1  ---
 2  title: Debug Your Waku DApp and WebSocket
 3  hide_table_of_contents: true
 4  displayed_sidebar: build
 5  ---
 6  
 7  This guide provides detailed steps to enable and use debug logs to troubleshoot your Waku DApp, whether in a NodeJS or browser environment and check your WebSocket connections in [nwaku](/run-node/).
 8  
 9  ## Enabling debug logs
10  
11  When resolving issues in your Waku DApp, debug logs can be helpful. The `@waku/sdk` and `libp2p` packages use the debug tool to handle and show logs that help you debug effectively.
12  
13  ### NodeJS environments
14  
15  To enable debug logs for `@waku/sdk` on NodeJS, you must set the `DEBUG` environment variable. To only enable debug logs for `@waku/sdk`:
16  
17  ```shell
18  export DEBUG=waku*
19  ```
20  
21  To enable debug logs for both `@waku/sdk` and `libp2p`:
22  
23  ```shell
24  export DEBUG=waku*,libp2p*
25  ```
26  
27  To enable debug logs for all components:
28  
29  ```shell
30  export DEBUG=*
31  ```
32  
33  ### Browser environments
34  
35  To view debug logs in your browser's console, modify the local storage and add the `debug` key. Here are guides for various modern browsers:
36  
37  - [Google Chrome](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/storage/localstorage/)
38  - [Firefox](https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/devtools-user/storage_inspector/local_storage_session_storage/index.html)
39  - [JavaScript](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/localStorage)
40  
41  | KEY | VALUE | DESCRIPTION |
42  | - | - | - |
43  | `debug` | `waku*` | Enables `@waku/sdk` debug logs |
44  | `debug` | `waku*,libp2p*` | Enables `@waku/sdk` and `libp2p` debug logs |
45  | `debug` | `*` | Enables all debug logs |
46  
47  ## Checking WebSocket setup
48  
49  [Nwaku](/run-node/) provides native support for WebSocket (`ws`) and WebSocket Secure (`wss`) protocols. These are the only [transports](/learn/concepts/transports) supported for connecting to the Waku Network via browsers.
50  
51  It's important to note that browsers impose certain limitations on WebSocket usage:
52  
53  - **Secure Context Requirement**: Insecure subroutines are prohibited in secure contexts. On an `https://` webpage, only `wss` connections are permitted, while `ws` connections are not allowed. This restriction does not apply if the webpage is served locally, like on `localhost` or `127.0.0.1`.
54  - **Certificate Validation**: Certificate validation rules are consistent for `https` and `wss` connections. Certificates must not be expired, issued by a recognized Certificate Authority (CA), and match the domain name, among other criteria.
55  - **User Feedback on Errors**: Web browsers do not display errors related to subroutines to the user. If a WebSocket connection encounters an issue, users won't be alerted directly; you'll need to check the browser's console for error details.
56  
57  If you encounter difficulties when connecting to a remote node using `wss`, follow these steps:
58  
59  ### Try Websocat for connection
60  
61  Attempt to connect using [websocat](https://github.com/vi/websocat), a tool for WebSocket interactions. Test the WebSocket port using the command:
62  
63  ```shell
64  websocat -v wss://[WEBSOCKET HOST]:[WEBSOCKET PORT]
65  ```
66  
67  For example, consider a `nwaku` node with the multiaddr as `/dns4/nwakunode.com/tcp/1234/wss/p2p/16...`:
68  
69  ```shell
70  $ websocat -v wss://nwakunode.com:1234
71  # ...
72  [INFO  websocat::ws_client_peer] Connected to ws
73  ```
74  
75  The connection works if the `[INFO  websocat::ws_client_peer] Connected to ws` log entry appears. If not, [check that the certificate is valid](#check-certificate-validity)
76  
77  ### Check certificate validity
78  
79  Verify the certificate's validity by passing the `-k` or `--insecure` flag to handle invalid certificates in `websocat`:
80  
81  ```shell
82  websocat -v -k wss://nwakunode.com:1234
83  ```
84  
85  If this works, the certificate's invalidity is the problem, and you should investigate the cause of the error if not, [check if the WebSocket port is accessible](#check-websocket-port-accessibility).
86  
87  ### Check WebSocket port accessibility
88  
89  Use `telnet` or another networking tool to verify if the WebSocket port is open and accessible. For example, if the multiaddr is `/dns4/nwakunode.com/tcp/1234/wss/p2p/16...`, use the command:
90  
91  ```shell
92  $ telnet nwakunode.com 1234
93  Trying 123.123.123.123...
94  Connected to nwakunode.com.
95  # ...
96  ```
97  
98  If the connection succeeds, there might be an issue with `nwaku`. Consider seeking support on the [Waku Discord](https://discord.waku.org) or [raise an issue](https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/issues/new). If the connection fails, ensure that the WebSocket port is open.