mcpbeat

Chrome Automation

anbeime/chrome-automation

Connect to and control Google Chrome browser using agent-browser with CDP (Chrome DevTools Protocol). Use when the user wants to automate their existing Chrome browser, see browser actions in real-time, or needs to control the Chrome instance they're already using. Handles installation, setup, connecting via remote debugging, and all browser automation tasks with live visual feedback.

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Install

one command, takes just this skill from the repository 
npx skills add https://github.com/anbeime/skill --skill chrome-automation

What comes with it

69 173 bytes besides the instruction
references/commands.md
references/setup-mac.md
references/setup-windows.md
references/troubleshooting.md
scripts/README.md
scripts/auto-install-mac.sh
scripts/auto-install-windows.ps1
scripts/connect_chrome.sh
scripts/install-scripts.md
scripts/setup.sh
scripts/start-chrome-mac.sh
scripts/start-chrome-windows.ps1

What it tells the agent to use

found in the instruction text
Bash runs shell commands — read the instruction before connecting
Read reads your files

The instruction itself

37 sections, as written by the author

Chrome Browser Automation with Real-time Control

Control the user's Google Chrome browser using agent-browser connected via Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP). All actions are visible in real-time in the user's browser window.

⚠️ CRITICAL: Automatic Installation & Dependency Check

BEFORE using this skill, ALWAYS run the auto-installation check:

This skill automatically checks and installs all required dependencies without user confirmation. The installation process verifies:

  • agent-browser repository and binary
  • Node.js and pnpm
  • Playwright Chromium
  • Rust toolchain (cargo)
  • Native binary compilation

Auto-installation workflow:

# Mac: Run auto-install script
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/auto-install-mac.sh

# Windows: Run auto-install script (PowerShell)
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\auto-install-windows.ps1"

The script will:

  • Check if agent-browser binary exists and works
  • Install missing dependencies automatically (pnpm, Rust, etc.)
  • Clone repository if not present
  • Build native binary with proper Rust toolchain
  • Verify installation success

Critical rules:

  • ❌ DO NOT fall back to using built-in browser tools (browser_use_desktop)
  • ✅ MUST run auto-install script before any browser automation
  • ✅ Only proceed with browser automation AFTER successful installation
  • ✅ Script handles all dependency checks automatically

Why agent-browser is required:

  • Provides real-time visual feedback in user's actual Chrome browser
  • Allows user to see and interact with automation in progress
  • Offers precise element selection and interaction capabilities
  • Built-in browser tools are NOT a substitute for this skill's functionality

Quick Start

First-time setup (automatic)

Run the auto-install script first:

# Mac
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/auto-install-mac.sh

# Windows (PowerShell)
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\auto-install-windows.ps1"

The script automatically handles:

  • Repository cloning
  • Dependency installation (pnpm, Playwright)
  • Rust toolchain setup
  • Native binary compilation

Connect and control Chrome

IMPORTANT: Use the start-chrome script to preserve login states across sessions

# Mac: Start Chrome with persistent profile (RECOMMENDED)
# This preserves your login states, cookies, and settings
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/start-chrome-mac.sh

# Windows: Start Chrome with persistent profile (PowerShell)
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\start-chrome-windows.ps1"

# Use agent-browser with --cdp flag
cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i

What the start-chrome script does:

  • First run: Creates a dedicated automation profile at ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome-Automation
  • First run: Imports your existing Chrome configuration (login states, cookies, settings)
  • Subsequent runs: Uses the existing automation profile - all your logins are preserved
  • You only need to log in once - it will be remembered for future sessions

Core Workflow

CRITICAL: Always show browser state to user after each significant action using screenshots.

  • Connect: Ensure Chrome running with remote debugging port 9222
  • Navigate: Open pages using --cdp 9222 flag
  • Snapshot: Get interactive elements with snapshot -i
  • Interact: Use element refs (@e1, @e2, etc.)
  • Screenshot: Capture state and show to user
  • Report: Describe what's visible in browser

Standard operation pattern

# Set path variables
export AB_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
cd $AB_HOME

# Navigate
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 open https://example.com
sleep 2

# Get interactive elements
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i

# Screenshot to show user
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot /tmp/state.png

# Interact
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 fill @e1 "text"
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 press Enter

# Capture result
sleep 2
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot /tmp/result.png

Installation & Setup

Automatic Installation (RECOMMENDED)

Always use the auto-install script - it handles all dependencies automatically:

Mac Installation
# Run auto-install script
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/auto-install-mac.sh

What it does:

  • Checks if agent-browser binary exists and works
  • Clones repository if missing
  • Installs Node.js dependencies (pnpm)
  • Installs Playwright Chromium
  • Checks/installs Rust toolchain (cargo, rustup)
  • Sets up stable Rust toolchain if needed
  • Builds native binary with npm run build:native
  • Verifies installation success

Requirements:

  • Node.js (will notify if missing)
  • Git (for cloning repository)
  • Internet connection
Windows Installation
# Run auto-install script (PowerShell)
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\auto-install-windows.ps1"

What it does:

  • Checks if agent-browser binary exists and works
  • Clones repository if missing
  • Installs Node.js dependencies (pnpm)
  • Installs Playwright Chromium
  • Downloads and installs Rust toolchain if needed
  • Sets up stable Rust toolchain
  • Builds native binary with npm run build:native
  • Verifies installation success

Requirements:

  • Node.js (will notify if missing - download from https://nodejs.org/)
  • Git (for cloning repository)
  • Internet connection

Manual Installation (Advanced Users Only)

If you prefer manual installation or need to troubleshoot:

Mac Manual Steps
# 1. Clone repository
cd ~/Documents
git clone https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser.git
cd agent-browser

# 2. Install Node dependencies
pnpm install
npx playwright install chromium

# 3. Install Rust (if not installed)
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
rustup default stable

# 4. Build native binary
npm run build:native
Windows Manual Steps
# 1. Clone repository
Set-Location "$HOME\Documents"
git clone https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser.git
Set-Location agent-browser

# 2. Install Node dependencies
pnpm install
npx playwright install chromium

# 3. Install Rust (if not installed)
# Download from: https://win.rustup.rs/x86_64
# Or use the auto-install script

# 4. Build native binary
npm run build:native

Verify Installation

After installation (automatic or manual), verify it works:

# Mac
cd ~/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=~/Documents/agent-browser ./bin/agent-browser --version

# Windows (PowerShell)
Set-Location "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser"
$env:AGENT_BROWSER_HOME = "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser"
.\bin\agent-browser.cmd --version

Troubleshooting Installation

"No binary found for darwin-arm64" or "No binary found for win32-x64":

  • Rust is not installed or not in PATH
  • Run the auto-install script, it will handle Rust installation
  • Or manually install Rust and run npm run build:native

"cargo: command not found":

  • Rust toolchain not in PATH
  • Mac: export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
  • Windows: $env:PATH = "$HOME\.cargo\bin;$env:PATH"
  • Then run rustup default stable and npm run build:native

"rustup could not choose a version":

  • Default toolchain not set
  • Run: rustup default stable
  • Then rebuild: npm run build:native
Common Rust Installation Issues

Issue 1: Permission denied when installing Rust (Mac)

When running the Rust installer, you may encounter:

error: could not amend shell profile: '/Users/username/.bash_profile': 
could not write rcfile file: Permission denied (os error 13)

Solution:

This error is usually harmless - Rust binaries are still installed successfully to ~/.cargo/bin/. The error only affects automatic PATH configuration in shell profiles.

Fix steps:

# Mac: Set default toolchain manually
/Users/username/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable

# This will download and install:
# - cargo, clippy, rust-docs, rust-std, rustc, rustfmt

Issue 2: Rust installed but cargo not found (Mac)

After Rust installation, running cargo fails with "command not found".

Root cause:

  • Rust binaries are in ~/.cargo/bin/ but not in current shell's PATH
  • Default toolchain not configured

Solution:

# Use full path to set default toolchain
~/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable

# Then build with full path
cd ~/Documents/agent-browser/cli
~/.cargo/bin/cargo build --release

# Or add to PATH for current session
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
cargo build --release

Issue 3: Rust installation permission errors (Windows)

On Windows, Rust installer may fail with access denied errors.

Solution:

# Run PowerShell as Administrator, then:
# Download and run Rust installer
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://win.rustup.rs/x86_64" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\rustup-init.exe"
& "$env:TEMP\rustup-init.exe" -y

# Set default toolchain
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\rustup.exe" default stable

# Add to PATH for current session
$env:PATH = "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin;$env:PATH"

Issue 4: Build fails even after Rust installation

Symptoms:

  • npm run build:native fails
  • "cargo: command not found" in build output

Solution:

# Mac: Build with explicit cargo path
cd ~/Documents/agent-browser/cli
~/.cargo/bin/cargo build --release

# Then copy binary manually
cd ~/Documents/agent-browser
node scripts/copy-native.js

# Windows: Build with explicit cargo path
Set-Location "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser\cli"
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\cargo.exe" build --release

# Then copy binary manually
Set-Location "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser"
node scripts/copy-native.js

Key Takeaway:

Even if Rust installation shows permission errors, the binaries are usually installed successfully. The main issue is:

  • Default toolchain not configured → Run rustup default stable with full path
  • PATH not updated → Use full paths to cargo/rustup, or manually add ~/.cargo/bin to PATH

For detailed troubleshooting, see:

  • references/setup-mac.md
  • references/setup-windows.md
  • references/troubleshooting.md

Chrome Connection

Method 1: Start Chrome with persistent profile (Recommended)

Use the start-chrome script to preserve login states across sessions:

# Mac: Start Chrome with persistent profile
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/start-chrome-mac.sh

# Windows (PowerShell):
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\start-chrome-windows.ps1"

First time setup (automatic):

  • Creates dedicated profile at ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome-Automation (Mac)
  • Or %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome-Automation (Windows)
  • Imports your existing Chrome configuration (login states, cookies, bookmarks)
  • Excludes large cache files to save space

Subsequent runs:

  • Uses the existing automation profile
  • All your logins are preserved
  • No need to log in again
# Verify connection after starting Chrome
cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 get url

Method 2: Connect to existing Chrome

# Check if Chrome already running with debug port
ps aux | grep "remote-debugging-port=9222"

# If yes, connect directly
cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 get url

Method 3: Start Chrome manually (not recommended)

If you need to start Chrome manually without the script:

# Mac: Start with persistent profile directory
/Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome \
  --remote-debugging-port=9222 \
  --user-data-dir="$HOME/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome-Automation" &

# Windows (PowerShell):
Start-Process "chrome.exe" -ArgumentList @(
    "--remote-debugging-port=9222",
    "--user-data-dir=`"$HOME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome-Automation`""
)

Note: Using --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome-debug (temporary directory) will NOT preserve login states.

Usage Patterns

Pattern 1: Web Search

cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
export AB_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser

# Open search site
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 open xiaohongshu.com
sleep 2

# Get elements
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i
# Output: textbox "搜索小红书" [ref=e2]

# Fill and search
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 fill @e2 "labubu"
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 press Enter

# Capture result
sleep 2
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot ~/Desktop/result.png

Pattern 2: Form Automation

cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
export AB_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser

# Navigate
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 open https://example.com/form

# Get form fields
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i

# Fill form
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 fill @e1 "John Doe"
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 fill @e2 "[email protected]"
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 click @e3

# Verify
sleep 2
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot ~/Desktop/submitted.png

Pattern 3: Handle Security Verification

When sites show security verification (QR codes, captchas):

# Take screenshot
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot ~/Desktop/verification.png

# Show user and inform them
echo "Site requires verification - please complete in browser window"

# User completes verification manually

# Check URL after verification
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 get url

# Continue workflow
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i

Real-time Feedback Protocol

MANDATORY: Provide visual feedback after every significant action

After navigation, clicks, or form submissions:

  • Take screenshot
  • Get current URL
  • Read screenshot and describe to user
# After any action
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 screenshot ~/Desktop/current.png
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=$AB_HOME ./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 get url

# Then use Read tool on screenshot
# Describe what's visible to user

Command Reference

All commands use this format:

cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 <command>

Essential Commands

Navigation:

  • open <url> - Navigate to URL
  • back - Go back
  • reload - Reload page
  • get url - Get current URL

Page Analysis:

  • snapshot -i - Get interactive elements (RECOMMENDED)
  • get title - Get page title

Interaction:

  • click @e1 - Click element
  • fill @e1 "text" - Fill input
  • press Enter - Press key
  • scroll down 500 - Scroll

Capture:

  • screenshot path.png - Screenshot
  • get text @e1 - Get element text

JavaScript:

  • eval "code" - Execute JavaScript

For complete command reference, see the agent-browser skill at:

/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser/skills/agent-browser/SKILL.md

Troubleshooting

Installation Issues

"No binary found for darwin-arm64/win32-x64":

# Mac: Run auto-install script - it handles Rust installation
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/auto-install-mac.sh

# Windows: Run auto-install script
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\auto-install-windows.ps1"

# Or manually:
# Mac:
# 1. Install Rust: curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y
# 2. Set toolchain: ~/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable
# 3. Build: cd ~/Documents/agent-browser/cli && ~/.cargo/bin/cargo build --release
# 4. Copy: cd ~/Documents/agent-browser && node scripts/copy-native.js

# Windows:
# 1. Download Rust: https://win.rustup.rs/x86_64
# 2. Set toolchain: & "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\rustup.exe" default stable
# 3. Build: cd "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser\cli"; & "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\cargo.exe" build --release
# 4. Copy: cd "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser"; node scripts/copy-native.js

"cargo: command not found":

# Mac: Use full path to cargo
~/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable
cd ~/Documents/agent-browser/cli
~/.cargo/bin/cargo build --release

# Windows: Use full path to cargo
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\rustup.exe" default stable
Set-Location "$HOME\Documents\agent-browser\cli"
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\cargo.exe" build --release

"rustup could not choose a version":

# Mac: Set default Rust toolchain with full path
~/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable

# Windows: Set default Rust toolchain with full path
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\rustup.exe" default stable

Rust installation shows permission errors but completes:

# Mac: This is usually harmless - binaries are installed
# Just set default toolchain manually:
~/.cargo/bin/rustup default stable

# Windows: Run installer as Administrator if needed
# Then set default toolchain:
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin\rustup.exe" default stable

Runtime Issues

"Daemon not found" error:

# Must set AGENT_BROWSER_HOME and run from project directory
cd /Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 <command>

"No page found" error

# Chrome needs at least one page open
osascript -e 'tell application "Google Chrome" to open location "https://google.com"'
sleep 2

# Then retry
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME=/Users/jyxc-dz-0100272/Documents/agent-browser \
./bin/agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot -i

Connection refused

# Check if Chrome running with debug port
ps aux | grep "remote-debugging-port=9222"

# If not, start it with persistent profile
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/start-chrome-mac.sh

Best Practices

  • Auto-install first - ALWAYS run the auto-install script before first use
  • Use start-chrome script - Use start-chrome-mac.sh or start-chrome-windows.ps1 to preserve login states
  • Check dependencies - Script automatically verifies all required tools (Node.js, Rust, pnpm)
  • Never use fallback tools - Do NOT use browser_use_desktop or other built-in browser tools when this skill is requested
  • Rebuild if needed - If binary errors occur, re-run auto-install script
  • Never use detached mode - Do NOT use terminal detached mode when starting Chrome
  • Always screenshot - Show user what's happening
  • Wait after navigation - Use sleep 2 after page loads
  • Check URL - Verify navigation succeeded

10. Handle security - Inform user, wait for manual completion

11. Re-snapshot - Get fresh refs after DOM changes

12. Descriptive paths - Save screenshots with clear names

13. Report state - Describe browser content to user

Profile Management

Reset automation profile

If you want to reset the automation profile and re-import from your main Chrome:

# Mac: Remove automation profile and restart
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome-Automation
bash ~/.claude/skills/chrome-automation/scripts/start-chrome-mac.sh

# Windows (PowerShell): Remove automation profile and restart
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$HOME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome-Automation"
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$HOME\.claude\skills\chrome-automation\scripts\start-chrome-windows.ps1"

Profile locations

| Platform | Automation Profile Location |

|----------|----------------------------|

| Mac | ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome-Automation |

| Windows | %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome-Automation |

This profile is separate from your daily Chrome, so automation activities won't affect your main browser.

How to use it

Copy the folder

Take anbeime/chrome-automation from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.

Check the name does not clash

The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.

Install what it needs

The instructions reference npm, npx. Without those the skill loads but fails at the first command.