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A fast Rust-based headless browser automation CLI with Node.js fallback that enables AI agents to navigate, click, type, and snapshot pages via structured co...
---
name: Agent Browser
description: A fast Rust-based headless browser automation CLI with Node.js fallback that enables AI agents to navigate, click, type, and snapshot pages via structured commands.
read_when:
- Automating web interactions
- Extracting structured data from pages
- Filling forms programmatically
- Testing web UIs
metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"🌐","requires":{"bins":["node","npm"]}}}
allowed-tools: Bash(agent-browser:*)
---
# Browser Automation with agent-browser
## Installation
### npm recommended
```bash
npm install -g agent-browser
agent-browser install
agent-browser install --with-deps
```
### From Source
```bash
git clone https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser
cd agent-browser
pnpm install
pnpm build
agent-browser install
```
## Quick start
```bash
agent-browser open <url> # Navigate to page
agent-browser snapshot -i # Get interactive elements with refs
agent-browser click @e1 # Click element by ref
agent-browser fill @e2 "text" # Fill input by ref
agent-browser close # Close browser
```
## Core workflow
1. Navigate: `agent-browser open <url>`
2. Snapshot: `agent-browser snapshot -i` (returns elements with refs like `@e1`, `@e2`)
3. Interact using refs from the snapshot
4. Re-snapshot after navigation or significant DOM changes
## Commands
### Navigation
```bash
agent-browser open <url> # Navigate to URL
agent-browser back # Go back
agent-browser forward # Go forward
agent-browser reload # Reload page
agent-browser close # Close browser
```
### Snapshot (page analysis)
```bash
agent-browser snapshot # Full accessibility tree
agent-browser snapshot -i # Interactive elements only (recommended)
agent-browser snapshot -c # Compact output
agent-browser snapshot -d 3 # Limit depth to 3
agent-browser snapshot -s "#main" # Scope to CSS selector
```
### Interactions (use @refs from snapshot)
```bash
agent-browser click @e1 # Click
agent-browser dblclick @e1 # Double-click
agent-browser focus @e1 # Focus element
agent-browser fill @e2 "text" # Clear and type
agent-browser type @e2 "text" # Type without clearing
agent-browser press Enter # Press key
agent-browser press Control+a # Key combination
agent-browser keydown Shift # Hold key down
agent-browser keyup Shift # Release key
agent-browser hover @e1 # Hover
agent-browser check @e1 # Check checkbox
agent-browser uncheck @e1 # Uncheck checkbox
agent-browser select @e1 "value" # Select dropdown
agent-browser scroll down 500 # Scroll page
agent-browser scrollintoview @e1 # Scroll element into view
agent-browser drag @e1 @e2 # Drag and drop
agent-browser upload @e1 file.pdf # Upload files
```
### Get information
```bash
agent-browser get text @e1 # Get element text
agent-browser get html @e1 # Get innerHTML
agent-browser get value @e1 # Get input value
agent-browser get attr @e1 href # Get attribute
agent-browser get title # Get page title
agent-browser get url # Get current URL
agent-browser get count ".item" # Count matching elements
agent-browser get box @e1 # Get bounding box
```
### Check state
```bash
agent-browser is visible @e1 # Check if visible
agent-browser is enabled @e1 # Check if enabled
agent-browser is checked @e1 # Check if checked
```
### Screenshots & PDF
```bash
agent-browser screenshot # Screenshot to stdout
agent-browser screenshot path.png # Save to file
agent-browser screenshot --full # Full page
agent-browser pdf output.pdf # Save as PDF
```
### Video recording
```bash
agent-browser record start ./demo.webm # Start recording (uses current URL + state)
agent-browser click @e1 # Perform actions
agent-browser record stop # Stop and save video
agent-browser record restart ./take2.webm # Stop current + start new recording
```
Recording creates a fresh context but preserves cookies/storage from your session. If no URL is provided, it automatically returns to your current page. For smooth demos, explore first, then start recording.
### Wait
```bash
agent-browser wait @e1 # Wait for element
agent-browser wait 2000 # Wait milliseconds
agent-browser wait --text "Success" # Wait for text
agent-browser wait --url "/dashboard" # Wait for URL pattern
agent-browser wait --load networkidle # Wait for network idle
agent-browser wait --fn "window.ready" # Wait for JS condition
```
### Mouse control
```bash
agent-browser mouse move 100 200 # Move mouse
agent-browser mouse down left # Press button
agent-browser mouse up left # Release button
agent-browser mouse wheel 100 # Scroll wheel
```
### Semantic locators (alternative to refs)
```bash
agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"
agent-browser find text "Sign In" click
agent-browser find label "Email" fill "user@test.com"
agent-browser find first ".item" click
agent-browser find nth 2 "a" text
```
### Browser settings
```bash
agent-browser set viewport 1920 1080 # Set viewport size
agent-browser set device "iPhone 14" # Emulate device
agent-browser set geo 37.7749 -122.4194 # Set geolocation
agent-browser set offline on # Toggle offline mode
agent-browser set headers '{"X-Key":"v"}' # Extra HTTP headers
agent-browser set credentials user pass # HTTP basic auth
agent-browser set media dark # Emulate color scheme
```
### Cookies & Storage
```bash
agent-browser cookies # Get all cookies
agent-browser cookies set name value # Set cookie
agent-browser cookies clear # Clear cookies
agent-browser storage local # Get all localStorage
agent-browser storage local key # Get specific key
agent-browser storage local set k v # Set value
agent-browser storage local clear # Clear all
```
### Network
```bash
agent-browser network route <url> # Intercept requests
agent-browser network route <url> --abort # Block requests
agent-browser network route <url> --body '{}' # Mock response
agent-browser network unroute [url] # Remove routes
agent-browser network requests # View tracked requests
agent-browser network requests --filter api # Filter requests
```
### Tabs & Windows
```bash
agent-browser tab # List tabs
agent-browser tab new [url] # New tab
agent-browser tab 2 # Switch to tab
agent-browser tab close # Close tab
agent-browser window new # New window
```
### Frames
```bash
agent-browser frame "#iframe" # Switch to iframe
agent-browser frame main # Back to main frame
```
### Dialogs
```bash
agent-browser dialog accept [text] # Accept dialog
agent-browser dialog dismiss # Dismiss dialog
```
### JavaScript
```bash
agent-browser eval "document.title" # Run JavaScript
```
### State management
```bash
agent-browser state save auth.json # Save session state
agent-browser state load auth.json # Load saved state
```
## Example: Form submission
```bash
agent-browser open https://example.com/form
agent-browser snapshot -i
# Output shows: textbox "Email" [ref=e1], textbox "Password" [ref=e2], button "Submit" [ref=e3]
agent-browser fill @e1 "user@example.com"
agent-browser fill @e2 "password123"
agent-browser click @e3
agent-browser wait --load networkidle
agent-browser snapshot -i # Check result
```
## Example: Authentication with saved state
```bash
# Login once
agent-browser open https://app.example.com/login
agent-browser snapshot -i
agent-browser fill @e1 "username"
agent-browser fill @e2 "password"
agent-browser click @e3
agent-browser wait --url "/dashboard"
agent-browser state save auth.json
# Later sessions: load saved state
agent-browser state load auth.json
agent-browser open https://app.example.com/dashboard
```
## Sessions (parallel browsers)
```bash
agent-browser --session test1 open site-a.com
agent-browser --session test2 open site-b.com
agent-browser session list
```
## JSON output (for parsing)
Add `--json` for machine-readable output:
```bash
agent-browser snapshot -i --json
agent-browser get text @e1 --json
```
## Debugging
```bash
agent-browser open example.com --headed # Show browser window
agent-browser console # View console messages
agent-browser console --clear # Clear console
agent-browser errors # View page errors
agent-browser errors --clear # Clear errors
agent-browser highlight @e1 # Highlight element
agent-browser trace start # Start recording trace
agent-browser trace stop trace.zip # Stop and save trace
agent-browser record start ./debug.webm # Record from current page
agent-browser record stop # Save recording
agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot # Connect via CDP
```
## Troubleshooting
- If the command is not found on Linux ARM64, use the full path in the bin folder.
- If an element is not found, use snapshot to find the correct ref.
- If the page is not loaded, add a wait command after navigation.
- Use --headed to see the browser window for debugging.
## Options
- --session <name> uses an isolated session.
- --json provides JSON output.
- --full takes a full page screenshot.
- --headed shows the browser window.
- --timeout sets the command timeout in milliseconds.
- --cdp <port> connects via Chrome DevTools Protocol.
## Notes
- Refs are stable per page load but change on navigation.
- Always snapshot after navigation to get new refs.
- Use fill instead of type for input fields to ensure existing text is cleared.
## Reporting Issues
- Skill issues: Open an issue at https://github.com/TheSethRose/Agent-Browser-CLI
- agent-browser CLI issues: Open an issue at https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser
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