Download Entire Folder from Firefox DevTools: Complete Guide

Firefox DevTools doesn’t natively support downloading entire folders while preserving file structure, but there are several workarounds available depending on your browser. Chrome and Edge offer better extension support for this purpose, while Firefox requires more manual approaches or third-party solutions.

Contents

• Understanding the Limitations
• Firefox Solutions
• Chrome and Edge Solutions
• Cross-Browser Extensions
• Manual Workarounds
• Best Practices for Large Downloads

Understanding the Limitations

Firefox DevTools’ debugger interface has some inherent limitations when it comes to bulk downloading. As noted in the Firefox Source Docs, the source list pane organizes files by origin and directory structure, but doesn’t provide built-in folder download capabilities.

The main challenges include:

• Individual file downloads only - Firefox allows right-clicking on individual files and saving them one by one
• No native batch operations - Unlike some IDEs, Firefox DevTools lacks built-in bulk download functionality
• Tree structure limitations - While Firefox 56+ introduced a tree structure in the debugger, it still doesn’t support folder downloads

Chrome faces similar limitations, as mentioned in Stack Overflow discussions, where users noted that “It’s not possible to do this directly with Chrome.”

Firefox Solutions

Current Firefox Capabilities

Firefox DevTools has evolved over time, with newer versions offering improved UI organization. According to Mozilla documentation, “At the top level sources are organized by origin, and under that they’re organized by the directory structure from which they are served.”

Working with Firefox 56+ (Newer Versions):

• The debugger now displays files in a tree structure similar to Chrome
• You can navigate through folders in the Sources tab
• However, you still need to download files individually

Firefox-Focused Workarounds

While Firefox doesn’t have as many dedicated extensions for this purpose as Chrome, there are some approaches:

1. Network Tab Method

   • Open Firefox DevTools and go to the Network tab
   • Filter for the file types you need (JavaScript, CSS, etc.)
   • Right-click and save individual files from the network requests

2. Console Script Approach

   • Use the browser console to write a script that fetches all files
   • This requires some JavaScript knowledge but can automate downloads

3. Browser Bookmarklets

   • Create bookmarklets that can extract and download multiple files
   • These can be customized for specific needs

Chrome and Edge Solutions

Chrome and Edge benefit from the same underlying Chromium engine, which means they share similar DevTools capabilities and extension support.

Native DevTools Features

Chrome DevTools has some workspace features that can help with file management:

• Workspaces: As mentioned in John Livingston’s blog, you can “add folder to workspace” which maps local folders to network resources
• File System Access: Chrome allows accessing local file systems through DevTools

Chrome/Edge Extensions

Several Chrome extensions address this limitation:

1. DevTools - Sources downloader

• Available in the Chrome Web Store
• Designed specifically for downloading source files from DevTools
• Maintains folder structure during download

2. Save All Resources

• Chrome Web Store link
• “one click downloading all resources files and keeping folder structures”
• Specifically mentioned for preserving folder hierarchies

3. Custom Batching Extensions

• As noted in Stack Overflow, “so I made a batching extension to automatically fetch resources to the Downloads folder”
• You can find or create custom extensions for specific needs

Cross-Browser Extensions

While Firefox has fewer dedicated extensions for this purpose, some cross-browser solutions exist:

Browser-Specific Solutions

For Chrome/Edge:

• Save All Resources: As described in its store listing, it provides “one click downloading all resources files and keeping folder structures”
• DevTools Sources Downloader: Specifically designed for debugging applications but also useful for bulk downloads

For Firefox:

• Firefox’s extension ecosystem is more limited for this specific use case
• Some general-purpose download managers may integrate with DevTools
• Users often need to rely on browser console scripts or bookmarklets

Extension Installation Process

1. Open your browser’s extension store
2. Search for download manager or DevTools utilities
3. Look for extensions with good ratings and recent updates
4. Check permissions carefully - some may require extensive access
5. Install and test with a small set of files first

Manual Workarounds

When extensions aren’t available or suitable, several manual approaches can work:

Browser Console Methods

JavaScript Console Script:

// This script would need to be adapted to your specific needs
const downloadAllFiles = async () => {
  const files = document.querySelectorAll('.source-file-item');
  for (const file of files) {
    const url = file.getAttribute('data-url');
    const filename = file.getAttribute('data-name');
    const response = await fetch(url);
    const blob = await response.blob();
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    a.download = filename;
    a.click();
  }
};

Network Tab Approach

1. Open DevTools (F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I)
2. Go to the Network tab
3. Set the filter to show only the file types you need
4. Use the Export HAR feature to get all network requests
5. Process the HAR file to extract download URLs
6. Use a script or download manager to fetch all files

Browser-Specific Console Commands

Chrome/Edge:

// Save all scripts from the debugger
const scripts = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.tree-item.source'));
scripts.forEach(script => {
  const url = script.getAttribute('data-url');
  // Download logic here
});

Firefox:
Firefox has similar capabilities but may require different selectors due to its different DOM structure.

Best Practices for Large Downloads

Performance Considerations

When downloading thousands of files, consider these factors:

Rate Limiting:

• Most servers will block rapid successive requests
• Implement delays between downloads (1-3 seconds between requests)
• Use exponential backoff for failed requests

Memory Management:

• Download files in batches (50-100 files at a time)
• Clear memory between batches
• Monitor browser performance during large downloads

Error Handling and Recovery

Download Tracking:

• Keep a log of downloaded files and their status
• Implement retry logic for failed downloads
• Save progress to resume interrupted downloads

File Organization:

• Create a clear directory structure before starting
• Use meaningful filenames that preserve the original hierarchy
• Consider using timestamp-based naming for duplicates

Alternative Approaches

Server-Side Solutions:

• If you have server access, consider using wget or curl
• Many servers provide compressed archives of entire projects
• API endpoints may be available for bulk downloads

Development Tools:

• IDEs like VS Code or WebStorm often have better file management
• Git repositories may be available for the project
• Build tools might generate downloadable archives

Sources

1. Firefox Source Docs - Debugger UI Tour
2. Reddit Discussion - Firefox DevTools Folder Download
3. Stack Overflow - Chrome Folder Download Limitation
4. Chrome Web Store - DevTools Sources Downloader
5. Chrome Web Store - Save All Resources
6. John Livingston Blog - Chrome DevTools Workspace
7. Mozilla Discourse - Firefox File Download Capabilities
8. Super User - Downloading Source Maps

Conclusion

Downloading entire folders from browser DevTools while preserving file structure presents challenges, but several solutions exist depending on your browser and technical comfort level.

Key Recommendations:

• For Chrome/Edge: Use dedicated extensions like “Save All Resources” or “DevTools Sources downloader” for the most efficient solution
• For Firefox: Combine network tab analysis with browser console scripts or bookmarklets
• For Large Projects: Consider server-side solutions or development environments with better file management capabilities
• Always Test: Start with small batches when using new methods to ensure they work as expected

The manual process of downloading thousands of files one by one is indeed impractical, but with the right tools and approaches, you can significantly reduce the time and effort required. Consider both browser-specific solutions and cross-platform approaches to find the best fit for your workflow.