---
name: agent-browser
description: Use for browser automation, screenshots, form filling, web testing, or scraping.
metadata: {"bao":{"emoji":"🌐","requires":{"bins":["agent-browser"]}}}
allowed-tools: Bash(agent-browser:*)
---

# Browser Automation with agent-browser

## Preferred path in Bao

If `agent_browser` is present in `## Available Now`, use that tool instead of composing shell commands yourself.

Use this skill to understand the workflow and command vocabulary behind the tool, or to debug the underlying CLI behavior when needed.

## Prerequisite

This skill requires the external `agent-browser` CLI to be installed and available on `PATH`.

If the CLI is missing:
- Do not pretend browser automation is available.
- Tell the user that this workflow depends on the `agent-browser` CLI.
- Ask the user to install it using the installation method appropriate for their environment, then retry.

## Quick start

Preferred Bao tool call shape:

```json
{"action":"open","args":["https://example.com"]}
{"action":"snapshot"}
{"action":"click","args":["@e1"]}
{"action":"fill","args":["@e2","hello"]}
{"action":"close"}
```

Underlying CLI equivalent:

```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 to the page.
2. Snapshot the page structure and interactive refs.
3. Interact using refs from the latest snapshot.
4. Re-snapshot after navigation or significant DOM changes.

In Bao, the same loop maps naturally to:

1. `agent_browser(action="open", args=[url])`
2. `agent_browser(action="snapshot")`
3. `agent_browser(action="click"|"fill"|..., args=[...])`
4. `agent_browser(action="snapshot")` again when the page changed

## Commands

### Navigation

```bash
agent-browser open <url>      # Navigate to URL (aliases: goto, navigate)
                              # Supports: https://, http://, file://, about:, data://
                              # Auto-prepends https:// if no protocol given
agent-browser back            # Go back
agent-browser forward         # Go forward
agent-browser reload          # Reload page
agent-browser close           # Close browser (aliases: quit, exit)
agent-browser connect 9222    # Connect to browser via CDP port
```

### 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 (alias: 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 option
agent-browser select @e1 "a" "b"  # Select multiple options
agent-browser scroll down 500     # Scroll page (default: down 300px)
agent-browser scrollintoview @e1  # Scroll element into view (alias: scrollinto)
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
agent-browser get styles @e1      # Get computed styles (font, color, bg, etc.)
```

### 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          # Save to a temporary directory
agent-browser screenshot path.png # Save to a specific path
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 (or -t)
agent-browser wait --url "**/dashboard"    # Wait for URL pattern (or -u)
agent-browser wait --load networkidle      # Wait for network idle (or -l)
agent-browser wait --fn "window.ready"     # Wait for JS condition (or -f)
```

### 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 text "Sign In" click --exact      # Exact match only
agent-browser find label "Email" fill "user@test.com"
agent-browser find placeholder "Search" type "query"
agent-browser find alt "Logo" click
agent-browser find title "Close" click
agent-browser find testid "submit-btn" click
agent-browser find first ".item" click
agent-browser find last ".item" click
agent-browser find nth 2 "a" hover
```

### 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 (alias: 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 (alias: auth)
agent-browser set media dark                  # Emulate color scheme
agent-browser set media light reduced-motion  # Light mode + reduced motion
```

### 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 by index
agent-browser tab close           # Close current tab
agent-browser tab close 2         # Close tab by index
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
```

## Global options

```bash
agent-browser --session <name> ...    # Isolated browser session
agent-browser --json ...              # JSON output for parsing
agent-browser --headed ...            # Show browser window (not headless)
agent-browser --full ...              # Full page screenshot (-f)
agent-browser --cdp <port> ...        # Connect via Chrome DevTools Protocol
agent-browser -p <provider> ...       # Cloud browser provider (--provider)
agent-browser --proxy <url> ...       # Use proxy server
agent-browser --headers <json> ...    # HTTP headers scoped to URL's origin
agent-browser --executable-path <p>   # Custom browser executable
agent-browser --extension <path> ...  # Load browser extension (repeatable)
agent-browser --help                  # Show help (-h)
agent-browser --version               # Show version (-V)
agent-browser <command> --help        # Show detailed help for a command
```

### Proxy support

```bash
agent-browser --proxy http://proxy.com:8080 open example.com
agent-browser --proxy http://user:pass@proxy.com:8080 open example.com
agent-browser --proxy socks5://proxy.com:1080 open example.com
```

## Environment variables

```bash
AGENT_BROWSER_SESSION="mysession"            # Default session name
AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH="/path/chrome" # Custom browser path
AGENT_BROWSER_EXTENSIONS="/ext1,/ext2"       # Comma-separated extension paths
AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER="your-cloud-browser-provider"  # Cloud browser provider (select browseruse or browserbase)
AGENT_BROWSER_STREAM_PORT="9223"             # WebSocket streaming port
AGENT_BROWSER_HOME="/path/to/agent-browser"  # Custom install location (for daemon.js)
```

## 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 --headed open example.com   # Show browser window
agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot         # Connect via CDP port
agent-browser connect 9222                # Alternative: connect command
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 video from current page
agent-browser record stop                 # Save recording
```

## Deep-dive documentation

For detailed patterns and best practices, see:

| Reference | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| [references/snapshot-refs.md](references/snapshot-refs.md) | Ref lifecycle, invalidation rules, troubleshooting |
| [references/session-management.md](references/session-management.md) | Parallel sessions, state persistence, concurrent scraping |
| [references/authentication.md](references/authentication.md) | Login flows, OAuth, 2FA handling, state reuse |
| [references/video-recording.md](references/video-recording.md) | Recording workflows for debugging and documentation |
| [references/proxy-support.md](references/proxy-support.md) | Proxy configuration, geo-testing, rotating proxies |

## Ready-to-use templates

Executable workflow scripts for common patterns:

| Template | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| [templates/form-automation.sh](templates/form-automation.sh) | Form filling with validation |
| [templates/authenticated-session.sh](templates/authenticated-session.sh) | Login once, reuse state |
| [templates/capture-workflow.sh](templates/capture-workflow.sh) | Content extraction with screenshots |

Usage:
```bash
./templates/form-automation.sh https://example.com/form
./templates/authenticated-session.sh https://app.example.com/login
./templates/capture-workflow.sh https://example.com ./output
```

## HTTPS Certificate Errors

For sites with self-signed or invalid certificates:
```bash
agent-browser open https://localhost:8443 --ignore-https-errors
```
