools/server/main.js - LONG_STRING_LENGTH)
the user needs to manually require the rest (there is a link at the end
of incomplete response body that allows this).
The raw section is collapsed by default if there is another presentation of the data.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/components/cookies-tab
This tab is responsible for displaying HTTP cookies. There are two groups:
Rendering of the groups is done by NetInfoGroup
and NetInfoGroupList
components. The tab is not presented if there are no cookies.
This sections describes internal architecture of HTTPi feature.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/main
This is the main module of HTTPi. It represents the root module of the feature.
The main responsibility of the module is handling network logs forwarded
from webconsole.js. This modules creates one instance of NetRequest
object for every NetworkEvent
(one object for every HTTP request).
devtools/client/webconsole/net/net-request
This module represents NetRequest
object. It's the internal representation
of HTTP request and it keeps its state. All HTTP details fetched dynamically
from the backend are stored in this object.
This object is responsible for:
Note that NetRequest
is using a small helper object DataProvider
for
requesting HTTP details. DataProvider
is the connection between NetRequest
and the backend.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/data-provider
This module is using webconsole client object to get data from the backend.
devtools/client/webconsole/net/utils
There are also some utility modules implementing helper functions. The important thing is that these modules doesn't require any chrome privileges and are ready to run inside content scope.
NetInfoBody
Renders the entire HTTP details body displayed when the
user expands a network log.NetInfoGroup
Renders a group (a section within tab). For example,
Request Headers section in Headers tab corresponds to one group.NetInfoGroupList
List of groups. There might be more groups of data
within one tab. For example, the Headers tab has Requested and Response
headers groups.NetInfoParams
List of name-value pairs. It's used e.g. by the Headers
or Params tab.HeadersTab
Displays HTTP headers.PostTab
Displays HTTP posted body data.ParamsTab
Displays URL query string.ResponseTab
Displays HTTP response body data.CookiesTab
Displays cookies.Spinner
Represents a throbber displayed when the UI is waiting for
incoming data.SizeLimit
Represents a link that can be used to fetch the
rest of data from the backend (debugger server). Used for HTTP post
and response bodies.XmlView
Renders XML markup.