If you’re a web developer thinking about using ChatGPT’s Atlas browser for your daily work, you’ll want to know about some important limitations with its developer tools. Let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and how you can make the most of what’s available right now.
What’s the Current Situation with Atlas DevTools?
Atlas is an interesting browser because it combines AI capabilities with web browsing. However, when it comes to traditional web development work, it falls short in some pretty significant ways. Developers across communities like Reddit have been vocal about these issues, and they’re worth understanding before you dive in.
The Main Problems Developers Are Facing
1. You Can’t Dock DevTools to the Side
This is the biggest headache for most developers. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you’ve always been able to dock your DevTools as a sidebar while you work. It’s become second nature to have your code on one side and your tools on the other.
In Atlas, that’s not possible. DevTools only open in a separate window.
One frustrated developer on r/OpenAI put it this way: “Having devtools open docked as a permanent sidebar has been standard in every major browser for many years. However, in Atlas, the devtools only appear in a separate window, which makes typical web development tasks feel quite cumbersome.”
Here’s what makes this particularly puzzling: Atlas is built on Chromium (the same foundation as Chrome), which means it should technically support sidebar docking. The fact that it doesn’t suggests this was an intentional design choice rather than a technical limitation.
2. Device View Is Completely Missing
If you’ve ever tested how your website looks on different screen sizes, you’ve used Device View (sometimes called the Device Toolbar). It’s that feature that lets you quickly switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile views.
In Atlas, this feature doesn’t exist.
Multiple developers have confirmed this absence, with one stating: “It’s surprising that a solid set of developer tools for web developers doesn’t come with a built-in device toolbar. Such a feature seems essential and should have been included from the outset.”
This is a major problem because responsive design testing isn’t optional anymore—it’s fundamental to modern web development. Without Device View, you’re flying blind when it comes to how your site performs across different devices.
3. No Way to Switch to Mobile View
Beyond just the missing Device View feature, developers report they “can’t even switch to mobile view” at all in Atlas. This severely limits your ability to develop and test responsive applications properly.
Why Is This Happening?
The Short Answer: It appears to be a deliberate design decision, not a technical bug.
Since Atlas is built on Chromium, these features should be available automatically. One developer theorized: “Given that Atlas is built on Chromium, one would expect docking capabilities to be included by default. Could this limitation be a deliberate choice due to integrated ChatGPT sidebar?”
This makes sense when you think about it. The ChatGPT sidebar is Atlas’s main selling point—it’s what makes the browser unique. OpenAI may have decided that keeping this sidebar always available was more important than supporting traditional DevTools docking.
Workarounds You Can Try
While there’s no official way to fix these limitations, here are some practical approaches that developers have found helpful:
Option 1: Use Multiple Monitors
If you have a dual-monitor setup, you can work around the docking limitation:
- Keep your main browser window on one screen
- Position the DevTools window on your second display
- Work with both visible at the same time, similar to having sidebar-docked tools
Downside: This requires extra hardware and desk space, which isn’t feasible for everyone.
Option 2: Manual Window Management
On a single monitor, you can manually arrange windows side-by-side:
- Resize your browser window to take up the left half of your screen
- Resize the DevTools window to fill the right half
- Use window management tools (like Magnet on macOS or FancyZones on Windows) to snap windows into position quickly
Downside: This requires manual setup every time and isn’t as smooth as native docking.
Option 3: Master the Keyboard Shortcuts
Learn the DevTools keyboard shortcuts to minimize the annoyance of switching between windows:
- Use standard shortcuts to open and close DevTools quickly
- Organize your workspace to prioritize the panels you use most
- Reduce the amount of clicking and window-switching you need to do
Downside: This doesn’t solve the fundamental problem, just makes it slightly less painful.
Is Atlas Ready for Professional Web Development?
The honest answer: Not yet.
The developer community has been pretty clear on this point. Here’s what real developers are saying:
“I was on the verge of switching browsers after two decades of using Chrome, but this issue has made me reconsider. I won’t be using Atlas until this is resolved.”
Another developer noted: “Every major browser for decades has supported sidebar docking as standard. The fact that Atlas doesn’t include this is a significant oversight for a browser built on Chromium.”
The consensus is that these aren’t just minor inconveniences—they’re fundamental workflow issues that make Atlas unsuitable as a primary development browser right now.
What’s OpenAI Planning to Do About It?
The good news is that OpenAI knows about these issues and has plans to address them.
What we know:
- Improved developer tools are officially on OpenAI’s roadmap
- The company has committed to ongoing development and regular updates
- They’ve acknowledged that DevTools need significant enhancement
What we don’t know:
- Specific timeline for when sidebar docking will be added
- When Device View functionality will be implemented
- What other DevTools improvements are coming
How Should You Use Atlas Right Now?
Here’s a practical approach based on the current state of the browser:
Use Atlas as a Secondary Tool
Don’t replace your main development browser yet. Instead, think of Atlas as a supplementary tool that brings AI capabilities to your workflow.
Keep using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari for:
- Primary development work
- Responsive design testing
- Debugging complex issues
- Any task requiring full DevTools functionality
Use Atlas for:
- AI-assisted code explanations through the ChatGPT sidebar
- Getting quick help with debugging questions
- Summarizing documentation or technical articles
- Exploring its Agent Mode for automated testing or data collection
Maximize What Atlas Does Well
Even with its limitations, Atlas has some unique strengths:
The ChatGPT Sidebar can help you:
- Understand unfamiliar code quickly
- Get explanations for error messages
- Brainstorm solutions to development challenges
- Learn new concepts while you work
AI Features that can complement your development:
- Summarizing lengthy documentation
- Explaining complex technical concepts
- Generating code snippets for common tasks
- Helping debug issues you’ve identified through testing
If You Have Multiple Monitors
Position Atlas and its DevTools on separate screens to minimize workflow disruption. This won’t give you the same experience as proper sidebar docking, but it’s the closest approximation available.
Stay Updated
Keep an eye on OpenAI’s release notes and announcements. When they do add improved DevTools, you’ll want to know about it quickly.
What You Can Still Do in Atlas DevTools
Despite the limitations, some basic DevTools functionality is still available:
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elements/Inspector Panel | Available | Works but less convenient due to window separation |
| Console Access | Available | Full console functionality in separate window |
| Network Tab | Available | Can monitor network requests |
| Sources Panel | Available | Can view and debug source code |
| Sidebar Docking | Not Available | Major limitation for workflow |
| Device View/Toolbar | Not Available | Cannot test responsive designs |
| Mobile View Toggle | Not Available | No mobile emulation |
You can still inspect HTML elements, check console output, and perform basic debugging. The functionality exists—it’s just not as ergonomic or efficient as you’re used to.
Alternative Approaches While Using Atlas
Here are some creative ways developers are working within Atlas’s constraints:
- Use the Inspector panel for quick HTML checks, even though it’s in a separate window
- Leverage the AI sidebar to help debug issues you’ve spotted through manual testing
- Export code snippets to your regular development environment for detailed analysis
- Use external tools for responsive testing, then come back to Atlas for AI-assisted coding help
- Combine browsers: develop in Chrome/Firefox, then use Atlas for AI consultation
The Bottom Line
Atlas is an innovative browser with genuinely useful AI features, but it’s not ready to be your primary web development tool. The inability to dock DevTools and the missing Device View functionality are deal-breakers for professional development workflows.
Here’s what you should do:
- Keep your current browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) as your main development environment
- Use Atlas as a companion tool for its AI capabilities and research features
- Monitor updates from OpenAI about improved DevTools functionality
- Revisit Atlas periodically to see if the limitations have been addressed
Once OpenAI implements proper DevTools support—which they’ve committed to doing—Atlas could become a compelling option that combines traditional development tools with AI assistance. Until then, it’s best suited as a supplementary tool rather than your daily driver.
The good news is that OpenAI is actively developing Atlas and listening to developer feedback. These limitations won’t last forever, but for now, it’s important to understand what you’re working with and plan accordingly.
