'Load local javascript file in chrome for testing?

I am trying to test some JavaScript on my local computer using the Chrome browser but Chrome will not load local resources. Is there an easy work around for this?

javascript browser

Solution 1:^[1]

If you are trying to just test the functionality of your JavaScript file: create a blank HTML file, add a link to your JS file as you would normally load a JS file from HTML, and open the HTML file in Chrome. Go to the JavaScript console. You'll be able to interact with the functionality of your JS code as usual. You wouldn't need to set up a server for this. If still not clear, here's an example:

<html> 
    <head> 
        <script type = "text/javascript" src = "path/to/your/jsfile"></script>
    </head> 
</html>

Solution 2:^[2]

You can use a light weight webserver to serve the file.
For example,
1. install Node
2. install the "http-server" (or similar) package
3. Run the http-server package ( "http-server -c-1") from the folder where the script file is located
4. Load the script from chrome console (run the following script on chrome console

var ele = document.createElement("script");
var scriptPath = "http://localhost:8080/{scriptfilename}.js" //verify the script path
ele.setAttribute("src",scriptPath);
document.head.appendChild(ele)

The script is now loaded the browser. You can test it from console.

Solution 3:^[3]

To load local resources in Chrome when just using your local computer and not using a webserver you need to add the --allow-file-access-from-files flag.

You can have a shortcut to Chrome that allows files access and one that does not.

Create a shortcut for Chrome on the desktop, right click on shortcut, select properties. In the dialog box that opens find the target for the short cut and add the parameter after chrome.exe leaving a space

e.g. C:\PATH TO\chrome.exe --allow-file-access-from-files

This shortcut will allow access to files without affecting any other shortcut to Chrome you have.

When you open Chrome with this shortcut it should allow local resources to be loaded using HTML5 and the filesystem API.

Solution 4:^[4]

For security reasons, modern browsers won't load resource from locally running HTML files (files using file:// protocol in the address bar).

The easiest way to get a modern browser to load and run JavaScript files in local HTML files is to run a local web server.

If you don't want to go through the trouble of setting up a Node or Apache web server just to test your JavaScript, then I'd suggest you install Visual Studio Code and the Live Server extension.

Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio code is a source code editor for pretty much any programming language under the sun. It has built-in support for JavaScript, HTML, CSS, TypeScript, and almost any kind of language used for Web development.

Install Visual Studio Code

You can get the Visual Studio Code editor for your platform from https://code.visualstudio.com/. It supports Windows, Linux, and Mac. I think it also works on your Surface Pro if that's your thing.

Add the Live Code Extension

After installing VS Code, you can add the Live Code code extension using the Extension panel (Ctrl+Shift+X in Windows) in Visual Studio Code.

Live Server Extension

After adding the extension, you should see a "Go Live" button in the bottom-right corner of the Visual Studio Code IDE (as shown in the above screenshot).

Open in Code

Open the root folder where your HTML and JavaScript files exist in Visual Studio Code and click the "Go Live" button. Optionally, you can right-click the HTML file in the Explorer (Ctrl+Shift+E) and select Open with Live Server from the pop-up menu that appears.

Open with Live Server

This should create a locally running web server and open the file or folder in your web browser. If your file paths are correct, your JavaScript files should also load and run correctly.

Troubleshooting

If for some reason, the page doesn't load in your favorite browser, check that the address and port number are correct. If the Live Server is running, it should display the port number in the bottom-right corner of the Visual Studio IDE. Make sure the address in your browser says http://127.0.0.1:<PORT>/index.html where <PORT> has the same number as shown in the status bar in Visual Studio Code.

Solution 5:^[5]

The easiest workaround I have found is to use Firefox. Not only does it work with no extra steps (drag and drop - no muss no fuss), but blackboxing works better than Chrome.

Solution 6:^[6]

Use Chrome browser and with the Web Server for Chrome extension, set a default folder and put your linked html/js files in there, browse to 127.0.0.1:8887 (0r whatever the port is set at) in Chrome and open the developers panel & console. You can then interact with your html/js scripts in the console.

Solution 7:^[7]

You can do it by a feature of chrome's DevTools: Snippets

Create a new snippets
Copy and paste the file you would like to execute.
Hit CtrlEnter to run the snippet

Solution 8:^[8]

Windows 8.1 add:

--allow-file-access-from-files

to the end of the target text box after the quotes.

EX: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --allow-file-access-from-files

Works like a charm

Solution 9:^[9]

Running a simple local HTTP server

To test such examples, one needs a local webserver. One of the easiest ways to do this is offered by Python's SimpleHTTPServer (or http.server, depending on the version of Python installed.)

# Install Python & try one of the following depending on your python version. if the version is 3.X
python3 -m http.server
# On windows try "python" instead of "python3", or "py -3"
# If Python version is 2.X
python -m SimpleHTTPServer

Solution 10:^[10]

Here's what I did by creating 2 files in the /sandbox directory:

First file: sandbox.js
Second file: index.html

const name = 'Karl'

console.log('This is the name: ' + name)

<html>
  <head>
    <script type = "text/javascript" src = "file:///Users/karl/Downloads/sandbox/sandbox.js"></script>
  </head>
</html>

You can then use Chrome or any browser to inspect and debug/console your code!

Solution 11:^[11]

If you still need to do this, I ran across the same problem. Somehow, EDGE renders all the scripts even if they are not via HTTP, HTTPS etc... Open the html/js file directly from the filesystem with Edge, and it will work.

Solution 12:^[12]

setup

You will want to serve the file from a web server. Everything else will be quirky workarounds that might differ greatly from the final result. On the web, files are being served via web servers. You'll want to mimic that locally.

Since you're apparently (at least part-time) being a web developer, do yourself a massive favour and install node, if you haven't already. It comes bundled with the npx binary, which we'll use. Make sure you have a recent LTS version. Bonus points for using n, which will make it easy to stay up to date with your versions, and even switch them as you need.

steps to take

Inside the folder where your file is located: npx http-server -c-1
You can now access the file at http://127.0.0.1:8000/filename
Last thing to do is make the browser load the file. Magesh's answer works well for that, but I would recommend putting that snippet into a "custom js" extension. This one has served me well so far.
With everything in place, simply reload the page to get an updated version of your local file.

Solution 13:^[13]

Note: this question comes top on google when you search for "chrome read local css without server". So...

If you really want to serve a local webpage and load its CSS and JS, and you really do not have or don't want to use a http server, then don't load the scripts nor styles; inline them.

Instead of something like this:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="somefile.css">

Define the style like:

<style>/*Here goes all the CSS file content*/</style>

And the same with the JavaScript files. The HTML file will be larger, but it will work.

Basically you just have to copy the file contents and paste it inline.

You really should use a server, but if you are forced to, you can use this method.

Solution 14:^[14]

Not sure why @user3133050 is voted down, that's all you need to do...

Here's the structure you need, based on your script tag's src, assuming you are trying to load moment.js into index.html:

/js/moment.js
/some-other-directory/index.html

The ../ looks "up" at the "some-other-directory" folder level, finds the js folder next to it, and loads the moment.js inside.

It sounds like your index.html is at root level, or nested even deeper.

If you're still struggling, create a test.js file in the same location as index.html, and add a <script src="test.js"></script> and see if that loads. If that fails, check your syntax. Tested in Chrome 46.

Solution 15:^[15]

The easiest way I found was to copy your file contents into you browser console and hit enter. The disadvantage of this approach is that you can only debug with console.log statements.

Sources

This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Overflow and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Source: Stack Overflow

Solution	Source
Solution 1	ZygD
Solution 2	Magesh
Solution 3	ggorlen
Solution 4	Jeremiah van Oosten
Solution 5
Solution 6	minimallinux
Solution 7	Sophie Su
Solution 8	razor2816
Solution 9
Solution 10	KBog
Solution 11	Vishera
Solution 12	panepeter
Solution 13	Luis Cabrera Benito
Solution 14	Glen Selle
Solution 15	velop

'Load local javascript file in chrome for testing?

Solution 1:[1]

Solution 2:[2]

Solution 3:[3]

Solution 4:[4]

Visual Studio Code

Install Visual Studio Code

Add the Live Code Extension

Open in Code

Troubleshooting

Solution 5:[5]

Solution 6:[6]

Solution 7:[7]

Solution 8:[8]

Solution 9:[9]