Playwright MCP for Test Automation

Note: This is a specialized fork of the official Playwright MCP designed for test automation purposes. The original maintainers stated that "The primary objective of this MCP is to allow for general purpose browsing. Narrow requests for testing and debugging will use a different specialized server." This fork addresses that need by adding specialized testing features like API mocking, enhanced debugging capabilities, and other test automation tools.

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using Playwright. This server enables LLMs to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots, bypassing the need for screenshots or visually-tuned models.

Key Features

• Fast and lightweight. Uses Playwright's accessibility tree, not pixel-based input.
• LLM-friendly. No vision models needed, operates purely on structured data.
• Deterministic tool application. Avoids ambiguity common with screenshot-based approaches.
• Test automation focused. Includes specialized testing features like API mocking, request interception, and debugging tools.
• Extended capabilities. Additional tools for test scenarios beyond general browsing.

Requirements

• Node.js 18 or newer
• VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop or any other MCP client

Getting started

First, install the Playwright MCP server with your client. A typical configuration looks like this:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "playwright-mcp-ta@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Click the button to install:

Configuration

Playwright MCP server supports following arguments. They can be provided in the JSON configuration above, as a part of the "args" list:

> npx playwright-mcp-ta@latest --help
  --allowed-origins <origins>  semicolon-separated list of origins to allow the
                               browser to request. Default is to allow all.
  --blocked-origins <origins>  semicolon-separated list of origins to block the
                               browser from requesting. Blocklist is evaluated
                               before allowlist. If used without the allowlist,
                               requests not matching the blocklist are still
                               allowed.
  --block-service-workers      block service workers
  --browser <browser>          browser or chrome channel to use, possible
                               values: chrome, firefox, webkit, msedge.
  --browser-agent <endpoint>   Use browser agent (experimental).
  --caps <caps>                comma-separated list of capabilities to enable,
                               possible values: tabs, pdf, history, wait, files,
                               install. Default is all.
  --cdp-endpoint <endpoint>    CDP endpoint to connect to.
  --config <path>              path to the configuration file.
  --device <device>            device to emulate, for example: "iPhone 15"
  --executable-path <path>     path to the browser executable.
  --headless                   run browser in headless mode, headed by default
  --host <host>                host to bind server to. Default is localhost. Use
                               0.0.0.0 to bind to all interfaces.
  --ignore-https-errors        ignore https errors
  --isolated                   keep the browser profile in memory, do not save
                               it to disk.
  --image-responses <mode>     whether to send image responses to the client.
                               Can be "allow", "omit", or "auto". Defaults to
                               "auto", which sends images if the client can
                               display them.
  --no-sandbox                 disable the sandbox for all process types that
                               are normally sandboxed.
  --output-dir <path>          path to the directory for output files.
  --port <port>                port to listen on for SSE transport.
  --proxy-bypass <bypass>      comma-separated domains to bypass proxy, for
                               example ".com,chromium.org,.domain.com"
  --proxy-server <proxy>       specify proxy server, for example
                               "http://myproxy:3128" or "socks5://myproxy:8080"
  --save-trace                 Whether to save the Playwright Trace of the
                               session into the output directory.
  --storage-state <path>       path to the storage state file for isolated
                               sessions.
  --user-agent <ua string>     specify user agent string
  --user-data-dir <path>       path to the user data directory. If not
                               specified, a temporary directory will be created.
  --viewport-size <size>       specify browser viewport size in pixels, for
                               example "1280, 720"
  --vision                     Run server that uses screenshots (Aria snapshots
                               are used by default)

Configuration file

The Playwright MCP server can be configured using a JSON configuration file. You can specify the configuration file using the --config command line option:

npx playwright-mcp-ta@latest --config path/to/config.json

{
  // Browser configuration
  browser?: {
    // Browser type to use (chromium, firefox, or webkit)
    browserName?: 'chromium' | 'firefox' | 'webkit';

    // Keep the browser profile in memory, do not save it to disk.
    isolated?: boolean;

    // Path to user data directory for browser profile persistence
    userDataDir?: string;

    // Browser launch options (see Playwright docs)
    // @see https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-browsertype#browser-type-launch
    launchOptions?: {
      channel?: string;        // Browser channel (e.g. 'chrome')
      headless?: boolean;      // Run in headless mode
      executablePath?: string; // Path to browser executable
      // ... other Playwright launch options
    };

    // Browser context options
    // @see https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-browser#browser-new-context
    contextOptions?: {
      viewport?: { width: number, height: number };
      // ... other Playwright context options
    };

    // CDP endpoint for connecting to existing browser
    cdpEndpoint?: string;

    // Remote Playwright server endpoint
    remoteEndpoint?: string;
  },

  // Server configuration
  server?: {
    port?: number;  // Port to listen on
    host?: string;  // Host to bind to (default: localhost)
  },

  // List of enabled capabilities
  capabilities?: Array<
    'core' |    // Core browser automation
    'tabs' |    // Tab management
    'pdf' |     // PDF generation
    'history' | // Browser history
    'wait' |    // Wait utilities
    'files' |   // File handling
    'install' | // Browser installation
    'testing'   // Testing
  >;

  // Enable vision mode (screenshots instead of accessibility snapshots)
  vision?: boolean;

  // Directory for output files
  outputDir?: string;

  // Network configuration
  network?: {
    // List of origins to allow the browser to request. Default is to allow all. Origins matching both `allowedOrigins` and `blockedOrigins` will be blocked.
    allowedOrigins?: string[];

    // List of origins to block the browser to request. Origins matching both `allowedOrigins` and `blockedOrigins` will be blocked.
    blockedOrigins?: string[];
  };

  /**
   * Do not send image responses to the client.
   */
  noImageResponses?: boolean;
}

Tools

The tools are available in two modes:

1. Snapshot Mode (default): Uses accessibility snapshots for better performance and reliability
2. Vision Mode: Uses screenshots for visual-based interactions

To use Vision Mode, add the --vision flag when starting the server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "playwright-mcp-ta@latest",
        "--vision"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Vision Mode works best with the computer use models that are able to interact with elements using X Y coordinate space, based on the provided screenshot.

• browser_mock_api
  • Title: Mock API responses
  • Description: Mock API responses by intercepting network requests
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): URL pattern to match for interception (supports glob and regex patterns)
    • method (string, optional): HTTP method to match (ALL matches any method)
    • status (number, optional): HTTP status code to return
    • contentType (string, optional): Content-Type header for the response
    • body (string): Response body content (typically JSON formatted as a string)
    • headers (object, optional): Additional response headers to include
  • Read-only: true

• browser_clear_mock_api
  • Title: Clear Mock API responses
  • Description: Clear Mock API responses
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): URL pattern to remove mocking for. If not provided, all mocks will be cleared
  • Read-only: true

• browser_set_headers
  • Title: Set Extra HTTP Headers
  • Description: Set Extra HTTP Headers for all outgoing requests (key-value pairs, e.g., {"Authorization": "Bearer token", "X-Custom-Header": "value"})
  • Parameters:
    • headers (object): Additional HTTP headers to include in all outgoing requests
  • Read-only: true

• browser_snapshot
  • Title: Page snapshot
  • Description: Capture accessibility snapshot of the current page, this is better than screenshot
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_click
  • Title: Click
  • Description: Perform click on a web page
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
  • Read-only: false

• browser_drag
  • Title: Drag mouse
  • Description: Perform drag and drop between two elements
  • Parameters:
    • startElement (string): Human-readable source element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
    • startRef (string): Exact source element reference from the page snapshot
    • endElement (string): Human-readable target element description used to obtain the permission to interact with the element
    • endRef (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
  • Read-only: false

• browser_hover
  • Title: Hover mouse
  • Description: Hover over element on page
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
  • Read-only: true

• browser_type
  • Title: Type text
  • Description: Type text into editable element
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
    • text (string): Text to type into the element
    • submit (boolean, optional): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)
    • slowly (boolean, optional): Whether to type one character at a time. Useful for triggering key handlers in the page. By default entire text is filled in at once.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_select_option
  • Title: Select option
  • Description: Select an option in a dropdown
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • ref (string): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot
    • values (array): Array of values to select in the dropdown. This can be a single value or multiple values.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_press_key
  • Title: Press a key
  • Description: Press a key on the keyboard
  • Parameters:
    • key (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as ArrowLeft or a
  • Read-only: false

• browser_wait_for
  • Title: Wait for
  • Description: Wait for text to appear or disappear or a specified time to pass
  • Parameters:
    • time (number, optional): The time to wait in seconds
    • text (string, optional): The text to wait for
    • textGone (string, optional): The text to wait for to disappear
  • Read-only: true

• browser_file_upload
  • Title: Upload files
  • Description: Upload one or multiple files
  • Parameters:
    • paths (array): The absolute paths to the files to upload. Can be a single file or multiple files.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_handle_dialog
  • Title: Handle a dialog
  • Description: Handle a dialog
  • Parameters:
    • accept (boolean): Whether to accept the dialog.
    • promptText (string, optional): The text of the prompt in case of a prompt dialog.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_navigate
  • Title: Navigate to a URL
  • Description: Navigate to a URL
  • Parameters:
    • url (string): The URL to navigate to
  • Read-only: false

• browser_navigate_back
  • Title: Go back
  • Description: Go back to the previous page
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_navigate_forward
  • Title: Go forward
  • Description: Go forward to the next page
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_take_screenshot
  • Title: Take a screenshot
  • Description: Take a screenshot of the current page. You can't perform actions based on the screenshot, use browser_snapshot for actions.
  • Parameters:
    • raw (boolean, optional): Whether to return without compression (in PNG format). Default is false, which returns a JPEG image.
    • filename (string, optional): File name to save the screenshot to. Defaults to page-{timestamp}.{png|jpeg} if not specified.
    • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to screenshot the element. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If element is provided, ref must be provided too.
    • ref (string, optional): Exact target element reference from the page snapshot. If not provided, the screenshot will be taken of viewport. If ref is provided, element must be provided too.
  • Read-only: true

• browser_pdf_save
  • Title: Save as PDF
  • Description: Save page as PDF
  • Parameters:
    • filename (string, optional): File name to save the pdf to. Defaults to page-{timestamp}.pdf if not specified.
  • Read-only: true

• browser_network_requests
  • Title: List network requests
  • Description: Returns all network requests since loading the page
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_console_messages
  • Title: Get console messages
  • Description: Returns all console messages
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_install
  • Title: Install the browser specified in the config
  • Description: Install the browser specified in the config. Call this if you get an error about the browser not being installed.
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: false

• browser_close
  • Title: Close browser
  • Description: Close the page
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_resize
  • Title: Resize browser window
  • Description: Resize the browser window
  • Parameters:
    • width (number): Width of the browser window
    • height (number): Height of the browser window
  • Read-only: true

• browser_tab_list
  • Title: List tabs
  • Description: List browser tabs
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_tab_new
  • Title: Open a new tab
  • Description: Open a new tab
  • Parameters:
    • url (string, optional): The URL to navigate to in the new tab. If not provided, the new tab will be blank.
  • Read-only: true

• browser_tab_select
  • Title: Select a tab
  • Description: Select a tab by index
  • Parameters:
    • index (number): The index of the tab to select
  • Read-only: true

• browser_tab_close
  • Title: Close a tab
  • Description: Close a tab
  • Parameters:
    • index (number, optional): The index of the tab to close. Closes current tab if not provided.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_generate_playwright_test
  • Title: Generate a Playwright test
  • Description: Generate a Playwright test for given scenario
  • Parameters:
    • name (string): The name of the test
    • description (string): The description of the test
    • steps (array): The steps of the test
  • Read-only: true

• browser_screen_capture
  • Title: Take a screenshot
  • Description: Take a screenshot of the current page
  • Parameters: None
  • Read-only: true

• browser_screen_move_mouse
  • Title: Move mouse
  • Description: Move mouse to a given position
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • x (number): X coordinate
    • y (number): Y coordinate
  • Read-only: true

• browser_screen_click
  • Title: Click
  • Description: Click left mouse button
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • x (number): X coordinate
    • y (number): Y coordinate
  • Read-only: false

• browser_screen_drag
  • Title: Drag mouse
  • Description: Drag left mouse button
  • Parameters:
    • element (string): Human-readable element description used to obtain permission to interact with the element
    • startX (number): Start X coordinate
    • startY (number): Start Y coordinate
    • endX (number): End X coordinate
    • endY (number): End Y coordinate
  • Read-only: false

• browser_screen_type
  • Title: Type text
  • Description: Type text
  • Parameters:
    • text (string): Text to type into the element
    • submit (boolean, optional): Whether to submit entered text (press Enter after)
  • Read-only: false

• browser_press_key
  • Title: Press a key
  • Description: Press a key on the keyboard
  • Parameters:
    • key (string): Name of the key to press or a character to generate, such as ArrowLeft or a
  • Read-only: false

• browser_wait_for
  • Title: Wait for
  • Description: Wait for text to appear or disappear or a specified time to pass
  • Parameters:
    • time (number, optional): The time to wait in seconds
    • text (string, optional): The text to wait for
    • textGone (string, optional): The text to wait for to disappear
  • Read-only: true

• browser_file_upload
  • Title: Upload files
  • Description: Upload one or multiple files
  • Parameters:
    • paths (array): The absolute paths to the files to upload. Can be a single file or multiple files.
  • Read-only: false

• browser_handle_dialog
  • Title: Handle a dialog
  • Description: Handle a dialog
  • Parameters:
    • accept (boolean): Whether to accept the dialog.
    • promptText (string, optional): The text of the prompt in case of a prompt dialog.
  • Read-only: false