Top 15 React Developer Tools 2024: Installation and Features

React Developer Tools (known as Devtools) is a Chrome and Firefox extension that adds a set of React-specific inspection widgets to help you with development. You'll get two key features when you install React Devtools: a view of the component tree, and the current state and props of each component you select. 

React devtools Chrome and Firefox plugin is meant to assist you in debugging React apps in a variety of situations. One of the most useful talents a developer can have is debugging. It enables you to traverse your code correctly and rapidly identify issues. React is one of the most popular front-end frameworks today. It simplifies the process of designing sophisticated and interactive user interfaces. It contains a collection of debugging tools called React development tools, just like other frameworks. 

Here we've listed the top React DevTools that you can use in 2024.

What is React DevTools?

For the React JavaScript library. If you're working on React.js applications, this is a great tool to have. React.js development tools (React DevTools) is a browser plugin that allows you to investigate the React component hierarchy in the Chrome developer tools. It is available for Chrome, Firefox, and as a standalone app.

This extension extends the Chrome Developer Capabilities to provide React debugging tools. It allows you to inspect and change the React component tree that makes up the page, and you can check props, state, hooks, and other things for each component.  

The React Developer tools extension may also tell you whether or not React.js was used in a given application. It's also compatible with Firefox.

List of 15 React Developer Tools in 2024

Here is the list of top React developer tools and extension: 

1. Reactide
2. Evergreen
3. Storybook
4. Bit
5. Redux
6. Jest
7. Create React App
8. React Styleguidist
9. Rekit
10. React-proto
11. React 360
12. Gatsby
13. Belle
14. React Sight
15. Cypress

Top 15 React Development Tools & Extensions

Here's a detailed discussion about each react dev tools and extensions:

1. Reactide

Reactide is the first integrated development environment (IDE) for building web apps. This cross-platform desktop framework offers convenience, such as immediately rendering the react project when a single React JSX file is opened in the browser. This implies a customised browser simulator as well as an integrated Node Server, which eliminates your reliance on server configuration and built-in software.

You can even create state flow visualisations using this react developer tool. It eliminates the need to switch between the IDE and the browser to keep track of the changes as you work on the project. The tool will give you details on all of the changes, props, and states. 

Features: 

• An extensible developer environment in a single click. 
• Streamlined Configurations 
• Component Visualisation 
• Hot Module Reloading

2. Evergreen

The open-source JavaScript framework allows Evergreen to construct frameworks that anticipate both current and anticipated design requirements, rather than having a fixed setup. This framework is created and maintained by Segment. It works right out of the box because to its enhanced react components, while also giving you complete control when you need it.

It remains the best solution for apps that should appear excellent. Components in Evergreen react are built on top of a React User Interface Primitive for infinite functionalities. It also includes a UI design language for web apps. 

Features: 

• Works out of Box 
• Enterprise-Grade 
• Easy to implement 
• Amazing documentation 
• Flexible & composable 

3. Storybook

React was built with the goal of making writing user interfaces as simple as possible. As a result, we have the concept of components. However, using code to generate a visual component is not the most common thing for doing, which is why we usually go from coding to browser and back to coding. 

Storybook is a user interface design tool (UI). It is used by developers to create, develop, and test user interface components, and it serves as both a UI component playground and a development environment. Storybook enables developers to take use of the UI component development environment by allowing them to quickly test and display their work. 

It is an open-source platform for creating your own user interface components. This isn't a code library, and should I say, it's far more than code; their online UI editor enables users to create, inspect, and ultimately exhibit your ideas in an interactive manner (which is crucial when it comes to developing visual components). 

The storybook React dev tool's main purpose is to generate stories that match each component's behaviour. 

Features: 

• Improved Speed 
• No setup is needed 
• It is open-source 
• Built-in filters that prevent deviations

4. Bit

When it comes to Bit, it is one of the most popular react developer tools. You may quickly develop and share React components with the help of Bit.

Without going into too much detail, Bit provides a CLI tool and an online platform through which you can both publish and distribute your React components (once they've been isolated by Bit). It also allows you to look for third-party components that have been produced and published. Consider it a cross between NPM and Git, but for React Components. 

In a nutshell, Bit's third-party marketplace will let you to browse among components created by others. You may even change the component and see a preview of it with Bit. This allows you to examine a variety of components and select the one that best matches your project. 

Features:  

• Share and manage components easily 
• Easy to organize and find components 
• Choose consumption tool 
• Full CI cycle for every component 
• Allows cross-project workflow for shared components. 
• Extend and integrate. 

5. Redux

For large-scale React applications, Redux is one of the most widely used state management libraries. Redux is the greatest choice for big scale applications because of the ecosystem that has grown up around it, in addition to its ability to make your application more predictable. Another benefit of Redux is the developer tool, which makes it simple to see when, why, and how the state of your application has changed. 

It's difficult to identify the actual issue of action dispatch in large-scale systems where the same actions are triggered at the same time from several portions of the programme. The trace feature comes in handy for developers in this situation. 

Redux DevTool gives developers the option of using the default implementation, which is based on Error.stack(), or creating their own custom implementation. 

Features: 

• It allows you to examine each state and action payload. 
• It allows you to "cancel" activities and travel back in time. 
• Each "staged" action will be re-evaluated if the reducer code is changed. 
• If the reducers throw an error, we can figure out what went wrong and when it happened. 
• You can save debug sessions across page reloads with the persistState() store enhancer. 

6. Jest

Jest will become your go-to ReactJS testing tool. It's a JavaScript testing framework created by Facebook. It was made to test the components of React development tools. Because it comes from the React creator and is developed and supported by the React community, it should be your first choice for testing React. Other JS frameworks that it supports include Babel, TypeScript, Node, Angular, and Vue. 

Jest is a ready-to-use solution that doesn't require any configuration. The testing technique is designed to keep the highest possible level of performance. For example, previously failed tests are executed first in the next iteration.

Features: 

• Snapshot Testing 
• Using Interactive Mode 
• Out of Box ease 
• Debugging with VS Code 

7. Create React App

The popularity of React as a tool for the front-end community should be evidenced by this article alone. So much so that many of the tools listed here require you to follow a conventional project structure in order for them to function effectively. After all, there are so many different methods to do it that it's difficult to provide assistance if you don't expect a standard. 

This is where the Create React App from Facebook comes into play. Essentially, this tool allows you to create a new React project from scratch with just a single command line. Forget about deciding on the optimal project structure or which support modules to include; this programme will take care of everything. 

You don't need to install anything if you already have npx installed to utilise this app; all you need is the following.  

npx create-react-app demo-app 

Features: 

• Support for react hooks 
• Browser list support 
• Linting Support for Typescript 

8. React Styleguidist

It's among the most fascinating react developer tools for creating standalone components. You may easily change the code in the displayed version with react dev tools like React Styleguidist. 

With react dev tools like Read Styleguidist, you may alter the code in the displayed version. That is, one side of the screen will show the generated user interface, while the other will show your code. If you have a webpack installed and your project is built with create, react app. 

If your project is built with Create React App and webpack installed, use the command below to integrate this react utility into your project. 

“$ npm install --save-dev react-styleguidis” 

Features: 

• Rumble Charts 
• Dialog Components 
• Configure Styleguide 
• Easier Webpack configuration 
• Bulma Components 

• Yammer Components

   

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9. Rekit

Rekit is a comprehensive toolkit that includes everything you need to build cutting-edge React applications. Rekit develops programs and provides project management solutions for programmers, such as Rekit Studio. It includes a command line interface as well as tools for managing actions, components, pages, and reducers. 

Rekit is one of the greatest testing tools for React apps, as seen by its large user base. Rekit is feature-oriented, scalable, and follows a one-action design. 

Features:  

• Scalable, testable, and maintainable 
• Feature oriented architecture 
• One action per file pattern 

10. React-proto

The term "prototype" is abbreviated as "proto." This tool allows developers to build an application architecture from the ground up. Proto supplies the application files needed for further development, and developers start with a visual design. It then assists developers in defining ReactJS properties and states. 

If you're more interested in visual design than programming, React-proto might be the tool for you. It allows you to prototype user interfaces using drag&drop rather than writing code. 

You won't be able to create a comprehensive UI without coding; this is just for prototyping the components you'll need. To do so, you'll start with an image (typically provided by your designer or created by yourself) and use this tool to identify all potential components, assign names, props, and a hierarchy to them. You'll be able to export them as actual auto-generated code that you may subsequently alter once you've finished. 

Features: 

• Quick Prototyping 
• Quickly create, drag, and resize components 
• Define component hierarchy

11. React 360

React 360 enables developers to create interactive 360 experiences that can be accessed across multiple devices using modern APIs like WebGL and WebVR. 

• Integrations: Built on top of React and Three.js for VR content creation. 
• Browser Integration: Web-based, requires a VR headset for immersive experience. 
• Supported Platform: VR experiences with React components. 
• Pros & Cons: 
  • Pros: React-style declarative API for VR, integrates with existing React workflows. 
  • Cons: Limited to VR applications, requires VR headset for testing. 
• Pricing: Open source (free). 

12. Gatsby

Gatsby is an open-source framework based on React, with built-in performance, scalability, and security features. Collaborate, build, and deploy up to 1000 times faster on Netlify. 

• Integrations: Extensive plugin ecosystem for various functionalities. 
• Browser Integration: Web-based, accessible through browsers. 
• Supported Platform: React-based framework for building websites and applications. 
• Pros & Cons: 
  • Pros: Fast performance, static site generation, large plugin community. 
  • Cons: Learning curve for beginners. 
• Pricing: Open source (free). 

13. Belle

Belle is a set of beautifully designed and highly customizable React components aimed at simplifying UI development. 

• Integrations: Compatible with various React libraries and tools. 
• Browser Integration: Web-based, accessible through browsers. 
• Supported Platform: Primarily for React applications. 
• Pros & Cons: 
  • Pros: Beautifully designed components, customizable styles. 
  • Cons: Limited component variety, may not cover all UI needs. 
• Pricing: Open source (free).

 14. React Sight

React Sight is a tool that helps developers visualize the structure of their React app. To use it, you need to install React Developer Tools for Chrome and add it as a Chrome extension. Once added, a new panel called "React Sight" will appear in DevTools. React Sight also supports React Router and Redux.   

• Integrations: Integrates with various documentation tools. 
• Browser Integration: Web-based, accessible through browsers. 
• Supported Platform: React applications. 
• Pros & Cons: 
  • Pros: Live component preview, easy documentation generation. 
  • Cons: Learning curve for complex setups. 
• Pricing: Open source (free). 

15. Cypress

Cypress is an open-source test automation framework designed specifically for end-to-end (E2E) testing of web applications. Cypress works in a way that it mimics the real user interactions with your React application in a browser-like environment.

• Integrations: Works with CI/CD pipelines
• Browser Integration: Runs tests on Windows or Firefox browser.
• Supported Platform: React, Angular, Vue.js, and other modern web frameworks.
• Pros & Cons: 
  • Pros: Easy to learn, visual validation, fast, open source. 
  • Cons: E2E focused.
• Pricing: Open source (free)

How to Install & Use React Developer Tools?

For the React JavaScript library, React Devtools extension is a Chrome DevTools extension. If you're working on React.js applications, this is a great tool to have. 

This extension extends the Chrome Developer Capabilities to provide React debugging tools. It allows you to inspect and update the React component tree that creates the page, and it allows you to verify props, state, hooks, and more for each component.  

It also allows you to determine whether React.js was utilised in a certain application. 

To Add React Chrome Extension: 

• Follow the link: Click here!
• Now click on add to chrome 
• The tool has now been added to your Chrome browser. Click Remove from Chrome to get rid of the extension.

Go to the Extensions Tab on the right side of the screen and select it. The extension has been added, as seen in the dropdown.

To Use the React Extension

A. Detecting the presence of React.js in the application:

Open the app you want to examine, then select the extension tab, followed by React Developer Tools. If the extension stayed colourful, the application was developed with React.js; if it was colourless, the application was not built with React.js.

B. Inspecting and Editing React Components:  

Right-click on the application and select Inspect from the dropdown menu, or press Ctrl+Shift+I. It launches Chrome DevTools; now, on the top bar, click the two arrows; a dropdown will appear, as shown below.

The React Component tree will appear when you click on the Components.

Here, you may inspect, edit, and understand the props, state, and structure. Consequently, Profiler can be accessed by clicking on it. By selecting Profiler, you will be able to keep track of your performance.
 

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How to Choose the Right Tool for You? 

Considerations for choosing React developer tools will depend on several factors such as the size and complexity of the project, your experience level with React, and your personal preferences. For small, simple projects, you may not need as many tools as you would for a large, complex project. If you're new to React, starting with a few basic tools and adding more as you gain experience might be a good approach. Additionally, some developers prefer to use a lot of tools, while others prefer to use a few and become very familiar with them. Ultimately, the choice of tools should align with your project's requirements and what you find most comfortable to work with.

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Conclusion 

Although the react developer tools discussed here are powerful, there is much more to the realm of React development. There are countless more tools available, all of which may be combined to create the ideal stack for the particular requirements of your project. Imagine it as creating a dish; every developer becomes a master chef, combining elements such as Bit's component-sharing magic and Storybook's UI separation.  

Don't be scared to try new things! Uncover hidden treasures like the testing power of Jest or the state visualization capabilities of Reactide. The ideal stack is a dynamic work of art that changes based on your abilities and projects. It is not static. So explore the rich ecosystem, develop your signature toolkit, and use it as a foundation for your upcoming online project!