Web browser tool
A browser Browser tool extends the power of a web browser.
Contents
Description
Some tools are built into the browser.
Other tools must be added to the browser.
Some tools are external to the browser.
View Source
Use a browser's View Source feature to view the source code for current web page.
The source code is the HTML (and CSS, and JavaScript) which the browser received from the web server.
The source code in View Source does not reflect changes to the Document Object Model (DOM). The source code in View Source always shows the source code as it was received from the server.
Inspect Element
Use the Inspect Element feature to inspect the Document Object Model, and perform other DOM-related tasks.
Inspect Element is supported in most modern browsers.
- In your browser window, right-click on the HTML element you want to inspect.
- The browser will display a pop-up menu. Select Inspect Element.
- The browser will display a control panel with a variety of features for getting detailed information about the DOM (and for manipulating the DOM)
- Features vary from browser to browser, and change over time
Plugins, extensions, etc.
Some tools are plug-ins (also known as extensions, add-ons. etc.) These are features that can be added to a web browser. Each of tools is written for a specific browser. Some may be available for multiple browsers.
You must specifically add plug-ins to your browser. They don't come with the browser by default, and they don't install themselves. (Features that install themselves include adware, malware, computer viruses.)
External browser tools
Some tools manipulate the browser itself, from outside the browser.
For example, a program can act as a scripted user, launching a browser window and then providing the browser with input simulating the input from a human user, with appropriate pauses, clicks, and other interactive behaviors. Such a program can interact with the Document Object Model, allowing scripts to analyze web page content and take different actions based upon that content.
