---
name: browser-harness
description: "Use browser-harness for any web automation or scraping task."
---

# browser-harness

Direct browser control via CDP. For setup, install, or connection problems, read https://github.com/browser-use/browser-harness/blob/main/install.md.

## When Not to Use

A basic fetch of public information needs no browser. If a plain HTTP request can read it — a public page, an API, docs — use `curl` or your fetch tool. Use browser-harness when the task needs interaction (click, type, navigate), the user's logged-in session, JS rendering, or a bot-protected page.

## Usage

```bash
browser-harness <<'PY'
print(page_info())
PY
```

- Invoke as `browser-harness`. Use heredocs for multi-line commands.
- Helpers are pre-imported. `run.py` calls `ensure_daemon()` before `exec`.
- First navigation is `new_tab(url)`, not `goto_url(url)`.

## Local Chrome

```bash
browser-harness --doctor
```

If Chrome is not running, the harness launches it automatically. If remote debugging is not enabled, it opens `chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging` — ask user to tick the checkbox.

## Remote Browsers

```bash
browser-harness auth login
browser-harness <<'PY'
start_remote_daemon("r7k2")
PY
```

Then: `BU_NAME=r7k2 browser-harness <<'PY' ... PY`

## Key Helpers

`page_info()` `new_tab(url)` `click(sel)` `type(sel,text)` `screenshot()` `extract(sel)` `evaluate(js)` `wait(ms)` `wait_for(sel)` `navigate(url)` `close_tab()` `switch_tab(i)` `tabs()` `scroll(dir,amt)` `press(key)` `fill_form(fields)` `upload_file(sel,path)`

Use `browser-harness <<'PY' ... PY` for multi-line scripts.