From 6a49458e4f129309044f8660aba90498d139729c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: wehub-resource-sync <resource-sync@wehub.local>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:25:58 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] docs: preserve upstream English README

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+# agent-browser
+
+Browser automation CLI for AI agents. Fast native Rust CLI.
+
+[![skills.sh](https://skills.sh/b/vercel-labs/agent-browser)](https://skills.sh/vercel-labs/agent-browser)
+
+## Installation
+
+### Global Installation (recommended)
+
+Installs the native Rust binary:
+
+```bash
+npm install -g agent-browser
+agent-browser install  # Download Chrome from Chrome for Testing (first time only)
+```
+
+### Project Installation (local dependency)
+
+For projects that want to pin the version in `package.json`:
+
+```bash
+npm install agent-browser
+agent-browser install
+```
+
+Then use via `package.json` scripts or by invoking `agent-browser` directly.
+
+### Homebrew (macOS)
+
+```bash
+brew install agent-browser
+agent-browser install  # Download Chrome from Chrome for Testing (first time only)
+```
+
+### Cargo (Rust)
+
+```bash
+cargo install agent-browser
+agent-browser install  # Download Chrome from Chrome for Testing (first time only)
+```
+
+### From Source
+
+Requires Node.js 24+, pnpm 11+, and Rust.
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser
+cd agent-browser
+pnpm install
+pnpm build
+pnpm build:native   # Requires Rust (https://rustup.rs)
+pnpm link --global  # Makes agent-browser available globally
+agent-browser install
+```
+
+### Linux Dependencies
+
+On Linux, install system dependencies:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser install --with-deps
+```
+
+This exits nonzero if the package manager cannot install every required browser library.
+
+### Updating
+
+Upgrade to the latest version:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser upgrade
+```
+
+Detects your installation method (npm, Homebrew, or Cargo) and runs the appropriate update command automatically.
+
+### Requirements
+
+- **Chrome** - Run `agent-browser install` to download Chrome from [Chrome for Testing](https://developer.chrome.com/blog/chrome-for-testing/) (Google's official automation channel). Existing Chrome, Brave, Playwright, and Puppeteer installations are detected automatically. No Playwright or Node.js required for the daemon.
+- **Node.js 24+ and pnpm 11+** - Only needed when building from source.
+- **Rust** - Only needed when building from source (see From Source above).
+
+## Quick Start
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open example.com
+agent-browser snapshot                    # Get accessibility tree with refs
+agent-browser click @e2                   # Click by ref from snapshot
+agent-browser fill @e3 "test@example.com" # Fill by ref
+agent-browser get text @e1                # Get text by ref
+agent-browser screenshot page.png
+agent-browser close
+```
+
+Clicks fail early when another element covers the target's click point, for example a consent banner or modal. Dismiss or interact with the reported covering element, then take a fresh snapshot before retrying the original ref.
+
+Headless Chromium screenshots hide native scrollbars for consistent image output. Pass `--hide-scrollbars false` when launching to keep native scrollbars visible.
+
+### Traditional Selectors (also supported)
+
+```bash
+agent-browser click "#submit"
+agent-browser fill "#email" "test@example.com"
+agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"
+```
+
+## Commands
+
+### Core Commands
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open                    # Launch browser (no navigation); stays on about:blank
+agent-browser open <url>              # Launch + navigate to URL (aliases: goto, navigate)
+agent-browser read [url]              # Fetch agent-readable text, or read rendered active-tab DOM
+agent-browser click <sel>             # Click element (--new-tab to open in new tab)
+agent-browser dblclick <sel>          # Double-click element
+agent-browser focus <sel>             # Focus element
+agent-browser type <sel> <text>       # Type into element
+agent-browser fill <sel> <text>       # Clear and fill
+agent-browser press <key>             # Press key (Enter, Tab, Control+a) (alias: key)
+agent-browser keyboard type <text>    # Type with real keystrokes (no selector, current focus)
+agent-browser keyboard inserttext <text>  # Insert text without key events (no selector)
+agent-browser keydown <key>           # Hold key down
+agent-browser keyup <key>             # Release key
+agent-browser hover <sel>             # Hover element
+agent-browser select <sel> <val>      # Select dropdown option
+agent-browser check <sel>             # Check checkbox
+agent-browser uncheck <sel>           # Uncheck checkbox
+agent-browser scroll <dir> [px]       # Scroll (up/down/left/right, --selector <sel>)
+agent-browser scrollintoview <sel>    # Scroll element into view (alias: scrollinto)
+agent-browser drag <src> <tgt>        # Drag and drop
+agent-browser upload <sel> <files>    # Upload files
+agent-browser screenshot [path]       # Take screenshot (--full for full page, saves to a temporary directory if no path)
+agent-browser screenshot --annotate   # Annotated screenshot with numbered element labels
+agent-browser screenshot --screenshot-dir ./shots    # Save to custom directory
+agent-browser screenshot --screenshot-format jpeg --screenshot-quality 80
+agent-browser pdf <path>              # Save as PDF
+agent-browser snapshot                # Accessibility tree with refs (best for AI)
+agent-browser eval <js>               # Run JavaScript (-b for base64, --stdin for piped input)
+agent-browser connect <port>          # Connect to browser via CDP
+agent-browser stream enable [--port <port>]  # Start runtime WebSocket streaming
+agent-browser stream status           # Show runtime streaming state and bound port
+agent-browser stream disable          # Stop runtime WebSocket streaming
+agent-browser close                   # Close browser (aliases: quit, exit)
+agent-browser close --all             # Close all active sessions
+agent-browser chat "<instruction>"    # AI chat: natural language browser control (single-shot)
+agent-browser chat                    # AI chat: interactive REPL mode
+```
+
+### Get Info
+
+```bash
+agent-browser get text <sel>          # Get text content
+agent-browser get html <sel>          # Get innerHTML
+agent-browser get value <sel>         # Get input value
+agent-browser get attr <sel> <attr>   # Get attribute
+agent-browser get title               # Get page title
+agent-browser get url                 # Get current URL
+agent-browser get cdp-url             # Get CDP WebSocket URL (for DevTools, debugging)
+agent-browser get count <sel>         # Count matching elements
+agent-browser get box <sel>           # Get bounding box
+agent-browser get styles <sel>        # Get computed styles
+```
+
+### Read Agent-Friendly Text
+
+```bash
+agent-browser read
+agent-browser read https://example.com/article
+agent-browser read https://example.com/article --filter overview
+agent-browser read https://example.com/article --outline
+agent-browser read https://docs.example.com --llms index --filter auth
+agent-browser read https://docs.example.com --llms full --filter auth
+agent-browser read example.com/article --require-md
+agent-browser read https://example.com/article --json
+```
+
+`read` fetches a URL without launching Chrome. Omit the URL to read the rendered DOM of the active tab in the current browser session, including browser auth state and client-side updates. Explicit URL reads send `Accept: text/markdown` by default, try the same URL with `.md` appended when the first response is not markdown, walk ancestor paths toward `/` to find the nearest `llms.txt` for a matching docs link, print markdown or plain text when available, and fall back to readable text extracted from HTML. `--llms` and `--require-md` with no URL use the active tab URL because they depend on HTTP resources. `read` does not read `llms-full.txt` unless you ask for it.
+
+Options: `--raw` prints the response body without HTML extraction, `--require-md` fails unless the server returns `Content-Type: text/markdown`, `--outline` prints a compact heading outline for one page, `--llms index` prints a compact nearest-ancestor `llms.txt` link list, `--llms full` reads the nearest-ancestor `llms-full.txt`, `--filter <text>` narrows page sections, llms links/sections, or outline headings, and `--timeout <ms>` changes the request timeout. Global safeguards such as `--allowed-domains`, `--content-boundaries`, and `--max-output` also apply to read fetches and output.
+
+### Check State
+
+```bash
+agent-browser is visible <sel>        # Check if visible
+agent-browser is enabled <sel>        # Check if enabled
+agent-browser is checked <sel>        # Check if checked
+```
+
+### Find Elements (Semantic Locators)
+
+```bash
+agent-browser find role <role> <action> [value]       # By ARIA role
+agent-browser find text <text> <action>               # By text content
+agent-browser find label <label> <action> [value]     # By label
+agent-browser find placeholder <ph> <action> [value]  # By placeholder
+agent-browser find alt <text> <action>                # By alt text
+agent-browser find title <text> <action>              # By title attr
+agent-browser find testid <id> <action> [value]       # By data-testid
+agent-browser find first <sel> <action> [value]       # First match
+agent-browser find last <sel> <action> [value]        # Last match
+agent-browser find nth <n> <sel> <action> [value]     # Nth match
+```
+
+**Actions:** `click`, `fill`, `type`, `hover`, `focus`, `check`, `uncheck`, `text`
+
+**Options:** `--name <name>` (filter role by accessible name), `--exact` (require exact text match)
+
+**Examples:**
+
+```bash
+agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"
+agent-browser find text "Sign In" click
+agent-browser find label "Email" fill "test@test.com"
+agent-browser find first ".item" click
+agent-browser find nth 2 "a" text
+```
+
+### Wait
+
+```bash
+agent-browser wait <selector>         # Wait for element to be visible
+agent-browser wait <ms>               # Wait for time (milliseconds)
+agent-browser wait --text "Welcome"   # Wait for text to appear (substring match)
+agent-browser wait --url "**/dash"    # Wait for URL pattern
+agent-browser wait --load networkidle # Wait for load state
+agent-browser wait --fn "window.ready === true"  # Wait for JS condition
+
+# Wait for text/element to disappear
+agent-browser wait --fn "!document.body.innerText.includes('Loading...')"
+agent-browser wait "#spinner" --state hidden
+```
+
+**Load states:** `load`, `domcontentloaded`, `networkidle`
+
+### Batch Execution
+
+Execute multiple commands in a single invocation. Commands can be passed as quoted arguments or piped as JSON via stdin. This avoids per-command process startup overhead when running multi-step workflows.
+
+```bash
+# Argument mode: each quoted argument is a full command
+agent-browser batch "open https://example.com" "snapshot -i" "screenshot"
+
+# With --bail to stop on first error
+agent-browser batch --bail "open https://example.com" "click @e1" "screenshot"
+
+# Stdin mode: pipe commands as JSON
+echo '[
+  ["open", "https://example.com"],
+  ["snapshot", "-i"],
+  ["click", "@e1"],
+  ["screenshot", "result.png"]
+]' | agent-browser batch --json
+```
+
+### Clipboard
+
+```bash
+agent-browser clipboard read                      # Read text from clipboard
+agent-browser clipboard write "Hello, World!"     # Write text to clipboard
+agent-browser clipboard copy                      # Copy current selection (Ctrl+C)
+agent-browser clipboard paste                     # Paste from clipboard (Ctrl+V)
+```
+
+### Mouse Control
+
+```bash
+agent-browser mouse move <x> <y>      # Move mouse
+agent-browser mouse down [button]     # Press button (left/right/middle)
+agent-browser mouse up [button]       # Release button
+agent-browser mouse wheel <dy> [dx]   # Scroll wheel
+```
+
+### Browser Settings
+
+```bash
+agent-browser set viewport <w> <h> [scale]  # Set viewport size (scale for retina, e.g. 2)
+agent-browser set device <name>       # Emulate device ("iPhone 14")
+agent-browser set geo <lat> <lng>     # Set geolocation
+agent-browser set offline [on|off]    # Toggle offline mode
+agent-browser set headers <json>      # Extra HTTP headers
+agent-browser set credentials <u> <p> # HTTP basic auth
+agent-browser set media [dark|light]  # Emulate color scheme
+```
+
+### Cookies & Storage
+
+```bash
+agent-browser cookies                 # Get all cookies
+agent-browser cookies set <name> <val> # Set cookie
+agent-browser cookies set --curl <file> # Import cookies from a Copy-as-cURL dump,
+                                        # JSON array, or bare Cookie header (auto-detected)
+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
+
+agent-browser storage session         # Same for sessionStorage
+```
+
+### Network
+
+```bash
+agent-browser network route <url>              # Intercept requests
+agent-browser network route <url> --abort      # Block requests
+agent-browser network route <url> --body <json>  # Mock response
+agent-browser network route '*' --abort --resource-type script  # Block scripts only
+agent-browser network unroute [url]            # Remove routes
+agent-browser network requests                 # View tracked requests
+agent-browser network requests --filter api    # Filter requests
+agent-browser network requests --type xhr,fetch  # Filter by resource type
+agent-browser network requests --method POST   # Filter by HTTP method
+agent-browser network requests --status 2xx    # Filter by status (200, 2xx, 400-499)
+agent-browser network request <requestId>      # View full request/response detail
+agent-browser network har start                # Start HAR recording
+agent-browser network har stop [output.har]    # Stop and save HAR (temp path if omitted)
+```
+
+### Tabs & Windows
+
+```bash
+agent-browser tab                              # List tabs (shows `tabId` and optional label)
+agent-browser tab new [url]                    # New tab (optionally with URL)
+agent-browser tab new --label docs [url]       # New tab with a user-assigned label
+agent-browser tab <t<N>|label>                 # Switch to a tab by id or label
+agent-browser tab close [t<N>|label]           # Close a tab (defaults to active)
+agent-browser window new                       # New window
+```
+
+Tab ids are stable strings of the form `t1`, `t2`, `t3`. They're never reused within a session, so scripts and agents can keep referring to the same tab even after other tabs are opened or closed. Positional integers like `tab 2` are **not** accepted; the `t` prefix disambiguates handles from indices and mirrors the `@e1` convention used for element refs.
+
+You can also assign a memorable label (`docs`, `app`, `admin`) and use it interchangeably with the id. Labels are never auto-generated and never rewritten on navigation — they're yours to name and keep:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser tab new --label docs https://docs.example.com
+agent-browser tab docs               # switch to the docs tab
+agent-browser snapshot               # populate refs for docs
+agent-browser click @e3              # click uses docs's refs
+agent-browser tab close docs         # close by label
+```
+
+### Frames
+
+```bash
+agent-browser frame <sel>             # Switch to iframe
+agent-browser frame main              # Back to main frame
+```
+
+### Dialogs
+
+```bash
+agent-browser dialog accept [text]    # Accept (with optional prompt text)
+agent-browser dialog dismiss          # Dismiss
+agent-browser dialog status           # Check if a dialog is currently open
+```
+
+By default, `alert` and `beforeunload` dialogs are automatically accepted so they never block the agent. `confirm` and `prompt` dialogs still require explicit handling. Use `--no-auto-dialog` (or `AGENT_BROWSER_NO_AUTO_DIALOG=1`) to disable automatic handling.
+
+When a JavaScript dialog is pending, all command responses include a `warning` field with the dialog type and message.
+
+### Diff
+
+```bash
+agent-browser diff snapshot                              # Compare current vs last snapshot
+agent-browser diff snapshot --baseline before.txt        # Compare current vs saved snapshot file
+agent-browser diff snapshot --selector "#main" --compact # Scoped snapshot diff
+agent-browser diff screenshot --baseline before.png      # Visual pixel diff against baseline
+agent-browser diff screenshot --baseline b.png -o d.png  # Save diff image to custom path
+agent-browser diff screenshot --baseline b.png -t 0.2    # Adjust color threshold (0-1)
+agent-browser diff url https://v1.com https://v2.com     # Compare two URLs (snapshot diff)
+agent-browser diff url https://v1.com https://v2.com --screenshot  # Also visual diff
+agent-browser diff url https://v1.com https://v2.com --wait-until networkidle  # Custom wait strategy
+agent-browser diff url https://v1.com https://v2.com --selector "#main"  # Scope to element
+```
+
+### Debug
+
+```bash
+agent-browser trace start             # Start recording trace
+agent-browser trace stop [path]       # Stop and save trace
+agent-browser profiler start          # Start Chrome DevTools profiling
+agent-browser profiler stop [path]    # Stop and save profile (.json)
+agent-browser console                 # View console messages (log, error, warn, info)
+agent-browser console --json          # JSON output with raw CDP args for programmatic access
+agent-browser console --clear         # Clear console
+agent-browser errors                  # View page errors (uncaught JavaScript exceptions)
+agent-browser errors --clear          # Clear errors
+agent-browser highlight <sel>         # Highlight element
+agent-browser inspect                 # Open Chrome DevTools for the active page
+agent-browser state save <path>       # Save auth state
+agent-browser state load <path>       # Load auth state
+agent-browser state list              # List saved state files
+agent-browser state show <file>       # Show state summary
+agent-browser state rename <old> <new> # Rename state file
+agent-browser state clear [name]      # Clear states for session
+agent-browser state clear --all       # Clear all saved states
+agent-browser state clean --older-than <days>  # Delete old states
+```
+
+### Navigation
+
+```bash
+agent-browser back                    # Go back
+agent-browser forward                 # Go forward
+agent-browser reload                  # Reload page
+agent-browser pushstate <url>         # SPA client-side nav; auto-detects window.next.router.push,
+                                      # falls back to history.pushState + popstate
+```
+
+### Pre-navigation setup
+
+Some flows (SSR debug, auth cookies for protected origins, init scripts) need state set up *before* the first navigation. Use `open` with no URL to launch the browser, then stage cookies / routes / init scripts, then navigate. `batch` sends it all in one CLI call:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser batch \
+  '["open"]' \
+  '["network","route","*","--abort","--resource-type","script"]' \
+  '["cookies","set","--curl","cookies.curl","--domain","localhost"]' \
+  '["navigate","http://localhost:3000/target"]'
+```
+
+Without `batch` the same sequence is three commands that all reuse the same daemon (fast, but not one turn).
+
+### React / Web Vitals
+
+Agent-browser ships with first-class React introspection and universal Web Vitals metrics. The React commands need the React DevTools hook installed at launch; Web Vitals and pushstate are framework-agnostic.
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open --enable react-devtools <url>   # Launch with React hook installed
+agent-browser react tree                           # Full component tree
+agent-browser react inspect <fiberId>              # props, hooks, state, source
+agent-browser react renders start                  # Begin fiber render recording
+agent-browser react renders stop [--json]          # Stop and print profile (--json for raw data)
+agent-browser react suspense [--only-dynamic] [--json]  # Suspense boundaries + classifier
+                                                         # --only-dynamic hides the "static" list
+agent-browser vitals [url] [--json]                # LCP/CLS/TTFB/FCP/INP + hydration summary
+```
+
+Each `react ...` subcommand requires `--enable react-devtools` to have been passed at launch (the React DevTools `installHook.js` is embedded in the binary). Without it the commands error with `React DevTools hook not installed
+- relaunch with --enable react-devtools`.
+
+Works on any React app — Next.js, Remix, Vite+React, CRA, TanStack Start, React Native Web, etc. `vitals` and `pushstate` are framework-agnostic. `vitals` prints a summary by default; pass `--json` for the full structured payload.
+
+### Init scripts
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open --init-script <path>           # Register page init script before first navigation
+                                                  # (repeatable; also AGENT_BROWSER_INIT_SCRIPTS env)
+agent-browser addinitscript <js>                  # Register at runtime (returns identifier)
+agent-browser removeinitscript <identifier>       # Remove a previously registered init script
+```
+
+### Setup
+
+```bash
+agent-browser install                 # Download Chrome from Chrome for Testing (Google's official automation channel)
+agent-browser install --with-deps     # Also install system deps (Linux)
+agent-browser upgrade                 # Upgrade agent-browser to the latest version
+agent-browser doctor                  # Diagnose the install and auto-clean stale daemon files
+agent-browser doctor --fix            # Also run destructive repairs (reinstall Chrome, purge old state, ...)
+agent-browser doctor --offline --quick  # Skip network probes and the live launch test
+agent-browser mcp                     # Start an MCP stdio server
+```
+
+`doctor` checks your environment, Chrome install, daemon state, config files, encryption key, providers, network reachability, and runs a live headless browser launch test. Stale socket/pid sidecar files are auto-cleaned. Output is also available as `--json` for agents.
+
+### Skills
+
+```bash
+agent-browser skills                  # List available skills
+agent-browser skills list             # Same as above
+agent-browser skills get <name>       # Output a skill's full content
+agent-browser skills get <name> --full  # Include references and templates
+agent-browser skills get --all        # Output every skill
+agent-browser skills path [name]      # Print skill directory path
+```
+
+Serves bundled skill content that always matches the installed CLI version. AI agents use this to get current instructions rather than relying on cached copies. Set `AGENT_BROWSER_SKILLS_DIR` to override the skills directory path.
+
+### MCP Server
+
+```bash
+agent-browser mcp
+agent-browser mcp --tools all
+agent-browser mcp --tools core,network,react
+```
+
+Starts a Model Context Protocol server over stdio. MCP clients launch this command as a subprocess and exchange newline-delimited JSON-RPC on stdin and stdout. The server defaults to MCP protocol 2025-11-25 and accepts older supported client protocol versions during initialization.
+
+The default tools profile is `core`, which keeps MCP context small for everyday browser automation. Use `--tools all` for the full typed CLI parity surface, or combine profiles with commas, such as `--tools core,network,react`.
+
+Profiles:
+
+- `core` — Default. Navigation, snapshots, interaction, waits, reads, screenshots, JavaScript eval, close, tab basics, and profile discovery
+- `network` — Network routes, request inspection, HAR, headers, credentials, offline
+- `state` — Cookies, storage, auth, saved state, sessions, profiles, skills
+- `debug` — Console/errors, tracing, profiling, recording, clipboard, plugins, doctor, dashboard, install, upgrade, chat, diff, batch, confirm/deny
+- `tabs` — Back/forward/reload, tabs, windows, frames, dialogs
+- `react` — React tree/inspect/renders/suspense, vitals, pushstate
+- `mobile` — Viewport/device/geolocation/media, touch, swipe, mouse, keyboard
+- `all` — Every MCP tool, including the full typed CLI parity surface
+
+Common tools include:
+
+- `agent_browser_tools_profiles`
+- `agent_browser_open`
+- `agent_browser_snapshot`
+- `agent_browser_click`
+- `agent_browser_fill`
+- `agent_browser_type`
+- `agent_browser_press`
+- `agent_browser_wait_for_selector`
+- `agent_browser_screenshot`
+- `agent_browser_get_url`
+- `agent_browser_eval`
+- `agent_browser_close`
+
+Each tool has typed fields such as `url`, `selector`, `text`, `key`, and `session`, so MCP clients show meaningful approval prompts instead of raw command arrays. Each tool also accepts `extraArgs` for advanced CLI flags and exact CLI parity. Tool discovery is paginated and includes read-only/open-world annotations so modern MCP clients can load the large typed surface incrementally.
+
+Example MCP client config:
+
+```json
+{
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "agent-browser": {
+      "command": "agent-browser",
+      "args": ["mcp"]
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Full parity MCP client config:
+
+```json
+{
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "agent-browser": {
+      "command": "agent-browser",
+      "args": ["mcp", "--tools", "all"]
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Tool invocations use the same config files and environment variables as the CLI. Use `session` in the tool arguments, or set `AGENT_BROWSER_SESSION`, to isolate browser state.
+
+## Authentication
+
+agent-browser provides multiple ways to persist login sessions so you don't re-authenticate every run.
+
+### Quick summary
+
+| Approach | Best for | Flag / Env |
+|----------|----------|------------|
+| **Chrome profile reuse** | Reuse your existing Chrome login state (cookies, sessions) with zero setup | `--profile <name>` / `AGENT_BROWSER_PROFILE` |
+| **Persistent profile** | Full browser state (cookies, IndexedDB, service workers, cache) across restarts | `--profile <path>` / `AGENT_BROWSER_PROFILE` |
+| **Session persistence** | Auto-save/restore cookies + localStorage from a stable session key | `--session <id> --restore` / `AGENT_BROWSER_RESTORE` |
+| **Import from your browser** | Grab auth from a Chrome session you already logged into | `--auto-connect` + `state save` |
+| **State file** | Load a previously saved state JSON on launch | `--state <path>` / `AGENT_BROWSER_STATE` |
+| **Auth vault** | Store credentials locally (encrypted), login by name | `auth save` / `auth login` |
+
+### Import auth from your browser
+
+If you are already logged in to a site in Chrome, you can grab that auth state and reuse it:
+
+```bash
+# 1. Launch Chrome with remote debugging enabled
+#    macOS:
+"/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome" --remote-debugging-port=9222
+#    Or use --auto-connect to discover an already-running Chrome
+
+# 2. Connect and save the authenticated state
+agent-browser --auto-connect state save ./my-auth.json
+
+# 3. Use the saved auth in future sessions
+agent-browser --state ./my-auth.json open https://app.example.com/dashboard
+
+# 4. Or use --restore for automatic persistence
+SESSION="$(agent-browser session id --scope worktree --prefix myapp)"
+agent-browser --session "$SESSION" --restore --state ./my-auth.json open https://app.example.com/dashboard
+# From now on, --session "$SESSION" --restore auto-saves/restores this state
+```
+
+> **Security notes:**
+> - `--remote-debugging-port` exposes full browser control on localhost. Any local process can connect. Only use on trusted machines and close Chrome when done.
+> - State files contain session tokens in plaintext. Add them to `.gitignore` and delete when no longer needed. For encryption at rest, set `AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY` (see [State Encryption](#state-encryption)).
+
+For full details on login flows, OAuth, 2FA, cookie-based auth, and the auth vault, see the [Authentication](docs/src/app/sessions/page.mdx) docs.
+
+## Sessions
+
+Run multiple isolated browser instances:
+
+```bash
+# Different sessions
+agent-browser --session agent1 open site-a.com
+agent-browser --session agent2 open site-b.com
+
+# Or via environment variable
+AGENT_BROWSER_SESSION=agent1 agent-browser click "#btn"
+
+# List active sessions
+agent-browser session list
+# Output:
+# Active sessions:
+# -> default
+#    agent1
+
+# Show current session
+agent-browser session
+
+# Generate a stable worktree-scoped session id
+agent-browser session id --scope worktree --prefix next-dev-loop
+
+# Inspect daemon, launch, and restore status
+agent-browser session info --json
+```
+
+Each session has its own:
+
+- Browser instance
+- Cookies and storage
+- Navigation history
+- Authentication state
+
+## Chrome Profile Reuse
+
+The fastest way to use your existing login state: pass a Chrome profile name to `--profile`:
+
+```bash
+# List available Chrome profiles
+agent-browser profiles
+
+# Reuse your default Chrome profile's login state
+agent-browser --profile Default open https://gmail.com
+
+# Use a named profile (by display name or directory name)
+agent-browser --profile "Work" open https://app.example.com
+
+# Or via environment variable
+AGENT_BROWSER_PROFILE=Default agent-browser open https://gmail.com
+```
+
+This copies your Chrome profile to a temp directory (read-only snapshot, no changes to your original profile), so the browser launches with your existing cookies and sessions.
+
+> **Note:** On Windows, close Chrome before using `--profile <name>` if Chrome is running, as some profile files may be locked.
+
+## Persistent Profiles
+
+For a persistent custom profile directory that stores state across browser restarts, pass a path to `--profile`:
+
+```bash
+# Use a persistent profile directory
+agent-browser --profile ~/.myapp-profile open myapp.com
+
+# Login once, then reuse the authenticated session
+agent-browser --profile ~/.myapp-profile open myapp.com/dashboard
+
+# Or via environment variable
+AGENT_BROWSER_PROFILE=~/.myapp-profile agent-browser open myapp.com
+```
+
+The profile directory stores:
+
+- Cookies and localStorage
+- IndexedDB data
+- Service workers
+- Browser cache
+- Login sessions
+
+**Tip**: Use different profile paths for different projects to keep their browser state isolated.
+
+## Session Persistence
+
+Use `--restore` with a stable `--session` to automatically save and restore cookies and localStorage across browser restarts:
+
+```bash
+# Generate a stable id for this worktree and auto-save/load state
+SESSION="$(agent-browser session id --scope worktree --prefix twitter)"
+agent-browser --session "$SESSION" --restore open twitter.com
+
+# Login once, then state persists automatically
+# State files stored in ~/.agent-browser/sessions/
+
+# Optional: validate restored state before auto-saving again
+agent-browser --session "$SESSION" --restore --restore-check-text Dashboard open twitter.com
+```
+
+State is saved when the browser closes (explicit `close`, idle timeout, or daemon shutdown) and also periodically while the browser is open, so a browser window you close by hand still leaves a recent save behind. Periodic autosave waits for commands to settle, then saves at most once per `AGENT_BROWSER_AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL_MS` (default 30000; set to `0` to save only on close). Idle sessions keep saving on the same interval, so changes the page makes on its own (token refreshes, background requests) are captured too. It respects the `--restore-save` policy.
+
+### State Encryption
+
+Encrypt saved session data at rest with AES-256-GCM:
+
+```bash
+# Generate key: openssl rand -hex 32
+export AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY=<64-char-hex-key>
+
+# State files are now encrypted automatically
+agent-browser --session secure --restore open example.com
+```
+
+| Variable                          | Description                                        |
+| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_RESTORE`           | Auto-save/load state persistence name              |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_RESTORE_SAVE`      | Restore save policy: `auto`, `always`, or `never`  |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL_MS` | Min ms between periodic autosaves (default: 30000, 0 disables) |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_NAMESPACE`         | Namespace for daemon sockets and restore state     |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_SESSION_NAME`      | Legacy auto-save/load state persistence name       |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY`    | 64-char hex key for AES-256-GCM encryption         |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_STATE_EXPIRE_DAYS` | Auto-delete states older than N days (default: 30) |
+
+## Security
+
+agent-browser includes security features for safe AI agent deployments. All features are opt-in, and existing workflows are unaffected until you explicitly enable a feature:
+
+- **Authentication Vault**: Store credentials locally (always encrypted), reference by name. The LLM never sees passwords. `auth login` navigates with `load` and then waits for login form selectors to appear (SPA-friendly, timeout follows the default action timeout). A key is auto-generated at `~/.agent-browser/.encryption-key` if `AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY` is not set: `echo "pass" | agent-browser auth save github --url https://github.com/login --username user --password-stdin` then `agent-browser auth login github`
+- **Plugin System**: Extend agent-browser with external executable plugins. Plugins run out-of-process over the `agent-browser.plugin.v1` stdio JSON protocol and declare capabilities such as `credential.read`, `browser.provider`, `launch.mutate`, or `command.run`.
+- **Content Boundary Markers**: Wrap page output in delimiters so LLMs can distinguish tool output from untrusted content: `--content-boundaries`
+- **Domain Allowlist**: Restrict navigation to trusted domains (wildcards like `*.example.com` also match the bare domain): `--allowed-domains "example.com,*.example.com"`. Sub-resource requests (scripts, images, fetch) and WebSocket/EventSource connections to non-allowed domains are also blocked. Include any CDN domains your target pages depend on (e.g., `*.cdn.example.com`).
+- **Action Policy**: Gate destructive actions with a static policy file: `--action-policy ./policy.json`
+- **Action Confirmation**: Require explicit approval for sensitive action categories: `--confirm-actions eval,download`
+- **Output Length Limits**: Prevent context flooding: `--max-output 50000`
+
+| Variable                            | Description                              |
+| ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_CONTENT_BOUNDARIES`  | Wrap page output in boundary markers     |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_MAX_OUTPUT`          | Max characters for page output           |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_ALLOWED_DOMAINS`     | Comma-separated allowed domain patterns  |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_ACTION_POLICY`       | Path to action policy JSON file          |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIRM_ACTIONS`     | Action categories requiring confirmation |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIRM_INTERACTIVE` | Enable interactive confirmation prompts  |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_PLUGINS`             | JSON plugin registry override            |
+
+See [Security documentation](https://agent-browser.dev/security) for details.
+
+### Plugin System
+
+Plugins let third-party tools integrate without becoming built-in agent-browser dependencies. Add a plugin from npm or GitHub:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser plugin add agent-browser-plugin-captcha
+agent-browser plugin add @company/agent-browser-plugin-vault --name vault
+agent-browser plugin add org/agent-browser-plugin-cloud-browser
+```
+
+References are resolved by shape: `name` uses npm, `@scope/name` uses npm, and `owner/repo` uses GitHub. `plugin add` writes `./agent-browser.json` by default; use `--global` for `~/.agent-browser/config.json`.
+
+Plugin packages should support `plugin.manifest` so `plugin add` can discover their name and capabilities automatically. If a plugin does not support manifests, pass `--capability <name>` during add.
+
+Plugins can also be configured manually in `agent-browser.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "plugins": [
+    {
+      "name": "vault",
+      "command": "agent-browser-plugin-vault",
+      "capabilities": ["credential.read"]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "cloud-browser",
+      "command": "agent-browser-plugin-cloud-browser",
+      "capabilities": ["browser.provider"]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "stealth",
+      "command": "agent-browser-plugin-stealth",
+      "capabilities": ["launch.mutate"]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "captcha",
+      "command": "agent-browser-plugin-captcha",
+      "capabilities": ["command.run", "captcha.solve"]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+Inspect configured plugins:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser plugin list
+agent-browser plugin show vault
+```
+
+Use a credential provider plugin for one login:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser auth login my-app --credential-provider vault --item "My App"
+agent-browser auth login my-app --credential-provider vault --item "My App" --url https://app.example.com/login --username-selector "#email" --password-selector "#password" --submit-selector "button[type=submit]"
+```
+
+Use a browser provider plugin:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser --provider cloud-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+Use a launch mutator plugin for stealth or local launch customization. The plugin can append Chrome args, extensions, and init scripts before the browser starts:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+Use a generic plugin command for domain-specific tools such as CAPTCHA solvers:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser plugin run captcha captcha.solve --payload '{"siteKey":"...","url":"https://example.com"}'
+```
+
+The protocol request always includes `protocol`, `type`, `capability`, and `request`. A credential plugin receives `credential.resolve`, a browser provider receives `browser.launch`, a launch mutator receives `launch.mutate`, and generic commands receive the supplied request type. `plugin run` is for `command.run` and custom capabilities; core capabilities and protocol request types use their dedicated command paths. agent-browser keeps browser automation, redaction-sensitive output, and policy enforcement in core.
+
+Gate plugin access by capability action:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser --confirm-actions plugin:vault:credential.read auth login my-app --credential-provider vault --item "My App"
+agent-browser --confirm-actions plugin:cloud-browser:browser.provider --provider cloud-browser open https://example.com
+agent-browser --confirm-actions plugin:stealth:launch.mutate open https://example.com
+```
+
+Do not put vault tokens or passwords in plugin command args. Use the vault vendor's own login/session mechanism or environment outside agent-browser config.
+
+## Snapshot Options
+
+The `snapshot` command supports filtering to reduce output size:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser snapshot                    # Full accessibility tree
+agent-browser snapshot -i                 # Interactive elements only (buttons, inputs, links)
+agent-browser snapshot -i --urls          # Interactive elements with link URLs
+agent-browser snapshot -c                 # Compact (remove empty structural elements)
+agent-browser snapshot -d 3               # Limit depth to 3 levels
+agent-browser snapshot -s "#main"         # Scope to CSS selector
+agent-browser snapshot -i -c -d 5         # Combine options
+```
+
+| Option                 | Description                                                             |
+| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `-i, --interactive`    | Only show interactive elements (buttons, links, inputs)                 |
+| `-u, --urls`           | Include href URLs for link elements                                     |
+| `-c, --compact`        | Remove empty structural elements                                        |
+| `-d, --depth <n>`      | Limit tree depth                                                        |
+| `-s, --selector <sel>` | Scope to CSS selector                                                   |
+
+## Annotated Screenshots
+
+The `--annotate` flag overlays numbered labels on interactive elements in the screenshot. Each label `[N]` corresponds to ref `@eN`, so the same refs work for both visual and text-based workflows.
+
+Annotated screenshots are supported on the CDP-backed browser path (Chrome/Lightpanda). The Safari/WebDriver backend does not yet support `--annotate`.
+
+```bash
+agent-browser screenshot --annotate
+# -> Screenshot saved to /tmp/screenshot-2026-02-17T12-00-00-abc123.png
+#    [1] @e1 button "Submit"
+#    [2] @e2 link "Home"
+#    [3] @e3 textbox "Email"
+```
+
+After an annotated screenshot, refs are cached so you can immediately interact with elements:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser screenshot --annotate ./page.png
+agent-browser click @e2     # Click the "Home" link labeled [2]
+```
+
+This is useful for multimodal AI models that can reason about visual layout, unlabeled icon buttons, canvas elements, or visual state that the text accessibility tree cannot capture.
+
+## Options
+
+| Option | Description |
+|--------|-------------|
+| `--session <name>` | Use isolated session (or `AGENT_BROWSER_SESSION` env) |
+| `--restore [name]` | Auto-save/restore session state. Bare `--restore` uses `--session` as the key |
+| `--restore-save <policy>` | Restore save policy: `auto`, `always`, or `never` |
+| `--restore-check-url <glob>` | Validate restored state against a URL pattern |
+| `--restore-check-text <text>` | Validate restored state against page text |
+| `--restore-check-fn <js>` | Validate restored state against a truthy JavaScript expression |
+| `--namespace <name>` | Isolate daemon sockets and restore-state directories |
+| `--session-name <name>` | Legacy alias for restore persistence key |
+| `--profile <name\|path>` | Chrome profile name or persistent directory path (or `AGENT_BROWSER_PROFILE` env) |
+| `--state <path>` | Load storage state from JSON file (or `AGENT_BROWSER_STATE` env) |
+| `--headers <json>` | Set HTTP headers scoped to the URL's origin |
+| `--executable-path <path>` | Custom browser executable (or `AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH` env) |
+| `--extension <path>` | Load browser extension (repeatable; or `AGENT_BROWSER_EXTENSIONS` env) |
+| `--init-script <path>` | Register a page init script before the first navigation (repeatable; or `AGENT_BROWSER_INIT_SCRIPTS` env) |
+| `--enable <feature>` | Built-in init scripts: `react-devtools` (repeatable or comma-list; or `AGENT_BROWSER_ENABLE` env) |
+| `--args <args>` | Browser launch args, comma or newline separated (or `AGENT_BROWSER_ARGS` env) |
+| `--user-agent <ua>` | Custom User-Agent string (or `AGENT_BROWSER_USER_AGENT` env) |
+| `--proxy <url>` | Proxy server URL with optional auth (or `AGENT_BROWSER_PROXY` env) |
+| `--proxy-bypass <hosts>` | Hosts to bypass proxy (or `AGENT_BROWSER_PROXY_BYPASS` env) |
+| `--ignore-https-errors` | Ignore HTTPS certificate errors (useful for self-signed certs) |
+| `--allow-file-access` | Allow file:// URLs to access local files (Chromium only) |
+| `--hide-scrollbars <bool>` | Hide native scrollbars in headless Chromium screenshots, enabled by default (or `AGENT_BROWSER_HIDE_SCROLLBARS` env) |
+| `-p, --provider <name>` | Browser provider, including configured `browser.provider` plugins (or `AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER` env) |
+| `--device <name>` | iOS device name, e.g. "iPhone 15 Pro" (or `AGENT_BROWSER_IOS_DEVICE` env) |
+| `--json` | JSON output (for agents) |
+| `--annotate` | Annotated screenshot with numbered element labels (or `AGENT_BROWSER_ANNOTATE` env) |
+| `--screenshot-dir <path>` | Default screenshot output directory (or `AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_DIR` env) |
+| `--screenshot-quality <n>` | JPEG quality 0-100 (or `AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_QUALITY` env) |
+| `--screenshot-format <fmt>` | Screenshot format: `png`, `jpeg` (or `AGENT_BROWSER_SCREENSHOT_FORMAT` env) |
+| `--headed` | Show browser window (not headless) (or `AGENT_BROWSER_HEADED` env) |
+| `--cdp <port\|url>` | Connect via Chrome DevTools Protocol (port or WebSocket URL) |
+| `--auto-connect` | Auto-discover and connect to running Chrome (or `AGENT_BROWSER_AUTO_CONNECT` env) |
+| `--color-scheme <scheme>` | Color scheme: `dark`, `light`, `no-preference` (or `AGENT_BROWSER_COLOR_SCHEME` env) |
+| `--download-path <path>` | Default download directory (or `AGENT_BROWSER_DOWNLOAD_PATH` env) |
+| `--content-boundaries` | Wrap page output in boundary markers for LLM safety (or `AGENT_BROWSER_CONTENT_BOUNDARIES` env) |
+| `--max-output <chars>` | Truncate page output to N characters (or `AGENT_BROWSER_MAX_OUTPUT` env) |
+| `--allowed-domains <list>` | Comma-separated allowed domain patterns (or `AGENT_BROWSER_ALLOWED_DOMAINS` env) |
+| `--action-policy <path>` | Path to action policy JSON file (or `AGENT_BROWSER_ACTION_POLICY` env) |
+| `--confirm-actions <list>` | Action categories requiring confirmation (or `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIRM_ACTIONS` env) |
+| `--confirm-interactive` | Interactive confirmation prompts; auto-denies if stdin is not a TTY (or `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIRM_INTERACTIVE` env) |
+| `--engine <name>` | Browser engine: `chrome` (default), `lightpanda` (or `AGENT_BROWSER_ENGINE` env) |
+| `--no-auto-dialog` | Disable automatic dismissal of `alert`/`beforeunload` dialogs (or `AGENT_BROWSER_NO_AUTO_DIALOG` env) |
+| `--model <name>` | AI model for chat command (or `AI_GATEWAY_MODEL` env) |
+| `-v`, `--verbose` | Show tool commands and their raw output (chat) |
+| `-q`, `--quiet` | Show only AI text responses, hide tool calls (chat) |
+| `--config <path>` | Use a custom config file (or `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIG` env) |
+| `--debug` | Debug output |
+
+## Observability Dashboard
+
+Monitor agent-browser sessions in real time with a local web dashboard showing a live viewport and command activity feed.
+
+```bash
+# Start the dashboard server (runs in background on port 4848)
+agent-browser dashboard start
+agent-browser dashboard start --port 8080   # Custom port
+
+# All sessions are automatically visible in the dashboard
+agent-browser open example.com
+
+# Stop the dashboard
+agent-browser dashboard stop
+```
+
+The dashboard runs as a standalone background process on port 4848, independent of browser sessions. It stays available even when no sessions are running, and it works from `http://localhost:4848` or a proxied/forwarded URL that reaches the dashboard server, such as `https://dashboard.agent-browser.localhost` or a Coder workspace URL. The browser stays on the dashboard origin; session-specific tabs, status, and stream traffic are proxied internally, so session ports do not need to be exposed.
+
+The dashboard displays:
+- **Live viewport**: real-time JPEG frames from the browser
+- **Activity feed**: chronological command/result stream with timing and expandable details
+- **Console output**: browser console messages (log, warn, error)
+- **Session creation**: create new sessions from the UI with local engines (Chrome, Lightpanda) or cloud providers (AgentCore, Browserbase, Browserless, Browser Use, Kernel)
+- **AI Chat**: chat with an AI assistant directly in the dashboard (requires Vercel AI Gateway configuration)
+
+### AI Chat
+
+The dashboard includes an optional AI chat panel powered by the Vercel AI Gateway. The same functionality is available directly from the CLI via the `chat` command. Set these environment variables to enable AI chat:
+
+```bash
+export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY=gw_your_key_here
+export AI_GATEWAY_MODEL=anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6           # optional, this is the default
+export AI_GATEWAY_URL=https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh           # optional, this is the default
+```
+
+**CLI usage:**
+
+```bash
+agent-browser chat "open google.com and search for cats"     # Single-shot
+agent-browser chat                                           # Interactive REPL
+agent-browser -q chat "summarize this page"                  # Quiet mode (text only)
+agent-browser -v chat "fill in the login form"               # Verbose (show command output)
+agent-browser --model openai/gpt-4o chat "take a screenshot" # Override model
+```
+
+The `chat` command translates natural language instructions into agent-browser commands, executes them, and streams the AI response. In interactive mode, type `quit` to exit. Use `--json` for structured output suitable for agent consumption.
+
+**Dashboard usage:**
+
+The Chat tab is always visible in the dashboard. When `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY` is set, the Rust server proxies requests to the gateway and streams responses back using the Vercel AI SDK's UI Message Stream protocol. Without the key, sending a message shows an error inline.
+
+## Configuration
+
+Create an `agent-browser.json` file to set persistent defaults instead of repeating flags on every command.
+
+**Locations (lowest to highest priority):**
+
+1. `~/.agent-browser/config.json`: user-level defaults
+2. `./agent-browser.json`: project-level overrides (in working directory)
+3. `AGENT_BROWSER_*` environment variables override config file values
+4. CLI flags override everything
+
+**Example `agent-browser.json`:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "headed": true,
+  "proxy": "http://localhost:8080",
+  "profile": "./browser-data",
+  "userAgent": "my-agent/1.0",
+  "hideScrollbars": false,
+  "ignoreHttpsErrors": true,
+  "plugins": [
+    {
+      "name": "vault",
+      "command": "agent-browser-plugin-vault",
+      "capabilities": ["credential.read"]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+Use `--config <path>` or `AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIG` to load a specific config file instead of the defaults:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser --config ./ci-config.json open example.com
+AGENT_BROWSER_CONFIG=./ci-config.json agent-browser open example.com
+```
+
+All options from the table above can be set in the config file using camelCase keys (e.g., `--executable-path` becomes `"executablePath"`, `--proxy-bypass` becomes `"proxyBypass"`). Plugins are configured with the `"plugins"` array shown above. Unknown keys are ignored for forward compatibility.
+
+A [JSON Schema](agent-browser.schema.json) is available for IDE autocomplete and validation. Add a `$schema` key to your config file to enable it:
+
+```json
+{
+  "$schema": "https://agent-browser.dev/schema.json",
+  "headed": true
+}
+```
+
+Boolean flags accept an optional `true`/`false` value to override config settings. For example, `--headed false` disables `"headed": true` from config. A bare `--headed` is equivalent to `--headed true`.
+
+Auto-discovered config files that are missing are silently ignored. If `--config <path>` points to a missing or invalid file, agent-browser exits with an error. Extensions from user and project configs are merged (concatenated), not replaced.
+
+> **Tip:** If your project-level `agent-browser.json` contains environment-specific values (paths, proxies), consider adding it to `.gitignore`.
+
+## Default Timeout
+
+The default timeout for standard operations (clicks, waits, fills, etc.) is 25 seconds. This is intentionally below the CLI's 30-second IPC read timeout so that the daemon returns a proper error instead of the CLI timing out with EAGAIN.
+
+Override the default timeout via environment variable:
+
+```bash
+# Set a longer timeout for slow pages (in milliseconds)
+export AGENT_BROWSER_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=45000
+```
+
+> **Note:** Setting this above 30000 (30s) may cause EAGAIN errors on slow operations because the CLI's read timeout will expire before the daemon responds. The CLI retries transient errors automatically, but response times will increase.
+
+| Variable                        | Description                              |
+| ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT` | Default operation timeout in ms (default: 25000) |
+
+## Selectors
+
+### Refs (Recommended for AI)
+
+Refs provide deterministic element selection from snapshots:
+
+```bash
+# 1. Get snapshot with refs
+agent-browser snapshot
+# Output:
+# - heading "Example Domain" [ref=e1] [level=1]
+# - button "Submit" [ref=e2]
+# - textbox "Email" [ref=e3]
+# - link "Learn more" [ref=e4]
+
+# 2. Use refs to interact
+agent-browser click @e2                   # Click the button
+agent-browser fill @e3 "test@example.com" # Fill the textbox
+agent-browser get text @e1                # Get heading text
+agent-browser hover @e4                   # Hover the link
+```
+
+When a ref click is blocked by an overlay, the error includes the covering element, such as `covered by <div#consent-banner>`. Click the banner or dialog control first, then run `snapshot` again before reusing refs.
+
+**Why use refs?**
+
+- **Deterministic**: Ref points to exact element from snapshot
+- **Fast**: No DOM re-query needed
+- **AI-friendly**: Snapshot + ref workflow is optimal for LLMs
+
+### CSS Selectors
+
+```bash
+agent-browser click "#id"
+agent-browser click ".class"
+agent-browser click "div > button"
+```
+
+### Text & XPath
+
+```bash
+agent-browser click "text=Submit"
+agent-browser click "xpath=//button"
+```
+
+### Semantic Locators
+
+```bash
+agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"
+agent-browser find label "Email" fill "test@test.com"
+```
+
+## Agent Mode
+
+Use `--json` for machine-readable output:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser snapshot --json
+# Returns: {"success":true,"data":{"snapshot":"...","refs":{"e1":{"role":"heading","name":"Title"},...}}}
+
+agent-browser get text @e1 --json
+agent-browser is visible @e2 --json
+```
+
+### Optimal AI Workflow
+
+```bash
+# 1. Navigate and get snapshot
+agent-browser open example.com
+agent-browser snapshot -i --json   # AI parses tree and refs
+
+# 2. AI identifies target refs from snapshot
+# 3. Execute actions using refs
+agent-browser click @e2
+agent-browser fill @e3 "input text"
+
+# 4. Get new snapshot if page changed
+agent-browser snapshot -i --json
+```
+
+### Command Chaining
+
+Commands can be chained with `&&` in a single shell invocation. The browser persists via a background daemon, so chaining is safe and more efficient:
+
+```bash
+# Open, wait for load, and snapshot in one call
+agent-browser open example.com && agent-browser wait --load networkidle && agent-browser snapshot -i
+
+# Chain multiple interactions
+agent-browser fill @e1 "user@example.com" && agent-browser fill @e2 "pass" && agent-browser click @e3
+
+# Navigate and screenshot
+agent-browser open example.com && agent-browser wait --load networkidle && agent-browser screenshot page.png
+```
+
+Use `&&` when you don't need intermediate output. Run commands separately when you need to parse output first (e.g., snapshot to discover refs before interacting).
+
+## Headed Mode
+
+Show the browser window for debugging:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open example.com --headed
+```
+
+This opens a visible browser window instead of running headless.
+
+> **Note:** Browser extensions work in both headed and headless mode (Chrome's `--headless=new`).
+
+## Authenticated Sessions
+
+Use `--headers` to set HTTP headers for a specific origin, enabling authentication without login flows:
+
+```bash
+# Headers are scoped to api.example.com only
+agent-browser open api.example.com --headers '{"Authorization": "Bearer <token>"}'
+
+# Requests to api.example.com include the auth header
+agent-browser snapshot -i --json
+agent-browser click @e2
+
+# Navigate to another domain - headers are NOT sent (safe!)
+agent-browser open other-site.com
+```
+
+This is useful for:
+
+- **Skipping login flows** - Authenticate via headers instead of UI
+- **Switching users** - Start new sessions with different auth tokens
+- **API testing** - Access protected endpoints directly
+- **Security** - Headers are scoped to the origin, not leaked to other domains
+
+To set headers for multiple origins, use `--headers` with each `open` command:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser open api.example.com --headers '{"Authorization": "Bearer token1"}'
+agent-browser open api.acme.com --headers '{"Authorization": "Bearer token2"}'
+```
+
+For global headers (all domains), use `set headers`:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser set headers '{"X-Custom-Header": "value"}'
+```
+
+## Custom Browser Executable
+
+Use a custom browser executable instead of the bundled Chromium. This is useful for:
+
+- **Serverless deployment**: Use lightweight Chromium builds like `@sparticuz/chromium` (~50MB vs ~684MB)
+- **System browsers**: Use an existing Chrome/Chromium installation
+- **Custom builds**: Use modified browser builds
+
+### CLI Usage
+
+```bash
+# Via flag
+agent-browser --executable-path /path/to/chromium open example.com
+
+# Via environment variable
+AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/path/to/chromium agent-browser open example.com
+```
+
+### Serverless (Vercel)
+
+Run agent-browser + Chrome in an ephemeral Vercel Sandbox microVM. No external server needed:
+
+```typescript
+import { runAgentBrowserCommand, withAgentBrowserSandbox } from "@agent-browser/sandbox/vercel";
+
+const result = await withAgentBrowserSandbox(async (sandbox) => {
+  await runAgentBrowserCommand(sandbox, ["open", "https://example.com"]);
+  return runAgentBrowserCommand(sandbox, ["screenshot"]);
+});
+```
+
+Install `@agent-browser/sandbox` and `@vercel/sandbox` in the consuming app. See the [sandbox helper example](examples/sandbox/) for minimal Eve and Vercel Sandbox usage, or the [environments example](examples/environments/) for a full UI demo with a deploy-to-Vercel button.
+
+Fresh Vercel and Eve sandboxes install Chromium system dependencies by default. Pass `installSystemDependencies: false` only when your sandbox image already includes those libraries.
+
+### Serverless (AWS Lambda)
+
+```typescript
+import chromium from '@sparticuz/chromium';
+import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+
+export async function handler() {
+  const executablePath = await chromium.executablePath();
+  const result = execSync(
+    `AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=${executablePath} agent-browser open https://example.com && agent-browser snapshot -i --json`,
+    { encoding: 'utf-8' }
+  );
+  return JSON.parse(result);
+}
+```
+
+## Local Files
+
+Open and interact with local files (PDFs, HTML, etc.) using `file://` URLs:
+
+```bash
+# Enable file access (required for JavaScript to access local files)
+agent-browser --allow-file-access open file:///path/to/document.pdf
+agent-browser --allow-file-access open file:///path/to/page.html
+
+# Take screenshot of a local PDF
+agent-browser --allow-file-access open file:///Users/me/report.pdf
+agent-browser screenshot report.png
+```
+
+The `--allow-file-access` flag adds Chromium flags (`--allow-file-access-from-files`, `--allow-file-access`) that allow `file://` URLs to:
+
+- Load and render local files
+- Access other local files via JavaScript (XHR, fetch)
+- Load local resources (images, scripts, stylesheets)
+
+**Note:** This flag only works with Chromium. For security, it's disabled by default.
+
+## CDP Mode
+
+Connect to an existing browser via Chrome DevTools Protocol:
+
+```bash
+# Start Chrome with: google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222
+
+# Connect once, then run commands without --cdp
+agent-browser connect 9222
+agent-browser snapshot
+agent-browser tab
+agent-browser close
+
+# Or pass --cdp on each command
+agent-browser --cdp 9222 snapshot
+
+# Connect to remote browser via WebSocket URL
+agent-browser --cdp "wss://your-browser-service.com/cdp?token=..." snapshot
+```
+
+The `--cdp` flag accepts either:
+
+- A port number (e.g., `9222`) for local connections via `http://localhost:{port}`
+- A full WebSocket URL (e.g., `wss://...` or `ws://...`) for remote browser services
+
+This enables control of:
+
+- Electron apps
+- Chrome/Chromium instances with remote debugging
+- WebView2 applications
+- Any browser exposing a CDP endpoint
+
+### Auto-Connect
+
+Use `--auto-connect` to automatically discover and connect to a running Chrome instance without specifying a port:
+
+```bash
+# Auto-discover running Chrome with remote debugging
+agent-browser --auto-connect open example.com
+agent-browser --auto-connect snapshot
+
+# Or via environment variable
+AGENT_BROWSER_AUTO_CONNECT=1 agent-browser snapshot
+```
+
+Auto-connect discovers Chrome by:
+
+1. Reading Chrome's `DevToolsActivePort` file from the default user data directory
+2. Falling back to probing common debugging ports (9222, 9229)
+3. If HTTP-based discovery (`/json/version`, `/json/list`) fails, falling back to a direct WebSocket connection
+
+This is useful when:
+
+- Chrome 144+ has remote debugging enabled via `chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging` (which uses a dynamic port)
+- You want a zero-configuration connection to your existing browser
+- You don't want to track which port Chrome is using
+
+## Streaming (Browser Preview)
+
+Stream the browser viewport via WebSocket for live preview or "pair browsing" where a human can watch and interact alongside an AI agent.
+
+### Streaming
+
+Every session automatically starts a WebSocket stream server on an OS-assigned port. Use `stream status` to see the bound port and connection state:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser stream status
+```
+
+To bind to a specific port, set `AGENT_BROWSER_STREAM_PORT`:
+
+```bash
+AGENT_BROWSER_STREAM_PORT=9223 agent-browser open example.com
+```
+
+You can also manage streaming at runtime with `stream enable`, `stream disable`, and `stream status`:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser stream enable --port 9223   # Re-enable on a specific port
+agent-browser stream disable              # Stop streaming for the session
+```
+
+The WebSocket server streams the browser viewport and accepts input events.
+
+### WebSocket Protocol
+
+Connect to `ws://localhost:9223` to receive frames and send input:
+
+**Receive frames:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "type": "frame",
+  "data": "<base64-encoded-jpeg>",
+  "metadata": {
+    "deviceWidth": 1280,
+    "deviceHeight": 720,
+    "pageScaleFactor": 1,
+    "offsetTop": 0,
+    "scrollOffsetX": 0,
+    "scrollOffsetY": 0
+  }
+}
+```
+
+**Send mouse events:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "type": "input_mouse",
+  "eventType": "mousePressed",
+  "x": 100,
+  "y": 200,
+  "button": "left",
+  "clickCount": 1
+}
+```
+
+**Send keyboard events:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "type": "input_keyboard",
+  "eventType": "keyDown",
+  "key": "Enter",
+  "code": "Enter"
+}
+```
+
+**Send touch events:**
+
+```json
+{
+  "type": "input_touch",
+  "eventType": "touchStart",
+  "touchPoints": [{ "x": 100, "y": 200 }]
+}
+```
+
+## Architecture
+
+agent-browser uses a client-daemon architecture:
+
+1. **Rust CLI** - Parses commands, communicates with daemon
+2. **Rust Daemon** - Pure Rust daemon using direct CDP, no Node.js required
+
+The daemon starts automatically on first command and persists between commands for fast subsequent operations. To auto-shutdown the daemon after a period of inactivity, set `AGENT_BROWSER_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS` (value in milliseconds). When set, the daemon closes the browser and exits after receiving no commands for the specified duration.
+
+**Browser Engine:** Uses Chrome (from Chrome for Testing) by default. The `--engine` flag selects between `chrome` and `lightpanda`. Supported browsers: Chromium/Chrome (via CDP) and Safari (via WebDriver for iOS).
+
+## Platforms
+
+| Platform    | Binary      |
+| ----------- | ----------- |
+| macOS ARM64 | Native Rust |
+| macOS x64   | Native Rust |
+| Linux ARM64 | Native Rust |
+| Linux x64   | Native Rust |
+| Windows x64 | Native Rust |
+
+## Usage with AI Agents
+
+### Just ask the agent
+
+The simplest approach is to tell your agent to use it:
+
+```
+Use agent-browser to test the login flow. Run agent-browser --help to see available commands.
+```
+
+The `--help` output is comprehensive and most agents can figure it out from there.
+
+### AI Coding Assistants (recommended)
+
+Add the skill to your AI coding assistant for richer context:
+
+```bash
+npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-browser
+```
+
+This works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Goose, OpenCode, and Windsurf. The skill is fetched from the repository, so it stays up to date automatically. Do not copy `SKILL.md` from `node_modules` as it will become stale.
+
+### Claude Code
+
+Install as a Claude Code skill:
+
+```bash
+npx skills add vercel-labs/agent-browser
+```
+
+This adds a thin discovery stub at `.claude/skills/agent-browser/SKILL.md`. The stub is intentionally minimal — it points Claude Code at `agent-browser skills get core` to load the actual workflow content at runtime. This way the instructions always match the installed CLI version instead of going stale between releases.
+
+### AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md
+
+For more consistent results, add to your project or global instructions file:
+
+```markdown
+## Browser Automation
+
+Use `agent-browser` for web automation. Run `agent-browser --help` for all commands.
+
+Core workflow:
+
+1. `agent-browser open <url>` - Navigate to page
+2. `agent-browser snapshot -i` - Get interactive elements with refs (@e1, @e2)
+3. `agent-browser click @e1` / `fill @e2 "text"` - Interact using refs
+4. Re-snapshot after page changes
+```
+
+## Integrations
+
+### iOS Simulator
+
+Control real Mobile Safari in the iOS Simulator for authentic mobile web testing. Requires macOS with Xcode.
+
+**Setup:**
+
+```bash
+# Install Appium and XCUITest driver
+npm install -g appium
+appium driver install xcuitest
+```
+
+**Usage:**
+
+```bash
+# List available iOS simulators
+agent-browser device list
+
+# Launch Safari on a specific device
+agent-browser -p ios --device "iPhone 16 Pro" open https://example.com
+
+# Same commands as desktop
+agent-browser -p ios snapshot -i
+agent-browser -p ios tap @e1
+agent-browser -p ios fill @e2 "text"
+agent-browser -p ios screenshot mobile.png
+
+# Mobile-specific commands
+agent-browser -p ios swipe up
+agent-browser -p ios swipe down 500
+
+# Close session
+agent-browser -p ios close
+```
+
+Or use environment variables:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=ios
+export AGENT_BROWSER_IOS_DEVICE="iPhone 16 Pro"
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+| Variable                   | Description                                     |
+| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER`   | Set to `ios` to enable iOS mode                 |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_IOS_DEVICE` | Device name (e.g., "iPhone 16 Pro", "iPad Pro") |
+| `AGENT_BROWSER_IOS_UDID`   | Device UDID (alternative to device name)        |
+
+**Supported devices:** All iOS Simulators available in Xcode (iPhones, iPads), plus real iOS devices.
+
+**Note:** The iOS provider boots the simulator, starts Appium, and controls Safari. First launch takes ~30-60 seconds; subsequent commands are fast.
+
+#### Real Device Support
+
+Appium also supports real iOS devices connected via USB. This requires additional one-time setup:
+
+**1. Get your device UDID:**
+
+```bash
+xcrun xctrace list devices
+# or
+system_profiler SPUSBDataType | grep -A 5 "iPhone\|iPad"
+```
+
+**2. Sign WebDriverAgent (one-time):**
+
+```bash
+# Open the WebDriverAgent Xcode project
+cd ~/.appium/node_modules/appium-xcuitest-driver/node_modules/appium-webdriveragent
+open WebDriverAgent.xcodeproj
+```
+
+In Xcode:
+
+- Select the `WebDriverAgentRunner` target
+- Go to Signing & Capabilities
+- Select your Team (requires Apple Developer account, free tier works)
+- Let Xcode manage signing automatically
+
+**3. Use with agent-browser:**
+
+```bash
+# Connect device via USB, then:
+agent-browser -p ios --device "<DEVICE_UDID>" open https://example.com
+
+# Or use the device name if unique
+agent-browser -p ios --device "John's iPhone" open https://example.com
+```
+
+**Real device notes:**
+
+- First run installs WebDriverAgent to the device (may require Trust prompt)
+- Device must be unlocked and connected via USB
+- Slightly slower initial connection than simulator
+- Tests against real Safari performance and behavior
+
+### Browserless
+
+[Browserless](https://browserless.io) provides cloud browser infrastructure with a Sessions API. Use it when running agent-browser in environments where a local browser isn't available.
+
+To enable Browserless, use the `-p` flag:
+
+```bash
+export BROWSERLESS_API_KEY="your-api-token"
+agent-browser -p browserless open https://example.com
+```
+
+Or use environment variables for CI/scripts:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=browserless
+export BROWSERLESS_API_KEY="your-api-token"
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+Optional configuration via environment variables:
+
+| Variable                   | Description                                      | Default                                 |
+| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------- |
+| `BROWSERLESS_API_URL`      | Base API URL (for custom regions or self-hosted) | `https://production-sfo.browserless.io` |
+| `BROWSERLESS_BROWSER_TYPE` | Type of browser to use (chromium or chrome)      | chromium                                |
+| `BROWSERLESS_TTL`          | Session TTL in milliseconds                      | `300000`                                |
+| `BROWSERLESS_STEALTH`      | Enable stealth mode (`true`/`false`)             | `true`                                  |
+
+When enabled, agent-browser connects to a Browserless cloud session instead of launching a local browser. All commands work identically.
+
+Get your API token from the [Browserless Dashboard](https://browserless.io).
+
+### Browserbase
+
+[Browserbase](https://browserbase.com) provides remote browser infrastructure to make deployment of agentic browsing agents easy. Use it when running the agent-browser CLI in an environment where a local browser isn't feasible.
+
+To enable Browserbase, use the `-p` flag:
+
+```bash
+export BROWSERBASE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser -p browserbase open https://example.com
+```
+
+Or use environment variables for CI/scripts:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=browserbase
+export BROWSERBASE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+When enabled, agent-browser connects to a Browserbase session instead of launching a local browser. All commands work identically.
+
+Get your API key from the [Browserbase Dashboard](https://browserbase.com/overview).
+
+### Browser Use
+
+[Browser Use](https://browser-use.com) provides cloud browser infrastructure for AI agents. Use it when running agent-browser in environments where a local browser isn't available (serverless, CI/CD, etc.).
+
+To enable Browser Use, use the `-p` flag:
+
+```bash
+export BROWSER_USE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser -p browseruse open https://example.com
+```
+
+Or use environment variables for CI/scripts:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=browseruse
+export BROWSER_USE_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+When enabled, agent-browser connects to a Browser Use cloud session instead of launching a local browser. All commands work identically.
+
+Get your API key from the [Browser Use Cloud Dashboard](https://cloud.browser-use.com/settings?tab=api-keys). Free credits are available to get started, with pay-as-you-go pricing after.
+
+### Kernel
+
+[Kernel](https://www.kernel.sh) provides cloud browser infrastructure for AI agents with features like stealth mode and persistent profiles.
+
+To enable Kernel, use the `-p` flag:
+
+```bash
+export KERNEL_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser -p kernel open https://example.com
+```
+
+Or use environment variables for CI/scripts:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=kernel
+export KERNEL_API_KEY="your-api-key"
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+Optional configuration via environment variables:
+
+| Variable                 | Description                                                                      | Default |
+| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
+| `KERNEL_HEADLESS`        | Run browser in headless mode (`true`/`false`)                                    | `true`  |
+| `KERNEL_STEALTH`         | Enable stealth mode to avoid bot detection (`true`/`false`)                      | `false` |
+| `KERNEL_TIMEOUT_SECONDS` | Session timeout in seconds                                                       | `300`   |
+| `KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME`    | Browser profile name for persistent cookies/logins (created if it doesn't exist) | (none)  |
+
+When enabled, agent-browser connects to a Kernel cloud session instead of launching a local browser. All commands work identically.
+
+**Profile Persistence:** When `KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME` is set, the profile will be created if it doesn't already exist. Cookies, logins, and session data are automatically saved back to the profile when the browser session ends, making them available for future sessions.
+
+Get your API key from the [Kernel Dashboard](https://dashboard.onkernel.com).
+
+### AgentCore
+
+[AWS Bedrock AgentCore](https://aws.amazon.com/bedrock/agentcore/) provides cloud browser sessions with SigV4 authentication.
+
+To enable AgentCore, use the `-p` flag:
+
+```bash
+agent-browser -p agentcore open https://example.com
+```
+
+Or use environment variables for CI/scripts:
+
+```bash
+export AGENT_BROWSER_PROVIDER=agentcore
+agent-browser open https://example.com
+```
+
+Credentials are automatically resolved from environment variables (`AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`) or the AWS CLI (`aws configure export-credentials`), which supports SSO, profiles, and IAM roles.
+
+Optional configuration via environment variables:
+
+| Variable                   | Description                                                          | Default          |
+| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
+| `AGENTCORE_REGION`         | AWS region for the AgentCore endpoint                                | `us-east-1`      |
+| `AGENTCORE_BROWSER_ID`     | Browser identifier                                                   | `aws.browser.v1` |
+| `AGENTCORE_PROFILE_ID`     | Browser profile for persistent state (cookies, localStorage)         | (none)           |
+| `AGENTCORE_SESSION_TIMEOUT`| Session timeout in seconds                                           | `3600`           |
+| `AWS_PROFILE`              | AWS CLI profile for credential resolution                            | `default`        |
+
+**Browser profiles:** When `AGENTCORE_PROFILE_ID` is set, browser state (cookies, localStorage) is persisted across sessions automatically.
+
+When enabled, agent-browser connects to an AgentCore cloud browser session instead of launching a local browser. All commands work identically.
+
+## License
+
+Apache-2.0