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Use agent-browser through its own command-line interface (CLI): install it, install its supported Chrome browser, open a page, take a snapshot, then act on the snapshot’s references or on selectors. You do not install or call Playwright separately to use this workflow. The distinction matters: agent-browser’s default daemon uses Playwright internally, while Playwright’s own playwright-cli is a separate tool with different setup and commands.
What “with Playwright” means
For most readers, “use agent-browser with Playwright” means operating agent-browser, whose default daemon is built on Playwright. It is a standalone agent-oriented browser CLI; the project README says, “No Playwright or Node.js required for the daemon.” That statement is about using the documented CLI, not about building agent-browser from source or writing a Playwright test.
There are three distinct paths:
- agent-browser CLI: A command-driven workflow for opening pages, inspecting snapshots and interacting with page elements. This is the main path in this guide.
- agent-browser native mode: An experimental Rust daemon using direct CDP/WebDriver rather than Playwright. The project changelog entry dated March 3, 2026 describes capability differences; check the current documentation before choosing it.
- Playwright’s
playwright-cli: A separate CLI for coding-agent workflows. Its installation and commands are not interchangeable with agent-browser’s.
The reviewed documentation does not establish an API for embedding agent-browser commands in a Playwright Page or Browser object. If you need to write conventional Playwright tests in code, use Playwright’s own APIs and documentation rather than assuming the agent-browser CLI is an API bridge.
Install agent-browser and its browser
The documented npm route is available as a global CLI or as a project-local dependency. In either case, run agent-browser’s install command to download Chrome for Testing:
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Global installation
npm install -g agent-browser
agent-browser installProject-local installation
npm install agent-browser
agent-browser installOther documented distribution routes include Homebrew on macOS and Cargo. On Linux, if required browser libraries are missing, the project documents this installation command:
agent-browser install --with-depsThat command is for installing browser dependencies; it is not a general prerequisite for every operating system. Building agent-browser from source has separate requirements—Node.js 24+, pnpm 11+, and Rust—which should not be confused with ordinary CLI use.
For current installation details and flags, consult the agent-browser project README and command reference. These commands and requirements can change as the project evolves.
Open a page, inspect it, and interact
The basic loop is: open the target, request a snapshot, use a reference shown in that snapshot, then request a fresh snapshot after the page changes.
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agent-browser open https://example.com
agent-browser snapshot
agent-browser click @e2
agent-browser snapshot
agent-browser close@e2 is an example reference, not a fixed identifier. Use the reference your own snapshot displays. Pages can differ, and references can become stale after navigation or other state changes.
- Open: Run
agent-browser open URLto load the page. - Inspect: Run
agent-browser snapshotand find the element or text you need. The snapshot gives you references for interacting with page elements. - Act: Use the displayed reference, a CSS selector, or a role-based find command.
- Refresh your view: Take another snapshot after a meaningful state change before using references from the updated page.
- Close: End the session with
agent-browser closewhen you are finished.
For example, a CSS selector can target a submit control directly, or a role-based command can locate a button by its accessible name:
agent-browser click "#submit"
agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"Choose references when you are following what the current snapshot exposes, and selectors or role-based finding when they make the intended target clearer. If a banner or dialog covers the element you want, dismiss it and take a new snapshot before trying to click the underlying target. The project specifically recommends refreshing the snapshot after dismissing an element that covers a click target.
Common tasks beyond clicking
Agent-browser’s CLI supports more than opening pages and clicking links. The command reference is the authority for the exact syntax and flags available in your installed version.
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fillto enter text into fields. - Reading: Use
get textto retrieve page text. - Visual evidence: Use
screenshotto capture a screenshot. - Multiple pages: Use
tabcommands to work with tabs. - Attach to another browser: Use
connectto attach over CDP when your setup calls for it.
Because command options can change, look up the precise syntax in the official agent-browser command reference instead of relying on flags from an old example.
When to choose agent-browser, playwright-cli, or Playwright tests
| What you need | Documented route | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Agent-directed browsing using compact snapshots and element references | agent-browser CLI |
Use its own install and command workflow; refresh snapshots after relevant page changes. |
| A coding-agent command workflow provided by Playwright | playwright-cli |
This is a separate CLI with its own install and command syntax. |
| Automated browser tests written against Playwright APIs | Playwright APIs and browser binaries | The reviewed agent-browser material does not document an API bridge into a user’s Playwright Page or Browser object. |
| Running an agent-browser workflow where local browser execution is unsuitable | A remote browser provider, such as the option named by the project | This is an optional deployment choice; provider credentials and service-account requirements apply. |
Playwright documents playwright-cli separately, including a Node.js 20+ prerequisite for that CLI. Do not apply that requirement to agent-browser’s ordinary end-user CLI use. See Microsoft’s coding-agent documentation for the Playwright CLI’s own setup and commands.
If you use Playwright’s browser automation directly, browser binaries are tied to Playwright versions. When updating Playwright, check whether the matching browser binaries need to be installed again; the Playwright browsers guide explains the relationship.
Understand agent-browser’s default and native modes
The default daemon uses Node.js and Playwright internally. The project changelog describes an experimental pure-Rust native daemon that instead uses direct CDP/WebDriver. These are different runtime modes, not two names for the same Playwright integration.
In the changelog entry dated March 3, 2026, the project describes the native mode as having these differences:
- Firefox and WebKit are not supported in native mode.
- Playwright trace format and HAR export are unavailable.
- Network routing uses CDP Fetch rather than Playwright’s route API.
- The session should be closed before switching modes.
Those details are time-sensitive, and the mode is described as experimental. Verify the agent-browser changelog and current project instructions before depending on a specific capability or switching a live workflow.
Run in a remote browser when local execution is unsuitable
Local execution is the basic route; remote browser infrastructure is an optional deployment choice when running a browser on the machine or environment where your agent operates is not suitable. The agent-browser project names Browserbase as one possible remote-browser route. You will need to follow the provider’s setup and supply any required credentials; the project material cited here does not establish partner terms or guarantee that a particular provider configuration is available to every user.
Troubleshooting agent-browser with Playwright
The command is not found
For a global install, confirm that npm completed successfully and that the global executable directory is available in your shell’s PATH. For a project-local install, run the CLI from the project context using the package’s available invocation route. If the install route or executable name has changed, check the current project README.
The browser does not launch
Run agent-browser install to install the documented Chrome for Testing browser. On Linux, if the error indicates missing system browser libraries, try the documented agent-browser install --with-deps route. Do not assume source-build requirements apply to a normal CLI installation.
A reference no longer selects the intended element
References come from the current snapshot, so a page change can invalidate them. Run agent-browser snapshot again and use the reference from the new output. After dismissing a covering banner or dialog, refresh the snapshot before clicking through it.
A selector or role-based command cannot find the target
Check that the page has reached the state in which the target exists, and verify the selector or accessible role and name against the page. Take a fresh snapshot to inspect the current state. The command reference documents supported forms and options for your installed version.
You are trying to call agent-browser from a Playwright script
The documented workflow here is the agent-browser CLI, and the reviewed sources do not establish a supported bridge that exposes it as a Playwright Page or Browser API. If your requirement is a test script using Playwright objects, use Playwright’s API workflow; if you want an agent-oriented CLI, use agent-browser or Playwright’s separate playwright-cli.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsNative mode lacks a feature you expected
Check whether the feature depends on Playwright-specific behavior such as traces, HAR export, Firefox or WebKit support, or Playwright routing. The March 3, 2026 changelog entry describes limitations in these areas for experimental native mode. Close the session before switching modes, and verify current documentation because implementation status can change.
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If your goal is a screenshot rather than interactive browser automation, ScreenshotNeo takes a screenshot with one GET request. Its API can return PNG, JPEG or WebP images, or a PDF. For example, this cURL command saves a WebP screenshot of Stripe:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for parameters and options. Cookie and consent banners are accepted like a visitor and more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets are removed before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits cost nothing, and each response reports its page verdict and billing status in headers. An MCP server gives AI agents tools for screenshots, page information and PDFs. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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FAQ
Do I need to install Playwright to use agent-browser?
No separate Playwright installation is required just to use the documented agent-browser CLI. Its default daemon uses Playwright internally.
Is agent-browser the same thing as Playwright’s coding-agent CLI?
No. agent-browser and Playwright’s playwright-cli are separate tools with their own setup and commands.
Can I use agent-browser with Firefox or WebKit?
The native-mode changelog entry says Firefox and WebKit are unsupported in that experimental mode. Check the current project documentation for support in the mode and version you plan to use.
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