Favourite 7 Browser Tools for Developers & Designers — live CSS editing, JSON formatting, quick page inspection — Reddit Devs Use Daily
In today’s fast-paced web development world, browser tools are essential for increasing productivity, debugging effectively, and enhancing visual creativity. Developers and designers who frequent communities like Reddit often share valuable extensions and tools they can’t live without. Whether it’s for rapid CSS prototyping, analyzing APIs, or inspecting live pages, these tools help streamline workflows and sharpen the final product.
TL;DR
Browser tools are critical for developers and designers to build, test, and debug websites efficiently. This article highlights seven favorite tools often recommended by Reddit developers, including tools for live CSS editing, JSON formatting, and page inspection. With the help of these extensions, teams can save time, reduce errors, and deliver polished results faster. Ideal for frontend developers, UI/UX designers, and anyone working on the web.
1. VisBug – Live Edits Made Effortless
Imagine tweaking your UI live on a webpage as if the Chrome DevTools were made for designers. VisBug is an open-source Chrome extension aimed at designers and front-end devs who want to interactively manipulate layout, text, and styles. It allows real-time CSS editing directly on any live site with visual feedback.
- Drag-and-drop functionality
- On-the-fly font and color editing
- Visual margin and padding manipulation
[pai-img]visbug, visual editing, web interface[/ai-img]
Redditors in subreddits like r/webdev and r/frontend frequently praise VisBug for usability during client presentations and prototyping phases when turnaround time is crucial.
2. JSON Formatter – Clean Visuals for Dirty Data
When working with APIs, messy JSON responses are a challenge to read and debug. Reddit developers swear by JSON Formatter — a Chrome extension that automatically formats raw JSON into a tree structure with collapsible objects and arrays for clear navigation.
This tool is especially useful when testing APIs manually or verifying backend data output during integration testing.
Main features include:
- Syntax highlighting
- Collapsible and expandable structures
- Works offline for local files as well
3. WhatFont – UX Typography Assistant
Design is not only about layout — typography can make or break user experiences. WhatFont allows designers to quickly identify typefaces used on any webpage just by hovering over the text.
This tool goes further by displaying:
- Font family and weight
- Size and line-height
- The service provider (e.g., Google Fonts)
Reddit designers often mention using this tool when deconstructing layouts they admire or when trying to replicate certain visual effects in their own projects.
[h2>4. Web Developer – The Swiss Army Knife
This extension may not have the catchiest name, but Web Developer packs a punch. It adds a toolbar full of features that make developing, inspecting, and debugging far more streamlined.
Top functions include:
- Quickly disable JavaScript or CSS
- Outline elements and IDs
- Validate HTML and CSS from within the browser
[pai-img]web developer toolbar, code view, browser extension[/ai-img]
Developers on Reddit cite the Web Developer extension as a go-to tool for troubleshooting display and structural issues when websites behave unexpectedly.
5. CSS Viewer – Hover to Inspect
Sometimes the built-in developer tools feel like overkill, especially when you want to take a quick look at styles. This is where CSS Viewer shines. By simply hovering over elements, you can see their applied styles such as font size, color, box model properties, and more.
Lightweight and focused, it’s perfect for designers who want to learn or replicate UI components without digging through large dev tools panels.
- No click required — just hover
- Compact overlay for visual focus
- Supports a wide variety of CSS properties
6. ColorZilla – Color Grabber and Gradient Assistant
Designers often need to match colors from inspiration sites to their own projects. Enter ColorZilla, a popular browser tool that includes an eyedropper, color picker, and gradient generator.
Features developers love:
- Eyedropper tool for sampling any color on the screen
- Webpage color analyzer
- History of recently picked colors
This tool is often paired with WhatFont for full deconstruction of UI design decisions found in the wild. It’s widely praised on Reddit for being reliable, accurate, and unobtrusive.
7. Page Ruler Redux – Perfect Pixel Control
Pixel-perfect layout design is always in style. Page Ruler Redux allows developers and designers to quickly draw out measuring boxes on any web page to record height, width, and position of elements.
Features include:
- Live drag to resize and reposition
- Displays coordinates and dimensions
- Supports keyboard controls for fine adjustments
This tool is particularly popular among frontend and UI designers who want to ensure consistency and spacing across components during audits. Reddit devs love how easily it integrates into the layout debugging workflow.
Conclusion
The right browser tools can save hours of redundant work and eliminate guesswork in development and design. Tools like VisBug and CSS Viewer make it easier to inspect and modify the visual components, while others like JSON Formatter and Web Developer enhance your debugging and integration processes.
These extensions not only boost productivity but also foster a better understanding of web structures and styling conventions — one of the key reasons Reddit communities love them. They’re easy to install, intuitive to use, and adapt well across different project stages.
FAQs
Q: Are these browser tools free to use?
A: Most of the featured tools are completely free or offer free core functionality. Some may offer premium features or paid versions, but the basic functions used daily by developers are free.
Q: Can these extensions slow down my browser?
A: While some tools may consume additional memory (like VisBug or Web Developer), using a few essential ones generally won’t impact performance significantly. It’s advisable to enable only the ones you frequently use.
Q: Do these tools work on all browsers?
A: Most tools mentioned are optimized for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers like Brave and Edge. Some also offer Firefox versions, but availability and feature parity may vary.
Q: How do I keep these extensions updated?
A: Browser extensions typically auto-update in the background. To ensure you always have the latest version, keep your browser itself updated and periodically check the Chrome Web Store or equivalent for updates.
Q: Are these suitable for beginners?
A: Absolutely. These tools are beginner-friendly and cater to both novice developers and professional UI/UX designers. Clear interfaces and documentation help ease the learning curve.
Incorporating these browser tools into your development environment can drastically enhance your speed, accuracy, and creativity — no wonder Reddit developers consider them essential.
