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Spotlight
by Sentry

Desktop App

The Spotlight Desktop App is a standalone application that combines the sidecar server and debugging UI in a single package. Perfect for when you want a dedicated debugging environment.

Why Use the Desktop App?

The desktop app offers several advantages:

  • All-in-one solution: Sidecar server and UI bundled together
  • No browser required: Dedicated window for debugging
  • Persistent workspace: Stays open across browser refreshes
  • Auto-updates: Always get the latest features
  • Clean separation: Keep debugging separate from your development browser
  • Built-in HTTP MCP server: Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server directly from the desktop app. Perfect for:
  • Headless or mobile development
  • When you want debugging in a separate window
  • Team members who prefer desktop apps
  • Quick setup without browser configuration

Download and Installation

Get started by downloading the latest version for your platform:

latest version: 4.5.0

Installation Steps

  1. Download the app using the button above
  2. Open the downloaded .dmg file
  3. Drag Spotlight to your Applications folder
  4. Launch Spotlight from Applications

What’s Included

The desktop app provides everything you need for local debugging:

Built-in Sidecar Server

The app automatically starts a Spotlight sidecar server:

  • Default port: 8969 (configurable in settings)
  • No need to run separate commands
  • Just launch the app and you’re ready

Debugging UI

Access all Spotlight features through the dedicated interface:

  • Errors Tab: View runtime errors with full stack traces
  • Traces Tab: Inspect performance traces and spans
  • Logs Tab: Browse application logs with filtering
  • Profiles Tab: Analyze performance profiles
  • Settings: Configure sidecar and UI preferences

Auto-Updates

The app keeps itself up to date:

  • Automatically checks for updates
  • Downloads and installs in the background
  • Ensures you always have the latest features and bug fixes

Setup Your Application

Once the desktop app is running, configure your application to send telemetry to Spotlight:

Backend Applications (Node.js, Python, etc.)

Set the SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT environment variable:

// Sentry will automatically use SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT env var
import * as Sentry from '@sentry/node';


Sentry.init({
  dsn: 'your-dsn', // Optional for local dev
  // No spotlight config needed - handled by env var
});

Run your app:

Terminal window
SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT=1 node server.js
# or
export SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT=1
npm run dev

Frontend Applications

For browser-based applications, add the Spotlight browser integration:

import * as Sentry from '@sentry/browser';


Sentry.init({
  dsn: 'your-dsn', // Optional for local dev
  integrations: [
    Sentry.spotlightBrowserIntegration()
  ],
  // Only enable in development
  enabled: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development'
});

Using the Desktop App

Starting the App

  1. Launch Spotlight from your Applications folder
  2. The sidecar server starts automatically on port 8969
  3. The debugging UI opens in the app window

Viewing Events

As your application sends telemetry to Spotlight:

  1. Errors appear in real-time in the Errors tab
  2. Traces are displayed with timing information
  3. Logs stream to the Logs tab
  4. Profiles show up when captured

Filtering and Searching

Use the built-in filters to find what you need:

  • Search by text: Find errors or logs containing specific text
  • Filter by type: Show only errors, traces, or logs
  • Time range: Focus on specific time periods
  • Source filter: Show events from specific files or components

Inspecting Details

Click any event to see full details:

  • Errors: Complete stack traces, context, and breadcrumbs
  • Traces: Full span tree with timing breakdown
  • Logs: Structured log data with attributes
  • Profiles: Flamegraphs and performance metrics

Clearing Events

Use the clear button in the toolbar to remove all events and start fresh.

Configuration

Changing the Port

If port 8969 is already in use:

  1. Open Spotlight Settings (via menu or gear icon)
  2. Change the Sidecar Port setting
  3. Restart the app
  4. Update your app’s SDK configuration to match

UI Preferences

Customize the interface:

  • Theme: Choose light or dark mode
  • Font size: Adjust for readability
  • Panel layout: Configure which panels are visible

When to Use Desktop App vs CLI vs Browser

Choose the right tool for your workflow:

Use Desktop App When:

  • ✅ You want a dedicated debugging window
  • ✅ You prefer desktop applications
  • ✅ You’re developing headless or mobile apps
  • ✅ You want automatic updates

Use CLI When:

  • ✅ You prefer terminal-based workflows
  • ✅ You need to stream events to files
  • ✅ You’re automating with scripts
  • ✅ You want machine-readable output

Use Browser UI When:

  • ✅ You want overlay on your application
  • ✅ You’re debugging frontend web apps
  • ✅ You want integrated developer experience

Learn more about CLI →

Use Cases

Mobile Development

When developing mobile apps, the desktop app provides a great debugging companion:

  1. Run the desktop app on your machine
  2. Configure your mobile app’s SDK to point to your machine’s IP: 
    spotlight: "http://192.168.1.100:8969/stream"
  3. Run your mobile app on device/simulator
  4. View events in the desktop app

Backend Development

For backend services without a browser:

  1. Start the desktop app
  2. Run your backend with SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT=1
  3. Make API requests to your service
  4. See traces and errors in the desktop app

Microservices

Debug multiple services simultaneously:

  1. Start the desktop app (single sidecar on port 8969)
  2. Point all services to the same sidecar
  3. See events from all services in one place
  4. Filter by service or component

Troubleshooting

App Won’t Start

macOS Security Warning:

If you see “Spotlight can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer”:

  1. Right-click the app and select “Open”
  2. Click “Open” in the security dialog
  3. macOS will remember this choice

Port Already in Use:

If you see a port conflict:

  1. Change the port in Settings
  2. Or close other applications using port 8969

No Events Showing

Check SDK Configuration:

  1. Verify Sentry SDK is initialized in your app
  2. Ensure spotlight integration is enabled
  3. Check environment variable is set: SENTRY_SPOTLIGHT=1

Check Network:

  1. Verify your app can reach localhost:8969
  2. Check firewall settings if needed

Enable Debug:

  1. In your app, enable Sentry debug mode
  2. Check console for Spotlight connection messages

Events Not Updating

Refresh the View:

  • Click the refresh button or use Cmd+R

Clear and Restart:

  1. Clear events
  2. Restart your application
  3. Trigger new events

Privacy and Security

Local-Only

The desktop app and sidecar run entirely on your local machine:

  • No data sent to external servers - Everything stays local
  • No telemetry collected - The app doesn’t track your usage
  • Memory-only storage - Events are cleared when the app closes

Development Only

Spotlight is designed exclusively for development:

  • Never enable in production - Use environment checks to restrict to development only
  • Guard sensitive data - Keep production secrets out of test scenarios
  • Review before sharing - Be mindful when sharing screenshots or logs

Next Steps