How to View Website Source Code in Microsoft Edge

Introduction

Every website you visit is built using code, primarily HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Viewing the source code of a website can be helpful for developers, students, or anyone curious about how a webpage is structured.  Whether you’re a beginner trying to learn web development or an experienced developer debugging a page, Microsoft Edge offers built-in tools to make viewing the source code easy.

In this guide, we will explore different methods to view the source code of a webpage in Microsoft Edge. We will also discuss how to use Edge Developer Tools for a more detailed analysis of the webpage’s structure and functionality.

Why View Website Source Code?

Before diving into the methods, it’s important to understand why someone would want to view a webpage’s source code. Here are a few common reasons:

• Learning Web Development: Beginners can study website source code to understand how different elements work together.
• Debugging Websites: Developers use the source code to identify errors or missing elements.
• Extracting Data: You might need to copy certain elements from a webpage, such as an embed code.
• Checking for SEO and Meta Tags: Marketers and SEO professionals inspect the source code to analyze meta tags, keywords, and other SEO elements.

Now, let’s explore how you can easily view the source code of any webpage in Microsoft Edge.

Method 1: Using “View Page Source”

The quickest way to see a webpage’s source code is by using the built-in “View Page Source” option in Microsoft Edge. Here’s how:

Steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge: Launch Edge and visit the webpage whose source code you want to view.
2. Right-click on the page: Anywhere on the webpage, right-click with your mouse.
3. Click “View Page Source.” From the context menu, select “View Page Source.”
4. View the source code: A new tab will open displaying the HTML code of the webpage.

This method provides a simple way to see the HTML structure of a webpage. However, if you want to inspect CSS and JavaScript files, you’ll need Developer Tools, which we’ll discuss next.

Method 2: Using the Keyboard Shortcut

If you prefer using keyboard shortcuts, Microsoft Edge offers a quick way to open the source code of a webpage:

Steps:

1. Go to the webpage you want to inspect in Microsoft Edge.
2. Press Ctrl + U on your keyboard (Windows) or Command + Option + U (Mac).
3. View the source code: A new tab will open, displaying the webpage’s raw HTML.

This method is fast and efficient, especially if you frequently inspect page sources.

Method 3: Using Developer Tools (F12 or Inspect Element)

For a more in-depth analysis of a webpage’s source code, Microsoft Edge provides Developer Tools (DevTools). This is useful if you want to inspect individual elements, modify the code, or debug scripts.

Steps:

1. Open the webpage you want to inspect in Microsoft Edge.
2. Press F12 or Ctrl + Shift + I to open Developer Tools. (Mac users can press Command + Option + I.)
3. Use the “Elements” tab:
   • The Elements tab displays the HTML structure of the page.
   • You can hover over elements to see their corresponding sections on the webpage.
   • Right-click on an element and choose “Edit as HTML” to modify it.
4. Inspect CSS and JavaScript:
   • The Styles tab shows the CSS properties applied to elements.
   • The Console tab allows developers to debug JavaScript code.
5. Close DevTools: Once done, you can close the Developer Tools by clicking the “X” in the top-right corner or pressing F12 again.

The Developer Tools feature is powerful, allowing you to make live changes to the webpage without affecting the actual site.

Method 4: Viewing External CSS and JavaScript Files

When you inspect a webpage, you may notice that the CSS and JavaScript code is linked externally rather than being embedded in the HTML. To view these external files:

1. Open Developer Tools (F12).
2. Go to the “Sources” tab.
3. Locate the CSS or JS file: Expand the file tree to find stylesheets (.css) or scripts (.js).
4. Click on the file to view its content.

This is helpful for web developers who want to study how styles and scripts are applied to a webpage.

Method 5: Using an Extension to View Source Code

If you frequently view source code and need advanced features, browser extensions can be helpful. Some popular Microsoft Edge extensions include:

• Page Source Viewer: provides syntax highlighting and better readability.
• Web Developer Extension: Adds various tools for inspecting and modifying web pages.
• Sourcegraph: useful for developers working with complex websites.

Steps to Install an Extension:

1. Open Microsoft Edge and go to the Edge Add-ons Store 
2. Search for “View Page Source” or similar tools.
3. Click on the desired extension and select Add to Edge.
4. Once installed, use the extension to analyze source code with additional features.

Tips for Reading Source Code

When you open a webpage’s source code, it might look overwhelming at first. Here are some tips to navigate through it effectively:

• Use Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command + F (Mac) to find specific tags or keywords.
• Look for the <head> section for meta tags, SEO elements, and external links.
• The <body> section contains the main content of the webpage.
• Check script tags (<script> and <style>) to identify inline JavaScript and CSS.

By following these tips, you can analyze and understand how different elements work together in a webpage.

Conclusion

Viewing a webpage’s source code in Microsoft Edge is a useful skill for web developers, designers, and anyone interested in how websites are built. Whether you simply want to see the raw HTML, inspect CSS and JavaScript, or use Developer Tools for a detailed analysis, Edge provides multiple ways to access and examine the source code.

For beginners, using “View Page Source” or the Ctrl + U shortcut is the easiest method. Developers and advanced users can take advantage of Developer Tools (F12) to inspect, modify, and debug webpages. Additionally, browser extensions offer extra functionality for those who frequently analyze source code.

By understanding how to navigate and interpret source code, you can improve your web development skills, troubleshoot issues, and gain insights into how modern websites function. Happy coding!

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us