Choosing Between Hosted Workbench and Debug Builds: The SPFx Developer’s Dilemma

Debugging SPFx web parts used to be straightforward with the local workbench—until it wasn’t. As SharePoint Framework evolved to include modern features, the local workbench fell behind, leaving developers searching for better alternatives.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through Hosted Workbench and Debug Builds, two tools that I use all the time to streamline my SharePoint development workflow. Whether you’re an SPFx veteran or just getting started, this guide will give you everything you need to debug smarter, not harder. Let’s dive in! 🏊‍♂️

The Local Workbench: Why It’s a Relic of the Past

The local workbench was a popular choice for SPFx developers because of its simplicity and ease of setup. However, it was deprecated starting with SPFx 1.13 due to these critical limitations:

Why Did Microsoft Remove It?

Here are the reasons the local workbench had to go:

❌ No Real Data Access: Mock data was the only option—great for prototyping, but useless for real-world testing.

❌ Feature Limitations: It couldn’t handle SPFx extensions or modern SharePoint functionality.

❌ Security Risks: Running components on localhost wasn’t always safe.

What Does This Mean for Developers?

If you’re using SPFx 1.13 or later, transitioning to modern alternatives like the Hosted Workbench and Debug Builds is necessary. Even if you’re on older versions, it’s time to adopt tools that better align with the latest SharePoint development practices.

Hosted Workbench: The Real-World Testing Hero 🦸‍♂️

The Hosted Workbench, available in your SharePoint Online tenant, provides a live testing environment where you can validate your web parts and extensions in a real-world context.

How to Access It 🚪

1. Log in to your SharePoint Online tenant.

2. Navigate to:

https://[yourtenant].sharepoint.com/sites/[yoursite]/_layouts/1...

Why I Love the Hosted Workbench ❤️

• Real Data Integration: You can test your web parts with live lists, libraries, and site contexts.

• Extension Support: It’s perfect for debugging SPFx extensions like field customizers and application customizers.

• Up-to-Date Features: Fully supports modern SPFx features and updates.

When Should You Use It? 🤔

All most in all scenarios!

Debug Builds Without --ship: The Debugger’s Delight 🔍

For scenarios where deep debugging is required, running a development build without the --ship flag offers a simpler and faster solution. This method creates an unminified, debug-friendly version of your SPFx solution.

What Makes Debug Builds So Special? 🎁

• Readable Code: You get clean, unminified JavaScript that’s easy to navigate.

• Local Hosting: Assets like scripts and styles are served directly from your machine using gulp serve.

• Faster Testing: Debug builds skip the optimization steps, saving you time during development.

Pro Tip: Use Debug URLs for Easier Testing 🔗

When testing your web parts in a SharePoint site or the Hosted Workbench, you can load the debug version of your solution directly by appending the debug URL to the site URL.

Here’s how:

1. Start the local server with gulp serve.

2. Copy the debug query string from your serve.json file. It typically looks like this:

?loadSPFX=true&debugManifestsFile=https://localhost:4321/temp/manifests.js

3. Append the query string to your SharePoint page URL or the Hosted Workbench URL. For example:

https://[yourtenant].sharepoint.com/sites/[yoursite]/_layouts/15/workbench.aspx?loadSPFX=true&debugManifestsFile=https://localhost:4321/temp/manifests.js

With this URL, your SPFx solution is loaded directly from your local machine, allowing you to test and debug seamlessly. 🚀

How to Use Debug Builds 🛠️

1. Build in Debug Mode:

Run the following commands:

gulp build
gulp bundle

2. Serve the Debug Version:

Use gulp serve to host your solution locally and load it in a browser or Hosted Workbench.

3. Optional Deployment:

If team testing is required, package the debug build:

gulp package-solution

Then deploy the .sppkg file to the app catalog.

Use Case 🗺️

👉 “You’re debugging a complex web part and need to analyze the JavaScript to track down a performance issue. Debug Builds, combined with the debug URL, make it easy to test and troubleshoot directly in SharePoint.”

Hosted Workbench vs. Debug Builds: A Quick Comparison

To help you decide which tool to use, here’s a side-by-side comparison:

My Go-To Strategy: Combining Both 🧩

I’ll let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to choose between Hosted Workbench and Debug Builds. The magic happens when you use them together!

1. Use Debug Builds to iron out issues during development.

2. Switch to the Hosted Workbench to validate your solution in a live environment.

By combining these tools, you’ll cover every angle of testing and debugging. 🎯