Name: Limelight
Author: Limelight

Question 1

What is Limelight?

Accepted Answer

Limelight is a runtime debugging platform built for React Native. It captures your app's full runtime context — network requests, GraphQL operations, console logs, state changes (Zustand, Redux), and component renders — correlates them into a structured Debug IR, and delivers that intelligence to AI coding assistants like Cursor, Claude, and Copilot via MCP, or to Limelight's own visual debugger. Works with Expo and the React Native New Architecture.

Question 2

How does the Limelight MCP server work with Cursor, Claude, and Copilot?

Accepted Answer

Limelight includes an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that pipes correlated runtime context directly into AI editors. When you ask your AI assistant a debugging question, Limelight provides the runtime evidence — out-of-order API responses, state overwrites, unnecessary re-renders — so the AI gives you a specific fix instead of a generic suggestion. Connect it to Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, or Windsurf in minutes.

Question 3

How is Limelight different from Reactotron?

Accepted Answer

Reactotron requires significant configuration and plugin setup, has limited GraphQL support, and no AI capabilities. Limelight works out of the box with zero config — just two lines of code. It includes a full network inspector with GraphQL operation tracking, automatic event correlation that links requests to state changes to re-renders, and AI-powered root cause analysis via both the built-in debugger and the MCP server. It's a modern alternative built for how developers work today.

Question 4

What frameworks does Limelight support?

Accepted Answer

Limelight currently supports React Native (including Expo and New Architecture) and React applications with a lightweight, open-source SDK. Setup takes under 60 seconds with zero config. Node.js and Next.js backend support is coming next for full-stack debugging. The SDK is free and available on npm as @getlimelight/sdk.

Question 5

Is Limelight free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Limelight SDK is open source and free to use. The Free plan includes core debugging features — network inspection, GraphQL debugging, console logs, state tracking (Zustand, Redux), and render analysis. A Pro plan is available at $29/month for advanced features including AI-powered root cause analysis, the MCP server for Cursor/Claude/Copilot integration, unlimited projects, and 500 AI queries per month.

Question 6

What is Debug IR?

Accepted Answer

Debug IR (Intermediate Representation) is Limelight's structured output format optimized for AI consumption. Raw runtime events from your React Native app are correlated by timing, causality, and component relationship. Patterns and anomalies like render loops, stale closures, and retry storms are detected automatically. The output is structured, anonymized, and token-efficient. The same Debug IR powers the visual debugger, the built-in AI, and the MCP server.

Blog

Reactotron vs Limelight: What Each Tool Actually Does

Why AI Debugging Fails Without Runtime Context

How to Debug React, React Native, and Node.js Apps with AI and MCP

Debugging React Native's New Architecture: What Breaks and How to Find It

Give your AI the runtime context it's missing.