How to Edit Source Files Directly in Chrome

Edit web page source code directly in Chrome browser, saying goodbye to the tedious editing - refresh loop! This article will guide you how to use Chrome developer tools to edit HTML, CSS and JavaScript files directly and iterate in development quickly.

The daily workflow of web developers is usually: write HTML, CSS and JavaScript code in the editor, then open the page in the browser, use the developer tools to debug after discovering problems, modify the code and copy it back to the editor, and then Reloading the page… While tools like hot reloading simplify the process, many developers still switch between developer tools and editors. In fact, Chrome allows you to open and edit source files directly in the browser. The modified content will be automatically saved to the file system and updated to the editor (assuming that the editor supports automatic refresh of file changes).

Step 1: Start the developer tool

Open Chrome, load the page on the local file system or server, and then open the developer tools through the More Tools menu, or press F12 or Ctrl/Cmd Shift I (depending on your operating system). Switch to the Sources tab to view File Explorer:

You can open and edit CSS and JavaScript files directly in this view, but be aware that these changes will be lost after refreshing the page.

Step 2: Associate the workspace folder

Click on the "Filessystem" tab, and then click "Add folder to workspace". You will be prompted to select a working folder and you will be asked to allow Chrome to access the folder. Explorer will display the files on the system, you can click to open:

Step 3: Edit and save the code

Now you can edit the code directly. Unsaved edits are marked with an asterisk (*) on the file label.

CSS changes are updated immediately, but for HTML and JavaScript, you usually need to press Ctrl/Cmd S to save the file to the file system and refresh the browser to see the effect.

You can also right-click the file label and select "Save As..." to save a copy of the file to another location.

Step 4: View and Undo Changes

To view the changes, right-click the file label and select "Local modifications..." from the context menu:

will display a view similar to diff. The arrow icon in the lower left corner of the pane will undo all changes and restore the file to its original state.

Chrome's developer tool is not a complete replacement for your commonly used code editor, but it is still a very useful tool when making quick changes or working on other computers where the editor is not installed.

Frequently Asked Questions for Chrome to Edit Source Files Directly

Can I edit the source code in Chrome?

Yes, you can directly edit the source code of the web page using Chrome's built-in developer tools. Open the Developer Tools (press F12 or Ctrl Shift I) and navigate to the "Elements" tab. Find the HTML element you want to edit, right-click and select Edit as HTML or double-click the code. After making the changes, press Enter to apply the changes and the page will be updated immediately. Remember that these changes are temporary and only affect the current browser session; to permanently change the website you need to access the server and source code files.

What are the shortcut keys for "Edit as HTML" in Chrome?

There are no shortcuts specifically for "Edit as HTML" in Chrome developer tools. However, you can use Ctrl Shift C (Cmd Option C on Mac) to activate the "Inspect" mode and click the element you want to edit to achieve the same functionality.

How to edit JS files in Chrome Developer Tools?

Open the Sources tab in Chrome Developer Tools, find the JavaScript file you want to edit, click to open it in the Code Editor panel on the right, and make changes. After editing is complete, press Ctrl S (Cmd S on Mac) to save the changes. Remember that these changes are temporary and only apply to the current browser session. To permanently modify the JavaScript file of a website, you need to access the server hosting the file and be able to edit it directly on the server.

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