playwright-mcp/README.md

## Playwright MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using [Playwright](https://playwright.dev). This server enables LLMs to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots, bypassing the need for screenshots or visually-tuned models.

### Key Features

- **Fast and lightweight**: Uses Playwright's accessibility tree, not pixel-based input.
- **LLM-friendly**: No vision models needed, operates purely on structured data.
- **Deterministic tool application**: Avoids ambiguity common with screenshot-based approaches.

### Use Cases

- Web navigation and form-filling
- Data extraction from structured content
- Automated testing driven by LLMs
- General-purpose browser interaction for agents

### Example config

#### NPX

```js
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

#### Docker

**NOTE:** The Docker implementation only supports headless chromium at the moment.
```js
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "--init", "mcp/playwright"]
    }
  }
}
```

#### Installation in VS Code

Install the Playwright MCP server in VS Code using one of these buttons:

<!--
// Generate using?:
const config = JSON.stringify({ name: 'playwright', command: 'npx', args: ["-y", "@playwright/mcp@latest"] });
const urlForWebsites = `vscode:mcp/install?${encodeURIComponent(config)}`;
// Github markdown does not allow linking to `vscode:` directly, so you can use our redirect:
const urlForGithub = `https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect?url=${encodeURIComponent(urlForWebsites)}`;
-->

[<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code-VS_Code?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=0098FF" alt="Install in VS Code">](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect?url=vscode%3Amcp%2Finstall%3F%257B%2522name%2522%253A%2522playwright%2522%252C%2522command%2522%253A%2522npx%2522%252C%2522args%2522%253A%255B%2522-y%2522%252C%2522%2540playwright%252Fmcp%2540latest%2522%255D%257D)  [<img alt="Install in VS Code Insiders" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/VS_Code_Insiders-VS_Code_Insiders?style=flat-square&label=Install%20Server&color=24bfa5">](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect?url=vscode-insiders%3Amcp%2Finstall%3F%257B%2522name%2522%253A%2522playwright%2522%252C%2522command%2522%253A%2522npx%2522%252C%2522args%2522%253A%255B%2522-y%2522%252C%2522%2540playwright%252Fmcp%2540latest%2522%255D%257D)

Alternatively, you can install the Playwright MCP server using the VS Code CLI:

```bash
# For VS Code
code --add-mcp '{"name":"playwright","command":"npx","args":["@playwright/mcp@latest"]}'
```

```bash
# For VS Code Insiders
code-insiders --add-mcp '{"name":"playwright","command":"npx","args":["@playwright/mcp@latest"]}'
```

After installation, the Playwright MCP server will be available for use with your GitHub Copilot agent in VS Code.

### CLI Options

The Playwright MCP server supports the following command-line options:

- `--browser <browser>`: Browser or chrome channel to use. Possible values:
  - `chrome`, `firefox`, `webkit`, `msedge`
  - Chrome channels: `chrome-beta`, `chrome-canary`, `chrome-dev`
  - Edge channels: `msedge-beta`, `msedge-canary`, `msedge-dev`
  - Default: `chrome`
- `--caps <caps>`: Comma-separated list of capabilities to enable, possible values: tabs, pdf, history, wait, files, install. Default is all.
- `--cdp-endpoint <endpoint>`: CDP endpoint to connect to
- `--executable-path <path>`: Path to the browser executable
- `--headless`: Run browser in headless mode (headed by default)
- `--port <port>`: Port to listen on for SSE transport
- `--user-data-dir <path>`: Path to the user data directory
- `--vision`: Run server that uses screenshots (Aria snapshots are used by default)

### User data directory

Playwright MCP will launch the browser with the new profile, located at

```
- `%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\ms-playwright\mcp-chrome-profile` on Windows
- `~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright/mcp-chrome-profile` on macOS
- `~/.cache/ms-playwright/mcp-chrome-profile` on Linux
```

All the logged in information will be stored in that profile, you can delete it between sessions if you'd like to clear the offline state.


### Running headless browser (Browser without GUI).

This mode is useful for background or batch operations.

```js
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
        "--headless"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Running headed browser on Linux w/o DISPLAY

When running headed browser on system w/o display or from worker processes of the IDEs,
run the MCP server from environment with the DISPLAY and pass the `--port` flag to enable SSE transport.

```bash
npx @playwright/mcp@latest --port 8931
```

And then in MCP client config, set the `url` to the SSE endpoint:

```js
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "url": "http://localhost:8931/sse"
    }
  }
}
```

### Tool Modes

The tools are available in two modes:

1. **Snapshot Mode** (default): Uses accessibility snapshots for better performance and reliability
2. **Vision Mode**: Uses screenshots for visual-based interactions

To use Vision Mode, add the `--vision` flag when starting the server:

```js
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp@latest",
        "--vision"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

Vision Mode works best with the computer use models that are able to interact with elements using
X Y coordinate space, based on the provided screenshot.

### Build with Docker

You can build the Docker image yourself.
```
docker build -t mcp/playwright .
```

### Programmatic usage with custom transports

```js
import http from 'http';

import { createServer } from '@playwright/mcp';
import { SSEServerTransport } from '@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/sse.js';

http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
  // ...

  // Creates a headless Playwright MCP server with SSE transport
  const mcpServer = await createServer({ headless: true });
  const transport = new SSEServerTransport('/messages', res);
  await mcpServer.connect(transport);

  // ...
});

```

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### Snapshot-based Interactions

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- **browser_snapshot**
  - Description: Capture accessibility snapshot of the current page, this is better than screenshot
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_click**
  - Description: Perform click on a web page
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `ref` (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

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- **browser_drag**
  - Description: Perform drag and drop between two elements
  - Parameters:
    - `startElement` (string): Human-readable source element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
    - `startRef` (string): Exact source element reference from the page snapshot
    - `endElement` (string): Human-readable target element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
    - `endRef` (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

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- **browser_hover**
  - Description: Hover over element on page
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `ref` (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot

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- **browser_type**
  - Description: Type text into editable element
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `ref` (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
    - `text` (string): Text to type into the element
    - `submit` (boolean, optional): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)
    - `slowly` (boolean, optional): Whether to type one character at a time. Useful for triggering key handlers in the page. By default entire text is filled in at once.

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- **browser_select_option**
  - Description: Select an option in a dropdown
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `ref` (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
    - `values` (array): Array of values to select in the dropdown. This can be a single value or multiple values.

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- **browser_take_screenshot**
  - Description: Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.
  - Parameters:
    - `raw` (boolean, optional): Whether to return without compression (in PNG format). Default is false, which returns a JPEG image.
    - `element` (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to screenshot the element. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If element is provided, ref must be provided too.
    - `ref` (string, optional): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If ref is provided, element must be provided too.

### Vision-based Interactions

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- **browser_screen_capture**
  - Description: Take a screenshot of the current page
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_screen_move_mouse**
  - Description: Move mouse to a given position
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `x` (number): X coordinate
    - `y` (number): Y coordinate

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- **browser_screen_click**
  - Description: Click left mouse button
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `x` (number): X coordinate
    - `y` (number): Y coordinate

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- **browser_screen_drag**
  - Description: Drag left mouse button
  - Parameters:
    - `element` (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    - `startX` (number): Start X coordinate
    - `startY` (number): Start Y coordinate
    - `endX` (number): End X coordinate
    - `endY` (number): End Y coordinate

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- **browser_screen_type**
  - Description: Type text
  - Parameters:
    - `text` (string): Text to type into the element
    - `submit` (boolean, optional): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)

### Tab Management

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- **browser_tab_list**
  - Description: List browser tabs
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_tab_new**
  - Description: Open a new tab
  - Parameters:
    - `url` (string, optional): The URL to navigate to in the new tab. If not provided, the new tab will be blank.

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- **browser_tab_select**
  - Description: Select a tab by index
  - Parameters:
    - `index` (number): The index of the tab to select

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- **browser_tab_close**
  - Description: Close a tab
  - Parameters:
    - `index` (number, optional): The index of the tab to close. Closes current tab if not provided.

### Navigation

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- **browser_navigate**
  - Description: Navigate to a URL
  - Parameters:
    - `url` (string): The URL to navigate to

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- **browser_navigate_back**
  - Description: Go back to the previous page
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_navigate_forward**
  - Description: Go forward to the next page
  - Parameters: None

### Keyboard

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- **browser_press_key**
  - Description: Press a key on the keyboard
  - Parameters:
    - `key` (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as `ArrowLeft` or `a`

### Console

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- **browser_console_messages**
  - Description: Returns all console messages
  - Parameters: None

### Files and Media

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- **browser_file_upload**
  - Description: Upload one or multiple files
  - Parameters:
    - `paths` (array): The absolute paths to the files to upload. Can be a single file or multiple files.

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- **browser_pdf_save**
  - Description: Save page as PDF
  - Parameters: None

### Utilities

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- **browser_close**
  - Description: Close the page
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_wait**
  - Description: Wait for a specified time in seconds
  - Parameters:
    - `time` (number): The time to wait in seconds

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- **browser_resize**
  - Description: Resize the browser window
  - Parameters:
    - `width` (number): Width of the browser window
    - `height` (number): Height of the browser window

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- **browser_install**
  - Description: Install the browser specified in the config. Call this if you get an error about the browser not being installed.
  - Parameters: None

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- **browser_handle_dialog**
  - Description: Handle a dialog
  - Parameters:
    - `accept` (boolean): Whether to accept the dialog.
    - `promptText` (string, optional): The text of the prompt in case of a prompt dialog.

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