1Installation
Not on the Chrome Web Store yet — install directly from the zip, no build step required.
Download and extract
Get the zip from the download link, extract it anywhere on your machine.
Open Chrome extensions
Go to chrome://extensions, toggle Developer mode on (top right).
Load unpacked
Click Load unpacked, select the extracted extension folder — the one containing manifest.json directly, not a parent folder.
Confirm it's active
You'll see "TraceAna" appear in your extensions list, toggled on. That's it — no sign-in, no account.
Works the same way in Microsoft Edge (edge://extensions, same steps). Internet Explorer can't run this or any modern extension — it's been retired and never supported this extension model.
2Getting Started
Open DevTools
On any page, press F12 (or right-click → Inspect). TraceAna only captures while DevTools is open on that tab.
Find the TraceAna tab
In the DevTools tab bar (Elements, Console, Network...), click TraceAna. Use the » overflow arrow if it's hidden.
Browse or reload the page
Requests start appearing live. Click any row to inspect headers, body, timing, and the AI Analysis tab.
Explore the other modes
The toolbar has more than the request list: Composer (build/replay requests), Rules (block/redirect/modify), Sessions (save/HAR), API Intel, Performance, Journey, and Tag Watch (analytics/GTM debugging).
3FAQ
Does my captured data get sent anywhere?
No. Everything is processed and stored locally in your browser. AI Analysis is rule-based logic running in the extension itself — no external API call. Full detail in the privacy policy.
Why is the toolbar icon greyed out / does nothing when I click it?
It isn't broken — TraceAna's UI lives inside DevTools, not a toolbar popup. Clicking the icon opens a short "how to get there" popup instead. No extension can force DevTools open automatically; that's a Chrome security restriction, not a limitation of this build.
Does it work in Microsoft Edge?
Yes, unmodified — Edge is Chromium-based and supports the same extension APIs. Load it the same way via edge://extensions.
What's the Agent Bridge, and do I need it?
An optional, separate program (agent.js) for capturing traffic outside the browser tab — another app, or a phone on the same WiFi. Off by default. Most people never need it; it's for system-wide/mobile debugging specifically.
Is this free?
Yes.
Can I use this on mobile Chrome (Android/iOS)?
No — mobile Chrome doesn't support DevTools extensions at all. To capture traffic from a phone, use the Agent Bridge and point the phone's WiFi proxy at it instead.
4Known Limitations
Chrome's extension platform has real limits. These are documented on purpose rather than worked around.
Can't pause a request mid-flight
Needs synchronous interception, which Chrome removed from normal extensions in Manifest V3.
The Agent Bridge doesn't decrypt HTTPS
Seeing inside it needs a MITM certificate the device is made to trust — deliberately not built. The connection still works; contents aren't inspected.
Response mocking can't set a custom status or headers
The only MV3-legal mocking path is a redirect to a data: URL, which always returns 200.
Composer can't set Cookie, Host, or Origin
Browser fetch() is spec-blocked from setting these from any context.
Capture only runs while DevTools is open
Unlike a standalone proxy, closing DevTools on a tab stops capture for that tab. This is by design — see the Agent Bridge for always-on/system-wide capture.
Root Cause Analyzer and Performance Doctor are rule-based, not ground truth
Every diagnosis includes a confidence level and states its evidence — treat it as a fast lead, not a verdict.
5Troubleshooting
- Check
chrome://extensions— confirm TraceAna is enabled (toggle is blue/on) - Close and reopen DevTools (
F12twice) - Check the
»overflow arrow at the right end of the DevTools tab bar - Try a full browser restart if you just installed or updated the extension
- DevTools has to be open before a request fires to catch it — reload the page after opening it
- Check the capture status dot/Pause button — make sure it says "Capturing", not "Paused"
- Check the "API only" checkbox isn't filtering out everything if you're expecting static assets too
- Check the search box isn't still holding a filter from a previous session
- Confirm the terminal running
node agent.jsis still open — closing it stops the agent entirely - Confirm the URL in Agent settings matches what the agent printed on startup (default
http://127.0.0.1:8900) - If the agent is on a different machine, its API only binds to
127.0.0.1by design — it has to run on the same machine as the browser you're bridging into
- Check the rule's enabled toggle in the Rules list
- Check for a red sync-error banner at the top of the Rules tab
- Confirm the condition (URL/domain/method) actually matches the request you're testing against
- Remember Mock Response only replaces the body — a 200 status will still show even if you expected something else
- If the capture contains anything that looks like a secret (token, cookie, card number), a Privacy Scan confirmation appears first — check you didn't miss that dialog
- Check your browser's download permissions/blocked-popups indicator in the address bar
6Contact
7Bug Reporting
Found something broken? The more of this you can include, the faster it gets fixed:
Please include
- What you expected to happen vs. what actually happened
- Steps to reproduce it, as exact as possible
- TraceAna version (
chrome://extensions→ TraceAna → shows the version number) - Chrome version (
chrome://version) and OS - Which mode/tab you were in (Capture, Composer, Rules, etc.)
- Any error text visible in the panel, or in the DevTools Console for the extension itself (right-click the TraceAna panel → Inspect)
- The site/URL you were testing on, if you're able to share it
Send it to support@yobhalla.com. Please don't include real captured secrets (tokens, cookies, passwords) in a bug report — TraceAna's own Privacy Scan feature can help you check before you paste anything.