Glance
AI-powered browser automation MCP server for Claude Code. Navigate, click, screenshot, test — all from your terminal.
What is Glance?
Glance is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ai-powered browser automation mcp server for claude code. navigate, click, screenshot, test — all from your terminal.
AI-powered browser automation MCP server for Claude Code. Navigate, click, screenshot, test — all from your terminal.
This server falls under the Browser Automation category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- AI-powered browser automation MCP server for Claude Code. Na
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx glanceConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Glance
Glance is an AI-powered browser automation MCP server built for Claude Code and other terminal-driven AI workflows, exposing 30 MCP tools that let an AI agent navigate websites, click elements, type text, capture screenshots, monitor network activity, run JavaScript, and perform end-to-end test assertions — all without leaving the command line. It uses Playwright under the hood for reliable cross-browser control and supports both headless and headed modes, as well as pixel-level visual regression testing with screenshot baseline comparisons. Teams use it to automate UI testing, debug web applications, and let AI agents interact with live web interfaces during development.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or higher installed
- A Playwright-compatible browser (Chromium is installed automatically on first run)
- Claude Code CLI or another MCP-compatible client
- npx available on PATH (bundled with Node.js)
Install glance-mcp globally
Install the package globally with npm so it is available as a command.
npm install -g glance-mcpAdd to Claude Code via the MCP add command (quickest method)
Use the claude mcp add shortcut to register glance automatically in your project's .mcp.json file.
claude mcp add glance -- npx glance-mcpOr configure manually in .mcp.json
Add the server block to your project's .mcp.json for fine-grained control over environment variables such as headless mode and viewport size.
{
"mcpServers": {
"glance": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["glance-mcp"],
"env": {
"BROWSER_HEADLESS": "false",
"BROWSER_VIEWPORT_WIDTH": "1280",
"BROWSER_VIEWPORT_HEIGHT": "720",
"BROWSER_TIMEOUT": "30000"
}
}
}
}Restart Claude Code and verify Glance tools appear
After saving the configuration, restart your MCP client. Glance's 30 tools (navigate, click, screenshot, assert, etc.) should appear in the available tools list.
Run your first browser task
Ask Claude Code to open a URL and capture a screenshot to confirm the integration is working.
# In Claude Code:
# "Open http://localhost:3000 and take a screenshot"Glance Examples
Client configuration
Standard .mcp.json configuration for Claude Code, running Glance in visible (non-headless) mode for real-time observation.
{
"mcpServers": {
"glance": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["glance-mcp"],
"env": {
"BROWSER_HEADLESS": "false",
"BROWSER_SESSIONS_DIR": ".browser-sessions",
"BROWSER_SECURITY_PROFILE": "local-dev",
"BROWSER_VIEWPORT_WIDTH": "1280",
"BROWSER_VIEWPORT_HEIGHT": "720",
"BROWSER_TIMEOUT": "30000"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Practical commands you can give Claude Code once Glance is connected. These map to real MCP tools like navigate, click, screenshot, and assert.
- "Open localhost:3000 and take a screenshot of the homepage"
- "Test the signup flow with an invalid email address and report what error message appears"
- "Run a visual regression test on the dashboard and compare it to the baseline"
- "Click the 'Submit' button on the contact form and verify a success message appears"
- "Monitor network requests while logging in and report any failing API calls"Troubleshooting Glance
Browser fails to launch with a missing executable error
Playwright needs to install its browser binaries the first time. Run: npx playwright install chromium — or simply run glance-mcp once and it will attempt auto-installation.
Screenshots are blank or show a white page
The page may not have fully loaded before the screenshot was taken. Increase BROWSER_TIMEOUT (e.g. to 60000ms) and ensure the target URL is accessible from the machine running Glance.
BROWSER_SECURITY_PROFILE blocks access to local services
Set BROWSER_SECURITY_PROFILE=local-dev in the env block. This relaxes cross-origin restrictions that would prevent Glance from interacting with localhost apps.
Frequently Asked Questions about Glance
What is Glance?
Glance is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ai-powered browser automation mcp server for claude code. navigate, click, screenshot, test — all from your terminal. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Glance?
Follow the installation instructions on the Glance GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Glance?
Glance works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Glance free to use?
Yes, Glance is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Glance Alternatives — Similar Browser Automation Servers
Looking for alternatives to Glance? Here are other popular browser automation servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
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★ 34.9k📇 🏠 - Browser automation capabilities using Puppeteer, both support local and remote browser connection.
Playwright
★ 32.8kA production-ready browser automation server that enables AI assistants to interact with web pages using tools for navigation, element interaction, and data extraction. It features a built-in Inspector UI and robust crash recovery for reliable automa
Page Agent
★ 18.0kJavaScript in-page GUI agent. Control web interfaces with natural language.
Chrome
★ 11.7kAn extension-based MCP server that enables AI assistants to control your browser, leveraging existing sessions and login states for automation and content analysis. It provides over 20 tools for semantic tab search, interactive element manipulation,
LAMDA
★ 7.8kThe most powerful Android RPA agent framework, next generation mobile automation.
Browse More Browser Automation MCP Servers
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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