# Chrome-agent: LLM-native browser automation tool written in Rust > Source: > Published: 2026-07-20 18:25:23+00:00 **Browser automation that speaks LLM.** Disclaimer:This is an independent, community-driven project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google or the Chrome team. You're not the user. Your LLM is. You don't need to read this README. Your agent does. Install it, run `chrome-agent --help` , and let the LLM figure it out. The CLI embeds its own usage guide, every error comes with a hint for the next action, and`--json` mode outputs structured data an agent can parse without you writing a single adapter. This page is here because GitHub expects one. [agent-browser](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser) (Vercel) is a feature-complete browser automation platform: dashboard, cloud providers, annotated screenshots, iOS support, AI chat, auth vault, 40K lines of Rust. It's excellent. chrome-agent is the opposite bet. Instead of adding features, it removes tokens. | chrome-agent | agent-browser | | |---|---|---| Page snapshot | ~50 tokens (a11y noise stripped, 66% reduction) | ~200 tokens (full a11y tree) | Element IDs | `backendNodeId` — stable across inspects | Sequential `@e1, @e2` — reassigned every snapshot | Action + observe | `click n12 --inspect` (1 call) | `click @e1` then `snapshot` (2 calls) | Stealth | 7 native CDP patches (incl. `Runtime.enable` skip) | Delegated to cloud providers | Content extraction | `read` (articles), `extract` (auto-detect lists/tables) | None built-in | Binary | 3 MB, zero runtime | 3 MB + Next.js dashboard + cloud SDKs | Codebase | ~8.8K lines | 40K lines | agent-browser gives you a platform with monitoring, cloud browsers, and visual debugging. chrome-agent gives your LLM the smallest possible representation of a webpage and gets out of the way. If your agent needs a dashboard, use agent-browser. If your agent needs to spend tokens on reasoning instead of page parsing, use this. Every token your agent spends understanding a page is a token it doesn't spend reasoning about the task. chrome-agent is built around one idea: **minimize the tokens between "what does this page look like?" and "what should I do next?"** This means: **Accessibility tree over DOM.** Playwright returns ~2,000 tokens of raw HTML. chrome-agent returns ~50 tokens of a11y tree with stable element IDs. No CSS selectors to write, no DOM to parse.**One binary, zero runtime.** 3 MB Rust binary. No Node.js, no npm, no Playwright runtime.`npx chrome-agent` just works. Linux builds are fully static (musl) — no glibc dependency, runs on any distro.**Action + observation in one call.**`--inspect` on any action command returns the page state after the action. One round-trip instead of two.**Errors are instructions.** Every error includes a`hint` field telling the agent what to do next.`{"ok":false, "error":"...", "hint":"run inspect"}` .**Stealth by default intent.** 7 CDP patches including the detection vector nobody talks about (`Runtime.enable` ). Connect to real Chrome for the hardest protections.**Content extraction without selectors.**`read` for articles,`extract` for repeating data,`network` for API payloads. The agent never writes CSS selectors. This is not a general-purpose browser testing framework. It's a tool that makes an LLM effective at browsing the web. ``` chrome-agent goto news.ycombinator.com --inspect # ~50 tokens instead of ~2,000: uid=n1 RootWebArea "Hacker News" uid=n50 heading "Hacker News" level=1 uid=n82 link "Show HN: A New Browser Tool" uid=n97 link "Rust 2025 Edition Announced" ... # Click + see the new page in one call: chrome-agent click n82 --inspect ``` UIDs are based on Chrome's `backendNodeId` . They don't change between inspects. Click `n82` now or five minutes from now. ``` chrome-agent (3 MB Rust binary) | CDP over WebSocket v Chrome (headless, no Node.js, no runtime) ``` | If you've hit this... | chrome-agent does this instead | |---|---| | Playwright snapshots burn 2K tokens | a11y tree: ~50 tokens. 40x less context spent on page state. | | CSS selectors break after every deploy | UIDs from Chrome's `backendNodeId` . Stable as long as the DOM node exists. | | Click then inspect = 2 round-trips | `--inspect` on any command. One call, action + observation. | | 200MB of Node + npm + Playwright | 3 MB binary. `npx chrome-agent` works out of the box. | | Cloudflare blocks your headless Chrome | 7 CDP patches. `Runtime.enable` never called (the detection vector nobody talks about). | | Writing per-site scraping selectors | `read` for articles, `extract` for lists/tables/cards, `network` for API payloads. No selectors. | | Errors are stack traces | `{"ok":false, "error":"...", "hint":"run inspect"}` -- parseable, actionable. | | Each command launches a fresh browser | Sessions persist. Chrome stays alive between calls. ~10ms startup. | | Agent can't access your logged-in accounts | `--copy-cookies` grabs cookies from your real Chrome. Works with X.com, Gmail, dashboards. | | Infinite scroll shows 10 items | `inspect --scroll --limit 50` scrolls and collects. Tested on X.com: 50 tweets from a live timeline. | | Two agents sharing one browser = chaos | `--browser agent1` , `--browser agent2` . Separate Chrome instances. | ``` # For AI agents -- installs a SKILL.md your agent reads automatically npx skills add sderosiaux/chrome-agent # Or just the binary npm install -g chrome-agent # prebuilt npx chrome-agent --help # no install cargo install chrome-agent # from source # Navigate and see the page chrome-agent goto https://example.com --inspect # Click by uid chrome-agent click n12 --inspect # Fill a form chrome-agent fill --uid n20 "user@test.com" # CSS selectors work too chrome-agent click --selector "button.submit" chrome-agent fill --selector "input[name=email]" "hello@test.com" # Article content (Readability -- like Firefox Reader Mode) chrome-agent read # Visible text, scoped and capped chrome-agent text --selector "main" --truncate 500 # Run JS chrome-agent eval "document.title" # Screenshot (returns a file path, not binary) chrome-agent screenshot ``` | Command | What it does | |---|---| `goto [--inspect] [--max-depth N] [--header "K: V"]` | Navigate. Auto-prefixes `https://` . `--header` (repeatable) sends extra HTTP headers. | `back` | History back. | `forward` | History forward. | `close [--purge]` | Stop browser. `--purge` deletes cookies/profile. | | Command | What it does | |---|---| `inspect [--verbose] [--max-depth N] [--uid nN] [--filter "role,role"] [--scroll] [--limit N] [--urls] [--max-chars N] [--offset K]` | a11y tree with UIDs. `--scroll --limit` for infinite scroll. `--urls` resolves href on links. `--max-chars` /`--offset` cap and page the output. | `diff` | What changed since last inspect. | `screenshot [--filename name] [--format jpeg|png] [--quality N] [--max-width N] [--uid nN|--selector "css"]` | Screenshot to file. JPEG/quality/max-width shrink it; `--uid` /`--selector` clip to one element. | `pdf [--filename name] [--landscape] [--background]` | Print the current page to a PDF file. | `tabs` | List open tabs. | | Command | What it does | |---|---| `click [--inspect]` | Click by uid. Falls back to JS `.click()` when no box model. | `click --selector "css" [--inspect]` | Click by CSS selector. | `click --xy 100,200` | Click by coordinates. | `dblclick [--inspect]` | Double-click by uid, `--selector` , or `--xy` . | `fill --uid [--inspect]` | Fill input by uid. | `fill --selector "css" ` | Fill by selector. | `fill-form ...` | Batch fill. | `select --uid ` | Select dropdown option by value or visible text. | `select --selector "css" ` | Select by CSS selector. | `check ` | Ensure checkbox/radio is checked. Idempotent. | `uncheck ` | Ensure checkbox/radio is unchecked. Idempotent. | `upload --uid ...` | Upload file(s) to a file input. | `upload --selector "css" ...` | Upload by CSS selector. | `drag ` | Drag element to another element. | `type [--selector "css"]` | Type into focused element. | `press ` | Enter, Tab, Escape, etc. | `scroll ` | Scroll page or element into view. | `hover ` | Hover. | `wait ` | Wait for a condition. | `wait network-idle [--idle-ms N] [--timeout N]` | Wait until the network is quiet for `--idle-ms` (default 500). Beats fixed sleeps for SPA/XHR settle. | | Command | What it does | |---|---| `read [--html] [--truncate N]` | Article extraction via Mozilla Readability. | `text [uid] [--selector "css"] [--truncate N]` | Visible text from page or element. | `eval [--selector "css"]` | JS in page context. `el` = matched element. | `extract [--selector "css"] [--limit N] [--scroll] [--a11y]` | Auto-detect repeating data. `--a11y` for React SPAs (X.com). | `download [--out path] [--timeout N]` | Download a URL fetched in-page, so cookies/auth carry over (login-gated files). Returns `{path,bytes,mime}` . | | Command | What it does | |---|---| `network [--filter "pattern"] [--body] [--live N] [--abort "pattern"]` | Network requests and API responses. `--abort` blocks matching requests. | `console [--level error] [--clear]` | console.log/warn/error + JS exceptions. | | Command | What it does | |---|---| `frame ` | Switch `eval` /`inspect` into an iframe (or back to main). Persists only within a `pipe` /`batch` process. | `batch` | Execute multiple commands from a JSON array on stdin. | `pipe` | Persistent JSON stdin/stdout connection. | ``` --browser Named browser profile (default: "default") --page Named tab (default: "default") --connect [url] Attach to a running Chrome --headed Show browser window (default: headless) --stealth Anti-detection patches (Cloudflare, Turnstile) --copy-cookies Use cookies from your real Chrome profile --timeout Command timeout (default: 30) --max-depth Limit inspect depth --ignore-https-errors Accept self-signed certs --json Structured JSON output --dialog JS dialog policy: accept (default), dismiss, or manual --dialog-text Text to submit for prompt() dialogs when --dialog accept ``` JS dialogs (`alert` /`confirm` /`prompt` /`beforeunload` ) are auto-answered by default (`--dialog accept` ) — a native dialog otherwise blocks the page with no DOM signal and the agent's next command hangs. Use `--dialog dismiss` to cancel them, or `--dialog manual` to opt out. ``` chrome-agent goto https://app.com/login --inspect # uid=n52 textbox "Email" focusable # uid=n58 textbox "Password" focusable # uid=n63 button "Sign In" focusable chrome-agent fill --uid n52 "user@test.com" chrome-agent fill --uid n58 "password123" chrome-agent click n63 --inspect # uid=n101 heading "Dashboard" level=1 ``` UIDs stay the same between inspects as long as the DOM node exists. From least to most tokens: ``` # Articles (Readability, like Firefox Reader Mode) chrome-agent read # Repeating data -- products, search results, feeds. No selectors. chrome-agent extract # Uses MDR/DEPTA heuristics. Finds the pattern automatically. # React SPAs (X.com, etc.) -- uses a11y tree instead of DOM chrome-agent extract --a11y --scroll --limit 20 # Scoped visible text chrome-agent text --selector "[role=main]" --truncate 1000 # API responses -- skip the DOM chrome-agent network --filter "api" --body # Select dropdown by value or visible text chrome-agent select --uid n15 "California" # Idempotent checkbox control chrome-agent check n20 # no-op if already checked chrome-agent uncheck n20 # no-op if already unchecked # File upload chrome-agent upload --uid n30 /path/to/document.pdf # Double-click (text selection, special controls) chrome-agent dblclick n42 ``` The `frame` switch binds `eval` and `inspect` to the iframe — but **only within one process**, so drive it through `pipe` (or `batch` ), never as separate CLI calls: ``` printf '%s\n' \ '{"cmd":"frame","target":"#payment-iframe"}' \ '{"cmd":"inspect"}' \ '{"cmd":"fill","uid":"n42","value":"4242424242424242"}' \ '{"cmd":"frame","target":"main"}' | chrome-agent pipe ``` - Target the intended iframe precisely (e.g. `iframe[src*="checkout"]` ); a bare`iframe` matches the first one in DOM order, often an ad`about:blank` slot. `frame` scopes`eval` /`inspect` ; it does**not** scope`--selector` targeting. Run`inspect` after the switch to get iframe uids, then act by uid (uids resolve across frames).- Each standalone `chrome-agent ` opens a fresh connection, so`chrome-agent frame …` followed by a separate`chrome-agent inspect` loses the switch. Use`pipe` /`batch` . Execute a sequence of commands from stdin without per-command process startup: ``` echo '[ {"cmd":"goto","url":"https://example.com"}, {"cmd":"inspect","filter":"button"}, {"cmd":"click","uid":"n42"} ]' | chrome-agent batch ``` Each command produces one JSON line. About 10x faster than spawning a process per command. `--stealth` patches 7 automation fingerprints via CDP: `navigator.webdriver` set to`undefined` `chrome.runtime` mocked- Permissions API fixed - WebGL renderer masked - User-Agent cleaned - Input coordinate leak patched `Runtime.enable` never called These are CDP-level patches (`Page.addScriptToEvaluateOnNewDocument` ), not Chrome flags. For sites with heavier protection (DataDome, Kasada) that fingerprint the Chromium binary itself, connect to your real Chrome: ``` google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 & chrome-agent --connect http://127.0.0.1:9222 goto https://www.leboncoin.fr --inspect ``` | Protection | Solution | |---|---| | None | `chrome-agent goto ...` | | Cloudflare/Turnstile | `chrome-agent --stealth goto ...` | | Logged-in sites | `chrome-agent --stealth --copy-cookies goto ...` | | DataDome/Kasada | `chrome-agent --connect` to real Chrome | `--copy-cookies` copies the cookie database from your Chrome profile. Both Chrome instances use the same macOS Keychain, so encrypted cookies just work. ``` chrome-agent --stealth --copy-cookies goto x.com/home --inspect # Your timeline. Your DMs. No login flow. chrome-agent --copy-cookies goto mail.google.com --inspect chrome-agent --copy-cookies goto github.com/notifications --inspect ``` Your real Chrome is not affected. ``` # Resources already loaded (stealth-safe, uses Performance API) chrome-agent network --filter "api" # Live traffic with response bodies chrome-agent network --live 5 --body --filter "graphql" # Block tracking/ads (uses Fetch domain interception) chrome-agent network --abort "*tracking*" --live 30 # Console output chrome-agent console --level error # errors + exceptions only ``` Console capture uses an injected interceptor, not `Runtime.enable` . Files are written under `~/.chrome-agent/tmp` (or your `--out` path) with `0600` perms; the path is printed on stdout. Binary bytes never hit stdout. ``` # Download a file, fetched inside the page so cookies/auth carry over. # Ideal for login-gated exports (invoices, CSVs, PDFs behind an auth wall). chrome-agent download https://app.com/reports/2024.csv --out ./2024.csv # {"ok":true,"path":"./2024.csv","bytes":48213,"mime":"text/csv"} # Print the current page to PDF. chrome-agent pdf --filename invoice.pdf --background # Screenshots that don't blow up your context window. chrome-agent screenshot --format jpeg --quality 60 --max-width 1024 chrome-agent screenshot --uid n42 # capture a single element (or --selector "css") ``` `download` uses an in-page `fetch` with `credentials:'include'` , so the request inherits the page's session. Click-triggered browser-native downloads are not handled — resolve the target href (`inspect --urls` ) and download it directly. ``` # Resolve once no requests are in flight for 500ms (tunable), bounded by --timeout. # Replaces fragile fixed sleeps on SPAs / XHR-heavy pages. chrome-agent wait network-idle chrome-agent wait network-idle --idle-ms 800 --timeout 20 ``` Opt-in (enables the Network domain), so it stays off the stealth hot path. For agents that send many commands in sequence, pipe mode keeps a single connection open: ``` echo '{"cmd":"goto","url":"https://example.com","inspect":true} {"cmd":"click","uid":"n12","inspect":true} {"cmd":"read"}' | chrome-agent pipe ``` One JSON line per response. About 10x faster than spawning a process per command. ``` chrome-agent --json goto https://example.com --inspect # {"ok":true,"url":"...","title":"...","snapshot":"uid=n1 heading..."} chrome-agent --json eval "1+1" # {"ok":true,"result":2} # Errors exit 1 but JSON is still on stdout (parseable): chrome-agent --json click n99 # {"ok":false,"error":"Element uid=n99 not found.","hint":"Run 'chrome-agent inspect'"} ``` When deciding which link to click, the agent often needs the URL, not just the text: ``` chrome-agent inspect --urls --filter link # uid=n82 link "Pricing" url="https://example.com/pricing" # uid=n97 link "Docs" url="https://docs.example.com" # Multiple tabs in one browser chrome-agent --page main goto https://app.com chrome-agent --page docs goto https://docs.app.com chrome-agent --page main eval "document.title" # "App" # Multiple agents, each with their own Chrome chrome-agent --browser agent1 goto https://example.com chrome-agent --browser agent2 goto https://other.com # Install the skill (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, etc.) npx skills add sderosiaux/chrome-agent # Or tell your agent to run: chrome-agent --help # The help output includes a full LLM usage guide. ``` Claude Code permissions: ``` { "permissions": { "allow": ["Bash(chrome-agent *)"] } } ``` | chrome-agent | agent-browser (Vercel) | Playwright MCP | | |---|---|---|---| | Language | Rust | Rust | TypeScript | | Binary | 3 MB, zero runtime | 3 MB CLI + dashboard + cloud providers | Node + Playwright | | Startup | ~10ms (session reuse) | daemon (fast after first) | cold start | | Token efficiency | ~50 tokens/page (a11y noise filtering) | ~200 tokens/page (a11y tree) | ~2,000 tokens (HTML) | | UID stability | `backendNodeId` (stable across inspects) | sequential `@e1, @e2` (reassigned per snapshot) | N/A (selectors) | | Action + observe | `--inspect` flag (1 call) | separate snapshot call | separate call | | Stealth | 7 native CDP patches | delegated to cloud providers | none | | Reader mode | `read` (Readability.js) | none | none | | Data extraction | `extract` (auto-detect repeating data) | none | none | | Link URL resolution | `inspect --urls` | `snapshot -u` | N/A | | Dropdowns | `select` | `select` | via selectors | | Checkboxes | `check` /`uncheck` (idempotent) | `check` /`uncheck` | via selectors | | File upload | `upload` | `upload` | via selectors | | Drag and drop | `drag` | `drag` | via selectors | | Annotated screenshots | not yet | `screenshot --annotate` | not yet | | Element/token-safe screenshots | `screenshot --uid/--selector` , `--format jpeg` , `--max-width` | via options | via options | | PDF export | `pdf` (`Page.printToPDF` ) | none | none | | File download | `download` (in-page fetch, auth-preserving) | `download` | via events | | Extra request headers | `goto --header` | yes | via context | | Network-idle wait | `wait network-idle` | yes | `browser_wait_for` | | JS dialog handling | auto (`--dialog accept/dismiss/manual` ) | yes | `browser_handle_dialog` | | Live dashboard | no (lean) | yes (Next.js) | no | | Cloud providers | no (`--connect` to anything) | 5 built-in | no | | iOS/Safari | no | yes (WebDriver) | no | | Network blocking | `network --abort` | `network route --abort` | no | | Iframe switching | `frame` | `frame` | via selectors | | Batch execution | `batch` (JSON stdin) | `batch` (JSON or quoted) | N/A | | AI chat built-in | no (the agent IS the LLM) | yes (AI Gateway) | N/A | | Codebase | ~8.8K lines | ~40K lines | Playwright | | Design goal | minimal tokens, maximal autonomy | feature-complete platform | browser testing | MIT