About browser-mcp-cdp
browser-mcp-cdp is an MCP server that controls local Chrome through the Chrome DevTools Protocol. It uses disposable profile snapshots to retain login state without changing the original profile, and lets multiple clients share one browser.
Key features
- 01Control local Chrome
- 02Isolated profile snapshots
- 03Shared browser for multiple clients
- 04Navigate pages and run JavaScript
- 05Click, fill, capture, and read pages
- 06Manage tabs and scroll pages
Use cases
- 01Check Gmail or internal dashboards while logged in
- 02Let an agent operate pages without changing the original Chrome profile
- 03Share one browser session across multiple MCP clients
MCP support
It provides browser-control tools to MCP clients and uses a shared broker to manage connections from multiple clients.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
13Saved tool list · updated 2w ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | The URL to navigate to |
Details
From the project READMEbrowser-mcp-cdp
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that drives your real local Chrome via the Chrome DevTools Protocol. Designed for agents that need access to your logged-in sessions (Gmail, internal dashboards, banking, etc.) without uploading credentials to a cloud service.
Why another browser MCP?
Different tradeoffs from the alternatives:
| browser-mcp-cdp | Playwright MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser | Your local Chrome | Managed Playwright Chromium | Your local Chrome |
| Login state | ✅ Snapshot of your profile (cookies, logins, IndexedDB) | ❌ Fresh profile | ✅ Real profile (modifies it) |
| Profile isolation | ✅ Copy-on-start, real profile untouched | N/A | ⚠️ Direct attach |
| Multi-client | ✅ Shared broker across MCP clients | ❌ Per-client | ❌ Per-client |
| Dependencies | Node only (no Playwright download) | Playwright + browsers | Node only |
The profile snapshot pattern means you can ask an agent to "check my email" — it sees your Gmail logged in — but the agent's actions never modify your real Chrome profile. Each session gets a disposable copy.
Install
claude mcp add browser -- npx -y browser-mcp-cdp
Or add manually to ~/.claude.json / Claude Desktop config:
{
"mcpServers": {
"browser": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "browser-mcp-cdp"]
}
}
}
Requires Node 18+ and Google Chrome installed.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
browser_navigate | Load a URL, return final URL + title |
browser_evaluate | Run JS in the page, return result |
browser_screenshot | PNG of current page |
browser_click | Click via CSS selector |
browser_click_at | Click at pixel coordinates (pierces iframes / overlays) |
browser_fill | Set value on input/textarea/select |
browser_wait_for | Wait for a selector to appear |
browser_get_url | Current URL |
browser_get_text | Visible text of page or element |
browser_get_html | outerHTML of page or element |
browser_scroll | Scroll by (x, y) pixels |
browser_tabs | List open tabs |
browser_new_tab | Open a new tab |
Environment variables
| Var | Default |
|---|---|
BROWSER_MCP_CHROME_PATH | Auto-detected per OS |
BROWSER_MCP_CHROME_PROFILE_ROOT | OS-standard Chrome profile dir |
BROWSER_MCP_BROKER_SOCKET_PATH | ~/.browser-mcp/broker.sock |
BROWSER_MCP_BROKER_LOCK_PATH | ~/.browser-mcp/broker.lock |
BROWSER_MCP_BROKER_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS | 600000 (10 min) |
How it works
- First MCP client connection spawns a broker subprocess (detached).
- Broker copies your Chrome profile's cookies/local storage/login data to a temp dir.
- Broker launches Chrome with
--user-data-dir=<temp>and--remote-debugging-port. - Subsequent MCP clients connect to the same broker over a Unix socket → they share one Chrome.
- Broker exits after
BROKER_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MSof no activity; temp profile is deleted.
Security
This server lets an LLM execute arbitrary JavaScript in a browser that is logged into your accounts. Only use with models and prompts you trust. Profile snapshotting limits damage (no persistent mutations to your real Chrome), but the agent can read cookies, session tokens, and any data visible to logged-in you for the duration of the session.
License
MIT
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
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