browser-automationsearch-web

MCP Macaco Playwright

macacoai

by macacoai

Playwright automation for AI agents: 50+ functions for browser automation, form filling, Chrome DevTools, and web scrapi

Enables comprehensive browser automation and web interaction through Playwright with 50+ specialized functions for navigation, form filling, data extraction, and Chrome DevTools Protocol support. Designed specifically for AI agents to perform complex web workflows including scraping, testing, and automated browsing tasks.

github stars

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Both formats append explainx.ai attribution and the canonical URL for this MCP server listing.

50+ specialized automation functionsChrome DevTools Protocol integrationMulti-browser support (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

best for

  • / AI agents performing web scraping tasks
  • / Automated browser testing and QA workflows
  • / Web automation for data collection
  • / Automated form filling and submission

capabilities

  • / Navigate web pages and control browser instances
  • / Fill forms and handle file uploads automatically
  • / Extract data and take screenshots from web pages
  • / Monitor network requests and console messages
  • / Execute custom JavaScript in browser context
  • / Handle browser dialogs and alerts

what it does

Provides comprehensive browser automation through Playwright with 50+ functions for web scraping, testing, and automated browsing tasks. Includes Chrome DevTools Protocol support and is optimized for AI agents.

about

MCP Macaco Playwright is an official MCP server published by macacoai that provides AI assistants with tools and capabilities via the Model Context Protocol. Playwright automation for AI agents: 50+ functions for browser automation, form filling, Chrome DevTools, and web scrapi It is categorized under browser automation, search web. This server exposes 28 tools that AI clients can invoke during conversations and coding sessions.

how to install

You can install MCP Macaco Playwright in your AI client of choice. Use the install panel on this page to get one-click setup for Cursor, Claude Desktop, VS Code, and other MCP-compatible clients. This server runs locally on your machine via the stdio transport.

license

NOASSERTION

MCP Macaco Playwright is released under the NOASSERTION license.

readme

MCP Macaco Playwright

Enhanced Playwright Tools for Model Context Protocol (MCP) with Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) Support

Overview

MCP Macaco Playwright is a comprehensive browser automation server that provides AI agents with powerful web interaction capabilities through the Model Context Protocol. It combines Playwright's robust browser automation with CDP integration for advanced debugging and control scenarios.

Features

  • Complete Browser Automation: Navigate, interact, and extract data from web pages
  • Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) Support: Connect to existing browser instances
  • AI-Optimized: Designed specifically for AI agents and automated workflows
  • Comprehensive Tool Set: 50+ specialized functions for web automation
  • Multi-Browser Support: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
  • Screenshot & Snapshot Capabilities: Visual and accessibility-based page capture
  • Form Automation: Complete form filling and submission workflows
  • Network Monitoring: Track requests, responses, and console messages

Installation

npm install mcp-macaco-playwright

Quick Start

import { createConnection } from "mcp-macaco-playwright";

// Create MCP server connection
const server = await createConnection();

// Use with MCP client
await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_navigate",
  arguments: { url: "https://example.com" },
});

Function Reference

Navigation Functions

browser_navigate

Navigate to a specific URL.

Parameters:

  • url (string, required): The URL to navigate to

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_navigate",
  arguments: { url: "https://github.com" },
});

browser_navigate_back

Go back to the previous page in browser history.

Parameters: None

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_navigate_back",
  arguments: {},
});

browser_navigate_forward

Go forward to the next page in browser history.

Parameters: None

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_navigate_forward",
  arguments: {},
});

Page Analysis Functions

browser_snapshot

Capture an accessibility snapshot of the current page for analysis and interaction.

Parameters: None

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_snapshot",
  arguments: {},
});

browser_take_screenshot

Take a visual screenshot of the page or specific element.

Parameters:

  • type (string, optional): Image format ('png' or 'jpeg', default: 'png')
  • filename (string, optional): Custom filename for the screenshot
  • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, optional): Element reference from snapshot
  • fullPage (boolean, optional): Capture full scrollable page

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_take_screenshot",
  arguments: {
    type: "png",
    fullPage: true,
    filename: "homepage.png",
  },
});

Element Interaction Functions

browser_click

Click on a specific element on the page.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_click",
  arguments: {
    element: "Sign in button",
    ref: "button-signin-123",
  },
});

browser_double_click

Perform a double-click on an element.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_double_click",
  arguments: {
    element: "File icon",
    ref: "file-icon-456",
  },
});

browser_right_click

Perform a right-click to open context menu.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_right_click",
  arguments: {
    element: "Image thumbnail",
    ref: "img-thumb-789",
  },
});

Text Input Functions

browser_type

Type text into an editable element.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot
  • text (string, required): Text to type
  • submit (boolean, optional): Press Enter after typing
  • slowly (boolean, optional): Type character by character

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_type",
  arguments: {
    element: "Search input field",
    ref: "search-input-123",
    text: "playwright automation",
    submit: true,
  },
});

browser_press_key

Press a specific key on the keyboard.

Parameters:

  • key (string, required): Key name (e.g., 'Enter', 'ArrowLeft', 'a')

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_press_key",
  arguments: { key: "Escape" },
});

Form Functions

browser_select_option

Select options in a dropdown menu.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot
  • values (array, required): Array of values to select

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_select_option",
  arguments: {
    element: "Country dropdown",
    ref: "country-select-456",
    values: ["United States"],
  },
});

browser_check_checkbox

Check or uncheck a checkbox element.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot
  • checked (boolean, required): Whether to check (true) or uncheck (false)

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_check_checkbox",
  arguments: {
    element: "Terms and conditions checkbox",
    ref: "terms-checkbox-789",
    checked: true,
  },
});

browser_select_radio

Select a radio button.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_select_radio",
  arguments: {
    element: "Payment method: Credit Card",
    ref: "payment-radio-cc",
  },
});

browser_clear_input

Clear the content of an input field.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_clear_input",
  arguments: {
    element: "Email input field",
    ref: "email-input-123",
  },
});

Data Extraction Functions

browser_get_text

Extract text content or attribute values from elements.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot
  • attribute (string, optional): Specific attribute to extract (e.g., 'href', 'src')

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_get_text",
  arguments: {
    element: "Product price",
    ref: "price-display-456",
  },
});

browser_get_elements

Get multiple elements matching a selector.

Parameters:

  • selector (string, required): CSS selector to find elements
  • attribute (string, optional): Attribute to extract from each element

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_get_elements",
  arguments: {
    selector: ".product-card h3",
    attribute: "textContent",
  },
});

Scrolling and Focus Functions

browser_scroll_to

Scroll to a specific element or coordinate position.

Parameters:

  • element (string, optional): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, optional): Element reference from page snapshot
  • x (number, optional): X coordinate to scroll to
  • y (number, optional): Y coordinate to scroll to
  • behavior (string, optional): Scroll behavior ('auto' or 'smooth')

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_scroll_to",
  arguments: {
    element: "Footer section",
    ref: "footer-section-123",
    behavior: "smooth",
  },
});

browser_focus_element

Set focus on a specific element.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_focus_element",
  arguments: {
    element: "Search input",
    ref: "search-input-456",
  },
});

browser_blur_element

Remove focus from a specific element.

Parameters:

  • element (string, required): Human-readable element description
  • ref (string, required): Element reference from page snapshot

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_blur_element",
  arguments: {
    element: "Email input",
    ref: "email-input-789",
  },
});

Wait Functions

browser_wait_for

Wait for specific conditions to be met.

Parameters:

  • time (number, optional): Time to wait in seconds
  • text (string, optional): Text to wait for to appear
  • textGone (string, optional): Text to wait for to disappear

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_wait_for",
  arguments: {
    text: "Loading complete",
    time: 5,
  },
});

Tab Management Functions

browser_tab_list

List all open browser tabs.

Parameters: None

Example:

await client.callTool({
  name: "browser_tab_list",
  arguments: {},
});

browser_tab_new

Open a new browser tab.

Parameters:

  • url (string, optional): URL to navigate to

FAQ

What is the MCP Macaco Playwright MCP server?
MCP Macaco Playwright is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server profile on explainx.ai. MCP lets AI hosts (e.g. Claude Desktop, Cursor) call tools and resources through a standard interface; this page summarizes categories, install hints, and community ratings.
How do MCP servers relate to agent skills?
Skills are reusable instruction packages (often SKILL.md); MCP servers expose live capabilities. Teams frequently combine both—skills for workflows, MCP for APIs and data. See explainx.ai/skills and explainx.ai/mcp-servers for parallel directories.
How are reviews shown for MCP Macaco Playwright?
This profile displays 67 aggregated ratings (sample rows for discoverability plus signed-in user reviews). Average score is about 4.6 out of 5—verify behavior in your own environment before production use.

Use Cases

Web Research & Information Gathering

Fetch and extract information from websites automatically

Example

Research competitor pricing, scrape product reviews, monitor news mentions

Automate 5-10 hours/week of manual web research

Content Monitoring & Alerts

Track website changes, new content, price updates

Example

Monitor competitor blog for new posts, track stock availability, watch for pricing changes

Stay informed without manual checking, never miss important updates

Data Extraction & Aggregation

Extract structured data from multiple websites

Example

Compile product listings from 10 e-commerce sites, aggregate job postings, collect real estate data

Build datasets 100x faster than manual copying

API-less Integration

Interact with services that don't offer APIs

Example

Check form submissions, validate website functionality, test user flows

Automate interactions with any website, even without API

Implementation Guide

Prerequisites

  • Claude Desktop or Cursor with MCP support
  • Understanding of web scraping ethics and robots.txt
  • Rate limiting awareness to avoid overwhelming target sites
  • Knowledge of legal restrictions on data collection

Time Estimate

20-40 minutes including configuration and testing

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install web automation MCP server via npm or pip
  2. 2.Configure allowed domains and rate limits in MCP config
  3. 3.Test with simple fetch: 'Get content from example.com'
  4. 4.Progress to extraction: 'Extract all product prices from this page'
  5. 5.Set up monitoring: 'Check this URL daily for changes'
  6. 6.Parse structured data: 'Create CSV from this table'
  7. 7.Respect robots.txt and rate limits always

Troubleshooting

  • 403 Forbidden: Website blocks bots—respect their wishes, use official API instead
  • Rate limit errors: Slow down requests, add delays between fetches
  • Stale data: Target site changed HTML structure—update selectors
  • Timeout errors: Site is slow or blocking—increase timeout, try different user agent
  • JavaScript-rendered content: Use headless browser MCP servers for dynamic sites

Best Practices

✓ Do

  • +Check robots.txt and respect crawl rules
  • +Rate limit requests: 1-2 requests/second maximum
  • +Use official APIs when available instead of scraping
  • +Identify your bot with descriptive user agent
  • +Cache results to minimize repeated requests
  • +Handle errors gracefully with retries and fallbacks
  • +Validate extracted data for accuracy

✗ Don't

  • Don't scrape sites that explicitly forbid it (robots.txt, ToS)
  • Don't overwhelm servers with rapid requests—use rate limiting
  • Don't scrape personal data without consent and legal basis
  • Don't ignore copyright on extracted content
  • Don't assume HTML structure is stable—handle changes
  • Don't use scraped data for commercial purposes without permission

💡 Pro Tips

  • Use CSS selectors or XPath for robust data extraction
  • Set up monitoring alerts for extraction failures (structure changed)
  • Implement exponential backoff for retries on failures
  • Store raw HTML for reprocessing if extraction logic changes
  • Combine with data analysis tools for insights from extracted data
  • Consider using official APIs or RSS feeds as more stable alternatives

Technical Details

Architecture

MCP server handles HTTP requests, HTML parsing, JavaScript rendering (if headless browser), and returns structured data to Claude.

Protocols

  • HTTP/HTTPS
  • WebSocket (for real-time sites)
  • Puppeteer/Playwright (for JavaScript sites)

Compatibility

  • Static HTML sites
  • JavaScript-rendered SPAs (with headless browser)
  • REST APIs
  • GraphQL endpoints

When to Use This

✓ Use When

Use for research automation, content monitoring, data aggregation from multiple sources, and when official APIs don't exist. Best for read-only information gathering.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for sites with APIs (use API instead), sites that explicitly forbid scraping, when data is copyrighted, or for login-required content without proper authorization.

Integration

  • Scheduled monitoring with change detection
  • Multi-source data aggregation pipelines
  • Fallback to web scraping when API rate limits hit
  • Headless browser for JavaScript-heavy sites

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
  • No comments yet — start the thread.

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Ratings

4.667 reviews
  • Pratham Ware· Dec 28, 2024

    According to our notes, MCP Macaco Playwright benefits from clear Model Context Protocol framing — fewer ambiguous “AI plugin” claims.

  • Arya Reddy· Dec 20, 2024

    I recommend MCP Macaco Playwright for teams standardizing on MCP; the explainx.ai page compares cleanly with sibling servers.

  • Kaira Robinson· Dec 16, 2024

    MCP Macaco Playwright is a well-scoped MCP server in the explainx.ai directory — install snippets and categories matched our Claude Code setup.

  • Arya Shah· Dec 8, 2024

    MCP Macaco Playwright has been reliable for tool-calling workflows; the MCP profile page is a good permalink for internal docs.

  • Kaira Park· Dec 4, 2024

    MCP Macaco Playwright reduced integration guesswork — categories and install configs on the listing matched the upstream repo.

  • Chinedu Haddad· Nov 23, 2024

    We wired MCP Macaco Playwright into a staging workspace; the listing’s GitHub and npm pointers saved time versus hunting across READMEs.

  • Michael Harris· Nov 11, 2024

    We evaluated MCP Macaco Playwright against two servers with overlapping tools; this profile had the clearer scope statement.

  • Kofi Jain· Nov 7, 2024

    Useful MCP listing: MCP Macaco Playwright is the kind of server we cite when onboarding engineers to host + tool permissions.

  • Isabella Diallo· Oct 26, 2024

    MCP Macaco Playwright reduced integration guesswork — categories and install configs on the listing matched the upstream repo.

  • Arjun Bansal· Oct 14, 2024

    MCP Macaco Playwright is a well-scoped MCP server in the explainx.ai directory — install snippets and categories matched our Claude Code setup.

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