playwright-mcp/README.md

Playwright MCP

This package is experimental and not yet ready for production use. It is a subject to change and will not respect semver versioning.

Example config

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

Running headed browser (Browser with GUI).

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

Running headed browser on Linux

When running headed browser on system w/o display or from worker processes of the IDEs, you can run Playwright in a client-server manner. You'll run the Playwright server from environment with the DISPLAY

npx playwright run-server

And then in MCP config, add following to the env:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        // Use the endpoint from the output of the server above.
        "PLAYWRIGHT_WS_ENDPOINT": "ws://localhost:<port>/"
      }
    }
  }
}

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:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@playwright/mcp",
        "--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.

Snapshot Mode

The Playwright MCP provides a set of tools for browser automation. Here are all available tools:

• browser_navigate

  • Description: Navigate to a URL
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): The URL to navigate to

• browser_go_back

  • Description: Go back to the previous page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_go_forward

  • Description: Go forward to the next page
  • Parameters: None

• 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

• 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

• browser_drag

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

• 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): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)

• 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

• browser_snapshot

  • Description: Capture accessibility snapshot of the current page (better than screenshot)
  • Parameters: None

• browser_save_as_pdf

  • Description: Save page as PDF
  • Parameters: None

• browser_wait

  • Description: Wait for a specified time in seconds
  • Parameters:
    • time (number): The time to wait in seconds (capped at 10 seconds)

• browser_close

  • Description: Close the page
  • Parameters: None

Vision Mode

Vision Mode provides tools for visual-based interactions using screenshots. Here are all available tools:

• browser_navigate

  • Description: Navigate to a URL
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): The URL to navigate to

• browser_go_back

  • Description: Go back to the previous page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_go_forward

  • Description: Go forward to the next page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_screenshot

  • Description: Capture screenshot of the current page
  • Parameters: None

• browser_move_mouse

  • Description: Move mouse to specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • x (number): X coordinate
    • y (number): Y coordinate

• browser_click

  • Description: Click at specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • x (number): X coordinate to click at
    • y (number): Y coordinate to click at

• browser_drag

  • Description: Perform drag and drop operation
  • Parameters:
    • startX (number): Start X coordinate
    • startY (number): Start Y coordinate
    • endX (number): End X coordinate
    • endY (number): End Y coordinate

• browser_type

  • Description: Type text at specified coordinates
  • Parameters:
    • text (string): Text to type
    • submit (boolean): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)

• 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

• browser_save_as_pdf

  • Description: Save page as PDF
  • Parameters: None

• browser_wait

  • Description: Wait for a specified time in seconds
  • Parameters:
    • time (number): The time to wait in seconds (capped at 10 seconds)

• browser_close

  • Description: Close the page
  • Parameters: None