What the capture file is #
The capture file is the structured data file that Loupely assembles from a diagnostic session. It is the complete record of what the system observed at the moment of capture: browser-side signals, server-side signals, the correlation between them, the diagnosis, and the triage recommendation. For Loupely Lens, the capture file contains the full CSS cascade of the element you clicked.
The capture file is always free to download, regardless of whether you have credits or an active plan. The diagnosis displayed in the popup requires a credit. The file itself does not.
What a Loupely capture file contains #
A standard Loupely capture file includes: the URL of the page captured, the timestamp, PHP error entries that fired during the session, Hook Execution records (which hooks ran, in what order, whether any failed), WooCommerce pipeline events if applicable, REST API response data, JavaScript console errors, network request data from the browser, the active plugin list with versions, server configuration details (PHP version, memory limit, WordPress version), and the diagnosis and triage output if a diagnosis was run.
The credential scanner removes any values matching known credential patterns before the file is assembled. Redacted values are noted in the file with a placeholder. The actual values are never written to the file.
What a Loupely Lens capture file contains #
A Lens capture file contains: the URL and element selector for the element that was clicked, the full CSS cascade (every rule applying to that element, including rules that were overridden), the origin classification for each rule (which stylesheet it came from: theme, page builder, plugin, inline style, browser default), the ancestor chain above the clicked element with their CSS constraints, the automatic problem classification Lens identified, and the confidence level of that classification. The diagnosis and triage output are appended if a diagnosis was run.
How to use the capture file #
The capture file is designed for 3 uses. First, sharing with a developer: a developer who receives the file has everything they need to understand the failure context without asking follow-up questions. Second, uploading to an AI assistant: the file is structured so that an AI assistant reading it has the full technical context rather than relying on your description of the problem. Third, keeping as a record: the file documents the state of your site at the moment of a specific failure, which is useful if the problem is intermittent or if you need to track it over time.
The file is a plain text JSON file. You can open it in any text editor to review its contents before sharing. Given that it contains diagnostic information about your WordPress installation, review it before sharing it with anyone you don’t trust with that information.