Browser Automation with agent-browser

Core Workflow

Every browser automation follows this pattern:

1. Navigate: agent-browser open <url>
2. Snapshot: agent-browser snapshot -i (get element refs like @e1, @e2)
3. Interact: Use refs to click, fill, select
4. Re-snapshot: After navigation or DOM changes, get fresh refs

bash
1agent-browser open https://example.com/form
2agent-browser snapshot -i
3# Output: @e1 [input type="email"], @e2 [input type="password"], @e3 [button] "Submit"
4
5agent-browser fill @e1 "user@example.com"
6agent-browser fill @e2 "password123"
7agent-browser click @e3
8agent-browser wait --load networkidle
9agent-browser snapshot -i  # Check result

Essential Commands

bash
1# Navigation
2agent-browser open <url>              # Navigate (aliases: goto, navigate)
3agent-browser close                   # Close browser
4
5# Snapshot
6agent-browser snapshot -i             # Interactive elements with refs (recommended)
7agent-browser snapshot -s "#selector" # Scope to CSS selector
8
9# Interaction (use @refs from snapshot)
10agent-browser click @e1               # Click element
11agent-browser fill @e2 "text"         # Clear and type text
12agent-browser type @e2 "text"         # Type without clearing
13agent-browser select @e1 "option"     # Select dropdown option
14agent-browser check @e1               # Check checkbox
15agent-browser press Enter             # Press key
16agent-browser scroll down 500         # Scroll page
17
18# Get information
19agent-browser get text @e1            # Get element text
20agent-browser get url                 # Get current URL
21agent-browser get title               # Get page title
22
23# Wait
24agent-browser wait @e1                # Wait for element
25agent-browser wait --load networkidle # Wait for network idle
26agent-browser wait --url "**/page"    # Wait for URL pattern
27agent-browser wait 2000               # Wait milliseconds
28
29# Capture
30agent-browser screenshot              # Screenshot to temp dir
31agent-browser screenshot --full       # Full page screenshot
32agent-browser pdf output.pdf          # Save as PDF

Common Patterns

Form Submission

bash
1agent-browser open https://example.com/signup
2agent-browser snapshot -i
3agent-browser fill @e1 "Jane Doe"
4agent-browser fill @e2 "jane@example.com"
5agent-browser select @e3 "California"
6agent-browser check @e4
7agent-browser click @e5
8agent-browser wait --load networkidle

Authentication with State Persistence

bash
1# Login once and save state
2agent-browser open https://app.example.com/login
3agent-browser snapshot -i
4agent-browser fill @e1 "$USERNAME"
5agent-browser fill @e2 "$PASSWORD"
6agent-browser click @e3
7agent-browser wait --url "**/dashboard"
8agent-browser state save auth.json
9
10# Reuse in future sessions
11agent-browser state load auth.json
12agent-browser open https://app.example.com/dashboard

Data Extraction

bash
1agent-browser open https://example.com/products
2agent-browser snapshot -i
3agent-browser get text @e5           # Get specific element text
4agent-browser get text body > page.txt  # Get all page text
5
6# JSON output for parsing
7agent-browser snapshot -i --json
8agent-browser get text @e1 --json

Parallel Sessions

bash
1agent-browser --session site1 open https://site-a.com
2agent-browser --session site2 open https://site-b.com
3
4agent-browser --session site1 snapshot -i
5agent-browser --session site2 snapshot -i
6
7agent-browser session list

Visual Browser (Debugging)

bash
1agent-browser --headed open https://example.com
2agent-browser highlight @e1          # Highlight element
3agent-browser record start demo.webm # Record session

iOS Simulator (Mobile Safari)

bash
1# List available iOS simulators
2agent-browser device list
3
4# Launch Safari on a specific device
5agent-browser -p ios --device "iPhone 16 Pro" open https://example.com
6
7# Same workflow as desktop - snapshot, interact, re-snapshot
8agent-browser -p ios snapshot -i
9agent-browser -p ios tap @e1          # Tap (alias for click)
10agent-browser -p ios fill @e2 "text"
11agent-browser -p ios swipe up         # Mobile-specific gesture
12
13# Take screenshot
14agent-browser -p ios screenshot mobile.png
15
16# Close session (shuts down simulator)
17agent-browser -p ios close

Requirements: macOS with Xcode, Appium (npm install -g appium && appium driver install xcuitest)

Real devices: Works with physical iOS devices if pre-configured. Use --device "<UDID>" where UDID is from xcrun xctrace list devices.

Ref Lifecycle (Important)

Refs (@e1, @e2, etc.) are invalidated when the page changes. Always re-snapshot after:

• Clicking links or buttons that navigate
• Form submissions
• Dynamic content loading (dropdowns, modals)

bash
1agent-browser click @e5              # Navigates to new page
2agent-browser snapshot -i            # MUST re-snapshot
3agent-browser click @e1              # Use new refs

Semantic Locators (Alternative to Refs)

When refs are unavailable or unreliable, use semantic locators:

bash
1agent-browser find text "Sign In" click
2agent-browser find label "Email" fill "user@test.com"
3agent-browser find role button click --name "Submit"
4agent-browser find placeholder "Search" type "query"
5agent-browser find testid "submit-btn" click

Deep-Dive Documentation

Ready-to-Use Templates

bash
1./templates/form-automation.sh https://example.com/form
2./templates/authenticated-session.sh https://app.example.com/login
3./templates/capture-workflow.sh https://example.com ./output