The chrome-devtools-mcp CLI lets you interact with the browser from your terminal.
Setup
Note: If this is your very first time using the CLI, see references/installation.md for setup. Installation is a one-time prerequisite and is not part of the regular AI workflow.
AI Workflow
- Execute: Run tools directly. If you don't know the target page's ID, run
chrome-devtools list_pagesto find it. The background server starts implicitly; do not runstart/status/stopbefore each use. - Inspect: Use
chrome-devtools take_snapshot <pageId>to get an element<uid>. - Act: Use
chrome-devtools click <pageId> <uid>,chrome-devtools fill <pageId> <uid> <value>, etc. State persists across commands.
Snapshot example:
uid=1_0 RootWebArea "Example Domain" url="https://example.com/" uid=1_1 heading "Example Domain" level="1"
Permissions & File Access
By default, the CLI has full filesystem access (--allowUnrestrictedPaths=true), allowing file-saving parameters (--filePath, --outputDirPath) and upload_file to access files anywhere on the system. Pass --allowUnrestrictedPaths=false if you want to restrict file access to the OS temp directory.
Command Usage
shchrome-devtools <tool> [arguments] [flags]
- Required arguments are passed positionally; optional arguments use flags.
- Use
--helpon any command for usage details. - Output defaults to plain Markdown-like text; pass
--output-format=jsonfor JSON.
Input Automation ( from snapshot)
bashchrome-devtools take_snapshot 1 # Take a text snapshot of the page to get UIDs for elements chrome-devtools click 1 "id" # Clicks on the provided element chrome-devtools click 1 "id" --dblClick true --includeSnapshot true # Double clicks and returns a snapshot chrome-devtools drag 1 "src" "dst" # Drag an element onto another element chrome-devtools drag 1 "src" "dst" --includeSnapshot true # Drag an element and return a snapshot chrome-devtools fill 1 "id" "text" # Type text into an input, textarea, or select an option chrome-devtools fill 1 "id" "text" --includeSnapshot true # Fill an element and return a snapshot chrome-devtools handle_dialog 1 accept # Handle a browser dialog (accept/dismiss) chrome-devtools handle_dialog 1 dismiss --promptText "hi" # Dismiss a dialog with prompt text chrome-devtools hover 1 "id" # Hover over the provided element chrome-devtools hover 1 "id" --includeSnapshot true # Hover over an element and return a snapshot chrome-devtools press_key 1 "Enter" # Press a key or key combination ("Control+A", "Escape") chrome-devtools press_key 1 "Control+A" --includeSnapshot true # Press a key and return a snapshot chrome-devtools type_text 1 "hello" # Type text using keyboard into a focused input chrome-devtools type_text 1 "hello" --submitKey "Enter" # Type text and press a submit key chrome-devtools upload_file 1 "id" "file.txt" # Upload a file through a provided element chrome-devtools upload_file 1 "id" "file.txt" --includeSnapshot true # Upload a file and return a snapshot
Navigation
bashchrome-devtools close_page 1 # Closes the page by its index chrome-devtools list_pages # Get a list of pages open in the browser chrome-devtools navigate_page 1 --url "https://example.com" # Navigates the currently selected page to a URL chrome-devtools navigate_page 1 --type "reload" --ignoreCache true # Reload page ignoring cache chrome-devtools navigate_page 1 --url "https://example.com" --timeout 5000 # Navigate with a timeout chrome-devtools navigate_page 1 --handleBeforeUnload "accept" # Handle before unload dialog chrome-devtools navigate_page 1 --type "back" --initScript "foo()" # Navigate back and run an init script chrome-devtools new_page "https://example.com" # Creates a new page chrome-devtools new_page "https://example.com" --background true --timeout 5000 # Create new page in background chrome-devtools new_page "https://example.com" --isolatedContext "ctx" # Create new page with isolated context chrome-devtools select_page 1 # Select a page as a context for future tool calls chrome-devtools select_page 1 --bringToFront true # Select a page and bring it to front
Emulation
bashchrome-devtools emulate 1 --networkConditions "Offline" # Emulate network conditions chrome-devtools emulate 1 --cpuThrottlingRate 4 --geolocation "0x0" # Emulate CPU throttling and geolocation chrome-devtools emulate 1 --colorScheme "dark" --viewport "1920x1080" # Emulate color scheme and viewport chrome-devtools emulate 1 --userAgent "Mozilla/5.0..." # Emulate user agent chrome-devtools resize_page 1 1920 1080 # Resizes the selected page's window
Performance
bashchrome-devtools performance_analyze_insight 1 "1" "LCPBreakdown" # Get more details on a specific Performance Insight (pageId, insightSetId, insightName) chrome-devtools performance_start_trace 1 --reload true --autoStop false # Starts a performance trace recording (reload, autoStop) chrome-devtools performance_start_trace 1 --reload true --autoStop true --filePath "t.json.gz" # Start trace and save to a file chrome-devtools performance_stop_trace 1 # Stops the active performance trace chrome-devtools performance_stop_trace 1 --filePath "t.json.gz" # Stop trace and save to a file
Memory
bashchrome-devtools take_heapsnapshot 1 "./snap.heapsnapshot" # Capture a memory heap snapshot
Memory Debugging (requires --memoryDebugging=true)
bashchrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_summary "./snap.heapsnapshot" # Get snapshot summary stats chrome-devtools compare_heapsnapshots "./base.heapsnapshot" "./target.heapsnapshot" # Compare two snapshots chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_class_nodes "./snap.heapsnapshot" "Array" # Inspect class instances chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_details "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Detailed object properties chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_dominators "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Dominator tree for node chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_duplicate_strings "./snap.heapsnapshot" # Find duplicated strings chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_edges "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Node edges/references chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_object_details "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Object details by node ID chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_retainers "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Retaining objects chrome-devtools get_heapsnapshot_retaining_paths "./snap.heapsnapshot" 123 # Shortest retaining paths chrome-devtools close_heapsnapshot "./snap.heapsnapshot" # Free memory from loaded snapshot
Network
bashchrome-devtools get_network_request 1 # Get the currently selected network request for page 1 chrome-devtools get_network_request 1 --reqid 1 --requestFilePath "req.md" # Get request by id and save to file chrome-devtools get_network_request 1 --responseFilePath "res.md" # Save response body to file chrome-devtools list_network_requests 1 # List all network requests for page 1 chrome-devtools list_network_requests 1 --pageSize 50 --pageIdx 0 # List network requests with pagination chrome-devtools list_network_requests 1 --resourceTypes Fetch # Filter requests by resource type chrome-devtools list_network_requests 1 --includePreservedRequests true # Include preserved requests
Debugging & Inspection
bashchrome-devtools evaluate_script "() => document.title" --pageId 1 # Evaluate a JavaScript function on page 1 chrome-devtools evaluate_script "(a) => a.innerText" --pageId 1 --args 1_4 # Evaluate JS with UID arguments on page 1 chrome-devtools get_console_message 1 1 # Gets a console message by its ID chrome-devtools get_css_styles 1 "1_4" # Retrieves resolved CSS styles (inline, matched, inherited, pseudo) for an element on page 1 chrome-devtools get_css_styles 1 "1_4" --pageSize 20 --pageIdx 0 # Get CSS styles with pagination on page 1 chrome-devtools lighthouse_audit 1 --mode "navigation" # Run Lighthouse audit for navigation chrome-devtools lighthouse_audit 1 --mode "snapshot" --device "mobile" # Run Lighthouse audit for a snapshot on mobile chrome-devtools lighthouse_audit 1 --outputDirPath ./out # Run Lighthouse audit and save reports chrome-devtools list_console_messages 1 # List all console messages chrome-devtools list_console_messages 1 --pageSize 20 --pageIdx 1 # List console messages with pagination chrome-devtools list_console_messages 1 --types error --types info # Filter console messages by type chrome-devtools list_console_messages 1 --includePreservedMessages true # Include preserved messages chrome-devtools take_screenshot 1 # Take a screenshot of the page viewport chrome-devtools take_screenshot 1 --fullPage true --format "jpeg" --quality 80 # Take a full page screenshot as JPEG with quality chrome-devtools take_screenshot 1 --uid "id" --filePath "s.png" # Take a screenshot of an element chrome-devtools take_snapshot 1 # Take a text snapshot of the page from the a11y tree chrome-devtools take_snapshot 1 --verbose true --filePath "s.txt" # Take a verbose snapshot and save to file
Extensions
bashchrome-devtools list_extensions # Lists all the Chrome extensions installed in the browser chrome-devtools install_extension "/path/to/extension" # Installs a Chrome extension from the given path chrome-devtools uninstall_extension "extension_id" # Uninstalls a Chrome extension by its ID chrome-devtools reload_extension "extension_id" # Reloads an unpacked Chrome extension by its ID chrome-devtools trigger_extension_action "extension_id" # Triggers the default action of an extension by its ID
Progressive Web Apps (requires --categoryPwa=true)
bashchrome-devtools install_pwa "https://example.com/" # Install PWA by manifest ID or URL chrome-devtools launch_pwa "https://example.com/" # Launch installed PWA chrome-devtools get_os_app_state "https://example.com/" # Get OS app installation state chrome-devtools uninstall_pwa "https://example.com/" # Uninstall PWA and close windows
Experimental Features
Experimental tools are disabled by default. Enable them with the corresponding flag during start.
bashchrome-devtools click_at 1 100 200 # Clicks at the provided coordinates on page 1 (requires --experimentalVision=true) chrome-devtools screencast_start 1 --filePath "screen.mp4" # Starts a screencast recording on page 1 (requires --experimentalScreencast=true and ffmpeg) chrome-devtools screencast_stop 1 # Stops the active screencast on page 1 chrome-devtools list_webmcp_tools 1 # List all WebMCP tools on page 1 (requires --categoryExperimentalWebmcp=true) chrome-devtools execute_webmcp_tool 1 "tool_name" --input '{"arg":"val"}' # Execute a WebMCP tool on page 1 (requires --categoryExperimentalWebmcp=true) chrome-devtools list_3p_developer_tools 1 # List third-party developer tools on page 1 (requires --categoryExperimentalThirdParty=true) chrome-devtools execute_3p_developer_tool 1 "tool_name" --params '{"arg":"val"}' # Execute third-party developer tool on page 1 (requires --categoryExperimentalThirdParty=true)
Service Management
bashchrome-devtools start # Start or restart chrome-devtools-mcp chrome-devtools start --headless=false # Start with visible browser window chrome-devtools status # Checks if chrome-devtools-mcp is running chrome-devtools stop # Stop chrome-devtools-mcp if any
