Inspector

Product Introduction

1. Definition: Inspector is a macOS-native visual editor (technical category: AI-integrated front-end development tool) that connects directly to local codebases. It integrates with AI coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor to translate visual UI edits into code changes.
2. Core Value Proposition: Inspector eliminates design-to-code handoffs by enabling real-time, visual manipulation of UI elements that automatically syncs with the codebase. Its AI integration bridges visual design and production code, accelerating front-end development workflows.

Main Features

1. Visual Element Editor: Enables pixel-perfect movement of UI components via direct browser interaction. How it works: Users click any element, adjust positioning/text/styles visually, and Inspector maps changes to exact code lines (e.g., React component props/CSS) using DOM-to-code mapping technology.
2. AI Agent Integration: Connects to Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor APIs to generate code updates. How it works: Edits trigger context-aware prompts sent to the AI agent, which returns optimized code snippets merged into the local repository via Inspector’s file-system watcher.
3. Local-First Architecture: Operates entirely offline; codebases and AI chat histories remain on-device. Uses secure local storage and GitHub API for version control, ensuring zero cloud data exposure or proprietary code training.
4. Page-Aware Screenshot Engine: Captures component-specific screenshots snapped to element boundaries via pixel-coordinate analysis, enabling precise visual documentation tied to code locations.
5. Framework Context Engine: Specialized React support with JSX/component-aware editing, though compatible with HTML/CSS/JavaScript. Parses ASTs to link visual elements to source code with line-number accuracy.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: Eliminates manual design handoffs and redundant code rewrites by enabling designers/developers to push visual edits directly to repositories.
2. Target Audience:
   • React developers iterating on UI logic
   • Designers shipping production-ready code without engineering dependencies
   • Teams using AI coding agents (Cursor/Claude users) for rapid prototyping
3. Use Cases:
   • Editing text/content in live UIs with double-click actions synced to code
   • Responsive layout adjustments via drag-and-drop saved as CSS/JSX updates
   • Converting Figma/Lovable prototypes to code via local project imports

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike browser-based editors (e.g., Webflow), Inspector edits actual local codebases with GitHub sync, avoiding abstraction layers. Outperforms IDE plugins by combining visual editing with multi-agent AI support.
2. Key Innovation: Patented "visual context engine" links DOM elements to precise code locations using static analysis, enabling reliable AI-assisted refactoring without hallucinations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does Inspector support Windows or Linux?
   Inspector is currently macOS-exclusive; Windows support is in development with a waitlist for early access.
2. How does Inspector handle data privacy with AI agents?
   All code and prompts remain local; no data is sent to cloud servers or used for model training, ensuring GDPR/enterprise compliance.
3. Can Inspector edit backend or non-React frontend code?
   While optimized for React, it supports HTML/CSS/JavaScript edits for any framework, though advanced context linking requires React component structures.
4. What’s required to integrate with Claude or Cursor?
   Users connect via API keys in Inspector’s settings; local codebases auto-sync changes on "Apply" without additional configuration.
5. How are version conflicts managed during team collaboration?
   Inspector creates GitHub branches per edit session, enabling PR reviews before merging to avoid code conflicts.