Playwright
Enables LLMs to interact with web pages, take screenshots, and execute JavaScript in a real browser environment
What is Playwright?
Playwright is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to enables llms to interact with web pages, take screenshots, and execute javascript in a real browser environment
Enables LLMs to interact with web pages, take screenshots, and execute JavaScript in a real browser environment
This server falls under the Browser Automation category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Enables LLMs to interact with web pages, take screenshots, a
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx mcp-server-playwrightConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Playwright
MCP Server Playwright exposes a real Chromium browser to AI models through the Model Context Protocol, enabling LLMs to navigate websites, take screenshots, click elements, fill forms, execute JavaScript, and interact with web pages programmatically. Built on the @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright package, it provides a complete set of browser automation tools without requiring any API keys — just Node.js and the Playwright browser binaries. It is well-suited for tasks like web scraping, automated testing validation, UI verification, and any workflow where an AI needs to see and interact with live web content.
Prerequisites
- Node.js with npx available on your PATH
- Playwright browser binaries (installed automatically during setup)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
- No API keys required — Playwright runs a local browser
Install via Smithery (recommended)
The easiest installation uses the Smithery CLI, which automatically installs the server and configures it for your chosen MCP client.
npx -y @smithery/cli install @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright --client claudeInstall Playwright browser binaries
If not handled automatically by Smithery, install the Playwright browser binaries that the server requires.
npx playwright installAlternatively, install directly without Smithery
You can install the server directly and manually configure your MCP client.
npx @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright installConfigure your MCP client manually (if not using Smithery)
Add the Playwright server to your MCP client's configuration file. No environment variables are required.
{
"mcpServers": {
"playwright": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright"]
}
}
}Restart your MCP client
Restart Claude Desktop or Cursor to load the Playwright server. A browser window may open in the background when the server starts or on first use.
Playwright Examples
Client configuration
Add this block to claude_desktop_config.json (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json) to enable browser automation tools in Claude.
{
"mcpServers": {
"playwright": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these prompts to control a real browser through Claude with the Playwright MCP server.
- "Navigate to https://example.com and take a screenshot"
- "Go to the GitHub trending page and tell me the top 5 trending repositories today"
- "Fill in the login form at [URL] with username '[email protected]' and take a screenshot of the result"
- "Navigate to this page and click the 'Sign Up' button, then screenshot what appears"
- "Run this JavaScript on the current page: document.querySelectorAll('h1').length"Troubleshooting Playwright
Playwright browser binaries are not found when the server starts
Run `npx playwright install` to download the required browser binaries (Chromium by default). If running in a CI or restricted environment, you may also need to run `npx playwright install-deps` to install system dependencies.
Screenshots are blank or pages fail to load
Some websites block headless browsers. Try adding a short wait after navigation, or check the browser console logs via the `console://logs` resource in your MCP client. Corporate firewalls may also block the browser's network requests.
The server crashes or the browser closes unexpectedly
Ensure you have enough available memory — Chromium requires at least 512MB RAM. If running on a server or CI environment, ensure a display is available or that the server is running in headless mode (the default). Check that npx can reach the npm registry to download the latest package version.
Frequently Asked Questions about Playwright
What is Playwright?
Playwright is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables llms to interact with web pages, take screenshots, and execute javascript in a real browser environment It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Playwright?
Follow the installation instructions on the Playwright GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Playwright?
Playwright works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Playwright free to use?
Yes, Playwright is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Playwright Alternatives — Similar Browser Automation Servers
Looking for alternatives to Playwright? Here are other popular browser automation servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
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Browse More Browser Automation MCP Servers
Explore all browser automation servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up Playwright in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
Ready to use Playwright?
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