cdp-browser-launcher

Run a real Chrome/Edge in the mode you pick so AI agents (and you) can work with the DevTools protocol without getting in anyone's way. Zero dependencies, one binary command.

npm install -g cdp-browser-launcher
cdp-browser-launcher start --mode headless
# → CDP ready at http://127.0.0.1:9223

Why

Agent tools (Puppeteer, Playwright, browser-harness, browser-use/jev-ultrafast, raw CDP) normally attach to your everyday Chrome: tabs pop up while you work, someone closes the agent's tab, sessions mix. This launcher starts a dedicated browser instance in one of three modes:

| Mode | What you see | Use when | |---|---|---| | headless (default) | Nothing. No window at all. | Machine is being used by a human; agent tests/parses in the background | | minimized | Window flashes to taskbar | Some sites detect headless and behave differently | | visible | Normal window | You want to watch the agent work |

Each mode gets its own persistent profile (~/.cdp-browser-launcher/profiles/<name>), so agent cookies/sessions never mix with your daily browser.

Commands

cdp-browser-launcher start [--mode headless|minimized|visible] [--port 9223]
                           [--profile name] [--url https://example.com] [--binary path]
cdp-browser-launcher status   # is the browser alive? which endpoint?
cdp-browser-launcher stop     # clean shutdown, removes state

Browser discovery: --binary flag → CHROME_PATH env → standard Chrome/Edge install paths (Windows, macOS, Linux). Point any CDP client at the printed endpoint:

cdp-browser-launcher start --mode headless
node your-agent.js --cdp http://127.0.0.1:9223

Notes & limits

• Headless still uses RAM (~300–500 MB) and CPU while pages render — it's a real browser, just invisible.
• status prints stale if the browser died; run stop then start again.
• This launcher is transport-only: it starts/stops the browser and reports the endpoint. It never takes credentials, and it never touches your default profile.

MIT