Current Issues with Hermes Direct Debugging

[TatianaKapos]

Problem Description

In React Native Windows, we've observed a regression in Hermes Direct Debugging across versions 0.72.x, 0.73.x, 0.74.x, 0.75x, and 0.76x. While we're actively working on a patch for these versions, we recommend using Web Debugging as an alternative while this issue is still open. You can find instructions for Web Debugging here. Thank you for your patience as we work to get a fix out!

Current Open Issues

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1. Variables in watch window are not evaluated when direct debug RNW apps using the Hermes JS engine #12654
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: Developer Experience Area: JavaScript Engine External Scenario: VSCode Scenario: Visual Studio Workstream: Developer Experience bug +8
   
2. Can't direct debug Hermes when consuming the Microsoft.ReactNative nuget packages #11252
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: JavaScript Engine Scenario: NuGet Workstream: Developer Experience bug +5
   
3. RNW instances using Hermes should support direct debugging in release builds #10245
   Area: JavaScript Engine Needs: Dev Design Workstream: Developer Experience enhancement +4
   
4. [Fabric] Apps using bridgeless mode do not enumerate direct debugging targets #12834
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: Fabric Developer First Experience New Architecture Parity: Fabric vs. Paper Workstream: Developer Experience bug +7
   
5. Unable to debug RNW app (Hermes Direct Debugging) with Visual Studio 2022 (17.9.3) if the native solution is open #12842
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: Developer Experience Developer First Experience Scenario: Visual Studio Workstream: Developer Experience bug +6
   
6. Breakpoints only work for a while when direct debugging the Hermes JS engine #13312
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: Developer Experience Area: JavaScript Engine Workstream: Developer Experience bug +5
   
7. Hermes JS Debugging completely broken after 7/1 integration #13543
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Workstream: Developer Experience bug +3
   
8. Unable to debug JS in playground on main branch #13545
   bug +1
9. Re-enable Debug Feature Tests in playground CI checks #13546
   Area: Debug Infrastructure Area: Tests Integration Follow-up Workstream: Test Coverage bug +5
   
10. React Native Dev Tools Not Available in RNW 0.76 Preview #14037
    Area: Developer Experience Area: JavaScript Engine Scenario: Upgrade bug +4
    

[gabor-seres-sap]

Unfortunately, Web Debugging is not an option for those who want to use synchronous calls to native module methods according to https://microsoft.github.io/react-native-windows/docs/debugging-javascript#web-debugging

Furthermore, some parts of RN, such as synchronous calls to native module methods, only work when running on the embedded JS engine. Such native methods won't work when using Web Debugging.