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wtf is stetho?

facebook/stetho — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-24

★ 12,675JavaAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TL;DR

A Facebook-built Android debugging tool that connects your running Android app to Chrome's developer tools, so you can inspect network requests, browse local databases, and view screen layouts from your desktop browser.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Stetho))
    What it does
      Chrome DevTools bridge
      Network inspection
      Database browser
      Layout inspector
    Setup
      Gradle dependency
      Single init call
      Optional plugins
    Tools
      Chrome inspect page
      dumpapp CLI
    Audience
      Android developers
      Debug workflows

Code map

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filefunction / class

Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Inspect all HTTP requests your Android app makes, headers, bodies, and timing, from Chrome's Network tab.

REASON 2

Browse and run SQL queries against your Android app's local SQLite database without leaving your desktop.

REASON 3

Inspect the view hierarchy and layout of your Android app's screens using Chrome's Elements panel.

REASON 4

Query your Android app's internals from the terminal using the bundled dumpapp command-line tool.

What's in the stack?

JavaAndroidChrome DevTools Protocol

How it stacks up

facebook/stethonetflix/eurekadebezium/debezium
Stars12,67512,70612,718
LanguageJavaJavaJava
Setup difficultyeasyhardhard
Complexity2/54/54/5
Audiencedeveloperops devopsops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min

Requires Chrome desktop browser and an Android device or emulator, setup is one Gradle dependency plus a single initialization call.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice (MIT license).

Wtf does this do

Stetho is a debugging tool for Android apps built by Facebook. It creates a bridge between an Android application running on a phone or emulator and the Chrome browser's built-in developer tools on a desktop computer. Once added to an Android project, a developer can open Chrome, go to the address chrome://inspect, and get a familiar debugging interface showing the app's internals. Through this interface, developers can inspect network requests the app is making, browse the app's local database, view the layout of screens, and run a JavaScript console. The network inspection feature works by hooking into common HTTP libraries that Android apps already use, so there is usually little code to write beyond the initial setup. Setup is straightforward: add a small dependency to the project's build file and call a single initialization method when the app starts. Optional add-ons are available for specific HTTP libraries and for JavaScript scripting support. Stetho also includes a command-line tool called dumpapp that lets developers query app internals from a terminal, and it can be extended with custom plugins for project-specific needs. The project is released under the MIT license and was open-sourced by Facebook for use in Android development workflows.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
I added Stetho to my Android app. Walk me through opening chrome://inspect and using the Network tab to see the HTTP requests my app is making.
Prompt 2
My Android app uses SQLite for local storage. Show me how to use Stetho to open and query my app's database from Chrome's developer tools.
Prompt 3
How do I add Stetho to an Android project that uses OkHttp? Show me the exact Gradle dependency and the initialization code I need.
Prompt 4
I want to write a custom Stetho plugin to expose app-specific data through the dumpapp tool. What interface do I implement?

Frequently asked questions

wtf is stetho?

A Facebook-built Android debugging tool that connects your running Android app to Chrome's developer tools, so you can inspect network requests, browse local databases, and view screen layouts from your desktop browser.

What language is stetho written in?

Mainly Java. The stack also includes Java, Android, Chrome DevTools Protocol.

What license does stetho use?

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice (MIT license).

How hard is stetho to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is stetho for?

Mainly developer.

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