Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CSSViewer VS Charles Proxy

Compare CSSViewer VS Charles Proxy and see what are their differences

CSSViewer logo CSSViewer

A simple CSS property viewer

Charles Proxy logo Charles Proxy

HTTP proxy / HTTP monitor / Reverse Proxy
  • CSSViewer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30
  • Charles Proxy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-20

CSSViewer features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    CSSViewer offers a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to easily inspect CSS properties of web elements by hovering over them.
  • Quick Access
    The extension provides quick access to CSS properties without the need to open the browser's developer tools, saving time for developers and designers.
  • Detailed Information
    CSSViewer displays detailed CSS information, such as font, color, and box properties, which can be useful for debugging or learning CSS.
  • Lightweight Tool
    The extension is lightweight and doesn't require significant system resources, making it a convenient tool for front-end developers.

Possible disadvantages of CSSViewer

  • Limited Functionality
    CSSViewer is limited to viewing CSS properties and does not allow users to edit them directly or offer any advanced features available in full-featured developer tools.
  • Browser Compatibility
    The extension is explicitly designed for Google Chrome, which means users of other browsers may need to look for alternatives.
  • No Updates or Support
    Users have reported that CSSViewer lacks regular updates, which may lead to compatibility issues with newer versions of Chrome or fails to support newer CSS features.
  • Potential Security Risks
    As with any third-party extension, users need to be cautious about permissions and potential security risks associated with installing and using such tools.

Charles Proxy features and specs

  • Comprehensive HTTP/HTTPS Debugging
    Charles Proxy offers robust capabilities to inspect HTTP and HTTPS traffic, making it easier for developers to debug and optimize network requests.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool has an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, which makes it accessible for both novice and experienced users.
  • Support for Various Platforms
    Charles Proxy is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, enhancing its accessibility to a wide range of users.
  • Throttling Feature
    It allows users to simulate different internet speeds, latency, and bandwidth conditions, which is useful for testing applications under various network scenarios.
  • SSL Proxying
    Charles can decrypt SSL traffic, which is crucial for developers to inspect secure web traffic in development and testing phases.
  • Session Recording and Exporting
    It allows users to record network sessions and export them to share or analyze later, facilitating team collaboration and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of Charles Proxy

  • Cost
    Charles Proxy is a paid tool. While it offers a trial version, a license must be purchased for continued use, which could be a limitation for some users or small teams with restricted budgets.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although the interface is user-friendly, some advanced functionalities have a steep learning curve, especially for users who are not familiar with network debugging.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Charles Proxy can be resource-intensive on your system, potentially slowing down performance, especially when monitoring large amounts of traffic.
  • Manual Configuration
    Users need to manually configure their devices or browsers to route through Charles Proxy, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
  • Limited Automation Capabilities
    Charles Proxy has limited support for automation compared to other modern debugging tools, which may affect its suitability for automated testing workflows.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There may be compatibility issues with certain applications or devices, particularly those with strict security measures against proxying, which can impede testing efforts.

Analysis of Charles Proxy

Overall verdict

  • Charles Proxy is considered an excellent tool for those who need to monitor and analyze network communications. Its rich set of features and ease of use make it a valuable asset for developers and testers.

Why this product is good

  • Charles Proxy is widely regarded as a robust and versatile tool for web developers, offering comprehensive features for HTTP/HTTPS debugging, web traffic analysis, and SSL proxying. It provides a user-friendly interface, supports a wide array of platforms, and is especially useful for troubleshooting network issues and optimizing network calls.

Recommended for

  • Web Developers
  • Mobile App Developers
  • Network Engineers
  • QA Testers
  • Technical Support Teams

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CSSViewer and Charles Proxy)
Design Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
24 24%
76% 76
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Proxy
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare CSSViewer and Charles Proxy

CSSViewer Reviews

We have no reviews of CSSViewer yet.
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Charles Proxy Reviews

Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
Charles Proxy is another tool that has a good popularity. It is a web proxy i.e., HTTP proxy or HTTP monitor that runs on your computer. Compared to Paw which works on only macOS, Charles proxy if configured or run correctly is agreeable with all OS, web browsers, any smart devices, personal computers, and internet applications.
12 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools
As the name says, Charles proxy is an HTTP and reverse proxy. It works by routing local traffic through it.
Source: geekflare.com
Comparing Charles Proxy, Fiddler, Wireshark, and Requestly
Although thousands of developers around the globe use Wireshark and Charles Proxy, they fail to occupy the top side in the design aspect. Wiresharkโ€™s interface is robust and detailed but can be intimidating for beginners. While Charles Proxy has a more approachable interface compared to Wireshark, it might seem cluttered to some users. Fiddlerโ€™s UI is information-rich and...
Source: dev.to

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CSSViewer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

CSSViewer mentions (5)

  • 7 Must Have Chrome Extensions for JavaScript Developers
    The "CSS Viewer" Chrome extension is a handy tool for JavaScript developers seeking to inspect and analyze CSS styles on web pages. With a simple click on the extension's icon in the Chrome toolbar, it provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to hover over any element on a webpage and instantly view its corresponding CSS properties and values. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • 20 Top Best Chrome Extensions for Web Developers in 2022
    CSS Viewer is a simple but very effective Chrome extension for web developers. As its name implies, this addon shows you the CSS properties of a given page wherever you hover your mouse. A small popup window appears showing you the CSS data that makes up the element youโ€™re pointing at. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago
  • Top 10 Chrome Extensions for Web Developers in 2022
    1 - CSSViewer : It allows to show the CSS properties of element on any webpage, you just hover your mouse on it . A small window appears showing you the CSS data . - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago
  • 21 Chrome Extension for web developer and designer
    CSSViewer helps us to view CSS properties of an object in a web page in the most general way such as color, font, size, position... You just need to select this utility and hover your mouse over the object that they want. If you want, the CSS information will automatically appear. CSSViewer. - Source: dev.to / almost 5 years ago
  • Awesome Tools and Technologies I Use as a Developer!
    CSSViewer - For viewing and inspecting CSS on a page. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago

Charles Proxy mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Charles Proxy yet. Tracking of Charles Proxy recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CSSViewer and Charles Proxy, you can also consider the following products

CSS Peeper - Smart CSS viewer tailored for Designers.

Fiddler - Fiddler is a debugging program for websites.

Tailwind CSS - A utility-first CSS framework for rapidly building custom user interfaces.

Proxyman.io - Proxyman is a high-performance macOS app, which enables developers to view HTTP/HTTPS requests from apps and domains.

Unused CSS finder - Crawl your website and find unused CSS

HTTP Toolkit - Beautiful, cross-platform & open-source tools to debug, test & build with HTTP(S). One-click setup for browsers, servers, Android, CLI tools, scripts and more.