[#browser-console-logs]
= Browser console logs (WebUI troubleshooting)
:experimental:

The **developer console** (or **browser console**) is a panel built into your web browser. It records technical messages from the OliveTin WebUI—errors, warnings, and network failures—that do not always appear on the page itself.

When something looks wrong in the WebUI (for example a blank area, buttons that never load, or errors after clicking), sharing **console output** helps others see what the browser reported and narrow down the cause. You do **not** need to be a web developer to open it or share it.

**A screenshot of the console is often enough.** If you can copy text instead, that is helpful too. Either way, include what you were doing right before the problem (for example “opened the dashboard”, “clicked Start on action X”).

TIP: Before posting publicly, glance at the console for anything that looks like a password, token, or private URL. Crop or redact those lines if needed.

[#open-the-console]
== Open the console

Use OliveTin in the browser where you see the problem, then open the console *before* or *right after* reproducing the issue so the messages are still visible.

[#desktop-chromium]
=== Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, and other Chromium-based browsers

. Open the OliveTin page.
. Open the developer tools:
** *Windows / Linux:* press kbd:[F12], or kbd:[Ctrl+Shift+J] to go straight to the *Console*.
** *macOS:* press kbd:[Cmd+Option+J] for the *Console*, or kbd:[Cmd+Option+I] for developer tools (then click the *Console* tab).
. If you do not see a *Console* tab, click *»* or *+* in the developer tools toolbar and choose *Console*.

[#desktop-firefox]
=== Mozilla Firefox

. Open the OliveTin page.
. Open developer tools: kbd:[F12], or kbd:[Ctrl+Shift+I] on Windows/Linux, or kbd:[Cmd+Option+I] on macOS.
. Select the *Console* tab. (On Windows/Linux you can also use kbd:[Ctrl+Shift+K] to open the console directly.)

[#desktop-safari]
=== Safari (macOS)

Safari hides the console until you turn on the Develop menu:

. *Safari* → *Settings* (or *Preferences*) → *Advanced* → enable *Show features for web developers* (wording may vary slightly by Safari version).
. In the menu bar, open *Develop* → *Show JavaScript Console*, or press kbd:[Cmd+Option+C].

[#what-to-capture]
== What to capture

. Stay on the *Console* tab.
. If there are many old messages, use the console’s *Clear* control so only new messages appear, then reload the page or repeat the steps that trigger the problem.
. Note any lines in **red** (errors) or **yellow** (warnings)—those are usually the most useful.
. Use your system's screenshot tool to capture the console window, *or* right-click in the console → *Save as…* / *Copy all messages* if your browser offers it.

[#share-the-logs]
== Share the logs

Attach the screenshot or pasted text to a xref:troubleshooting/wheretofindhelp.adoc[Discord or GitHub support] message, along with your OliveTin version and how you access it (direct URL, reverse proxy, etc.). That combination helps diagnose WebUI issues much faster than a description of the screen alone.

If the problem might be on the server (OliveTin not starting, actions failing, API errors), also collect xref:troubleshooting/service-logs.adoc[service logs] from Docker, Podman, or systemd.
