When JavaScript on a web page does not work as expected, you need to check its console messages and errors.
In a desktop browser, you can check them by opening the browser’s developer tools. However, accessing the same tools in a mobile browser is more difficult.
To inspect a Safari page on an iPhone or iPad, you generally need to connect the device to a Mac and enable Web Inspector. Remote debugging with Chrome on Android also requires enabling developer options and USB debugging, then opening Chrome DevTools on another computer.
For detailed instructions on remote debugging, see the following official documentation:
- Safari on iPhone and iPad: Inspecting iOS and iPadOS
- Chrome on Android: Remote debug Android devices
These methods are useful for detailed debugging, but they require another computer and an additional connection process. If you want to build a web page using only a mobile device, connecting a separate computer just to check basic console output can be inconvenient.
The Essepage console is especially useful in these environments.
The Essepage console lets you check JavaScript console output from Preview in environments where browser developer tools are difficult to access, such as mobile browsers.
In the Essepage editor, you can check console output without installing a separate program or connecting to another computer.
Opening the Console
Select the console icon at the top of the editor to open or close the console.
The console displays messages and JavaScript errors from the page running in Preview.
To use the console, first open the page you want to check in Preview.
- Find the page file you want to check in the file explorer.
- Right-click the file.
- Select Preview.
- Select the console icon at the top of the editor.
- Reload the Preview or perform the action you want to test.
- Check the messages in the console.
When you reload a page or navigate to another page in Preview, the JavaScript on that page runs again. As a result, the same message may appear in the console more than once.
Checking Console Output from Preview
The editor console displays the following output from the page running in Preview:
- General messages output with
console.log() - Errors that occur while JavaScript is running
The console is not a separate JavaScript feature that works only in Essepage. It displays output produced through the standard web Console API inside the editor.
To learn how to use the Console API and methods such as console.log(), console.warn(), and console.error(), see the following documentation:
The Editor Console and Browser Developer Tools
The Essepage console is designed to provide quick access to console output across different environments, including mobile devices.
It does not completely replace browser developer tools.
| Essepage Console | Browser Developer Tools | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Check console output and errors from Preview | Analyze the structure and execution of a web page in detail |
| Environment | PC, tablet, and mobile browsers | Primarily desktop browsers on PCs and laptops |
| Additional connection | Not required | Another computer may be required to inspect a mobile page |
| Available information | Basic messages and JavaScript errors | HTML, CSS, network activity, breakpoints, storage, and performance information |
When working on a PC or laptop, browser developer tools provide more detailed information.
Browser developer tools are better suited for tasks such as:
- Inspecting HTML elements and applied CSS
- Analyzing network requests and responses
- Setting JavaScript breakpoints
- Inspecting browser storage and cookies
- Analyzing performance and accessibility
When working on a mobile device, the Essepage console provides the basic information needed to check execution results and JavaScript errors.
Do Not Output Sensitive Information
The console is useful for checking code results and data, but you should not output sensitive information such as passwords or authentication details.
Do not display the following information in the console:
- Passwords
- Secret API keys
- Authentication tokens
- Personal user information
- Payment information
Console output is not a private record that can only be viewed in the Essepage editor. If the same code is applied to a public page, visitors can also view its output through their browser’s developer tools.
When Messages Do Not Appear in the Console
If an expected message or error does not appear, check the following:
- The console is open.
- The page you want to check is open in Preview.
- You saved the file you edited.
- You are checking the correct page in Preview.
- The JavaScript runs under the current conditions.
- An earlier error has not stopped the code before the expected output.
The editor console displays output from the development Preview, not from the public site.
Next Steps
After learning how to use the console, continue with the following guides:
- Create new pages and URLs: Creating Pages and URLs
- Retrieve external data with JavaScript: Using External APIs
- Connect to APIs that cannot be called directly from the browser: Proxy API
- Apply saved changes to the public site: Save, Publish, and Apply