---
title: xRay (inspector)
description: >-
  xRay is a desktop inspector for Flutter teams. See a debug build's network
  calls, logs, storage and files on one timeline, act on the device, and hand a
  reproducible bug to a teammate.
---
> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xrayinspector.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

**xRay is a desktop inspector for Flutter teams.** Developers, QA and product people connect the xRay desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) to a running debug build on the local network, and see its network calls, logs, key-value storage and files on one timeline. They can act on the device, and record a session to hand a reproducible bug to a teammate.

## What you can do

- **Network**: every HTTP call with headers, bodies, timing and sizes, GraphQL operations by name, WebSocket messages, protobuf, gRPC-web and Connect bodies decoded with your own `.proto` files, and Serverpod calls by endpoint and method. Credentials are masked by default.
- **Logs**: entries with level, logger, error and stack trace, searchable and filterable.
- **Key-value storage**: browse, edit and add keys in shared preferences, secure storage or your own store.
- **Databases**: browse sqflite and drift tables and Hive boxes, run SQL and, when you allow it, edit rows.
- **Files**: browse, preview, save and delete your app's documents and caches.
- **Timeline**: calls, logs and key-value changes in the order they happened.
- **Device actions**: change appearance, locale and text size, open deep links, send simulated pushes and override feature flags.
- **Sessions**: export what you captured as an `.xray` file or HAR, with secrets redacted, and open a teammate's session read-only. Export a single call as cURL or Markdown.
- **MCP**: let an AI assistant such as Claude Code, Cursor or VS Code read the apps open in xRay, redacted, while you debug. See [MCP](/app/mcp).

## Why teams use it

- **It stays on your network.** What the inspectors capture goes straight from your app to the xRay desktop apps that connect to it, never to a cloud. Only your sign-in goes to the xRay platform, and xRay sends no telemetry. If you connect an AI assistant through [MCP](/app/mcp), it reads that data on your computer.
- **Protected and encrypted by default.** Your app accepts a connection only with its pairing code, a password, or from a trusted desktop, and all traffic is encrypted.
- **Debug builds only.** The inspector does not start in release or profile builds, unless you explicitly allow it in a protected internal build.
- **Free during the alpha** for approved testers.

## Get started

1. Install the desktop app on [macOS](/app/install-macos), [Windows](/app/install-windows) or [Linux](/app/install-linux), and sign in. See [Account and access](/app/account-and-access).
2. Add `xray_inspector` to your app: [Quick Start](/getting-started).
3. Open **Add Connection** in xRay, pick your app and enter its pairing code.

## How it fits together

```
Your Flutter app (debug build)
       │
       ├── XRayNetworkInspector   ◄── HTTP override, Dio, Serverpod
       ├── XRayLogInspector
       ├── XRaySharedPreferencesInspector / XRaySecureStorageInspector
       ├── XRaySqfliteInspector / XRayDriftInspector / XRayHiveInspector
       ├── XRayFileInspector
       └── XRayDeviceInspector    ◄── xray_device_actions
                        │
              XRayInspectorServer  (protected, encrypted; UDP discovery)
                        │  local network
                  xRay desktop app (macOS / Windows / Linux)
```

The inspector server runs inside your app. The desktop app finds it on the local network and connects to it directly. See [How it works](/guides/how-it-works).

## Design principles

- **No singletons**: all dependencies are passed explicitly via constructors.
- **In memory**: captured calls, logs and changes live in your app's memory only, with limits so a long session cannot grow it without bound. The inspector only stores its pairing code on the device, and the file inspector only reads the folders you list.
- **Composable**: add only the inspectors you need.

## Guides

- [How it works](/guides/how-it-works): discovery, ports, release builds and troubleshooting
- [Protected connections](/guides/protected-connections): pairing code, password and trusted desktops
- [Network Inspection](/guides/network-inspection)
- [Log Inspection](/guides/log-inspection)
- [Key-Value Inspection](/guides/key-value-inspection)
- [Database Inspection](/guides/database-inspection)
- [File Inspection](/guides/file-inspection)
- [Using the desktop app](/app/desktop-app)
- [Sessions and export](/app/sessions-and-export)
- [MCP](/app/mcp): connect an AI assistant

## Packages

| Package | What it adds |
| ------- | ------------ |
| [`xray_inspector`](/packages/xray-inspector) | The inspectors and the server. Start here |
| [`xray_network_dio_interceptor`](/packages/xray-network-dio-interceptor) | Records Dio calls, including requests other interceptors stop |
| [`xray_serverpod_interceptor`](/packages/xray-serverpod-interceptor) | Shows Serverpod calls by endpoint and method |
| [`xray_shared_preferences_inspector`](/packages/xray-shared-preferences-inspector) | SharedPreferences in the Key-Value tab |
| [`xray_secure_storage_inspector`](/packages/xray-secure-storage-inspector) | flutter_secure_storage in the Key-Value tab |
| [`xray_sqflite_inspector`](/packages/xray-sqflite-inspector) | sqflite databases in the Database tab |
| [`xray_drift_inspector`](/packages/xray-drift-inspector) | drift databases in the Database tab |
| [`xray_hive_inspector`](/packages/xray-hive-inspector) | hive_ce boxes in the Database tab |
| [`xray_device_actions`](/packages/xray-device-actions) | Device actions: appearance, locale, text size, animations, debug overlays |
| [`xray_inspector_core`](/packages/xray-inspector-core) | Shared models, included with `xray_inspector` |

<Info>
xRay is a commercial product. To use these packages you need a commercial xRay license or a free xRay Community License. The xRay desktop apps for macOS, Windows and Linux are the authorized UI clients for these packages. See [License](/license) and [Terms & Conditions](/terms-and-conditions).
</Info>