# Browser Automation Examples Common browser automation workflows using the `browse` CLI. Each example demonstrates a distinct pattern using real commands. For localhost and other local dev flows, start with `browse open --local` for a clean isolated browser. Use `browse open --auto-connect` only when the agent should attach to an existing debuggable Chrome session for cookies or login state. ## Example 1: Extract Data from a Page **User request**: "Get the product details from example.com/product/123" ```bash browse open https://example.com/product/123 browse snapshot # read page structure + element refs browse get text "body" # extract all visible text content browse stop ``` Parse the text output to extract structured data (name, price, description, etc.). For a specific section, use a CSS selector: ```bash browse get text ".product-details" # text from a specific container ``` **Note**: `browse get text` requires a CSS selector — use `"body"` for all page text. ## Example 2: Fill and Submit a Form **User request**: "Fill out the contact form on example.com with my information" ```bash browse open https://example.com/contact browse snapshot # find form fields and their refs browse click @0-3 # click the Name input (ref from snapshot) browse type "John Doe" browse press Tab # move to next field browse type "john@example.com" browse fill "#message" "I would like to inquire about your services" browse snapshot # verify fields are filled browse click @0-8 # click Submit button (ref from snapshot) browse snapshot # confirm submission result browse stop ``` **Key pattern**: Use `browse snapshot` before interacting to discover element refs, then `browse click ` and `browse type` to interact. ## Example 3: Multi-Step Navigation **User request**: "Get headlines from the first 3 pages of results on example.com/news" ```bash browse open https://example.com/news browse snapshot # read page 1 content browse get text ".headline" # extract headlines browse snapshot # find "Next" button ref browse click @0-12 # click Next (ref from snapshot) browse wait load # wait for page 2 to load browse get text ".headline" # extract page 2 headlines browse snapshot # find Next again (ref may change) browse click @0-15 # click Next browse wait load browse get text ".headline" # extract page 3 headlines browse stop ``` **Key pattern**: Re-run `browse snapshot` after each navigation because element refs change when the page updates. ## Example 4: Escalate to Remote Mode **User request**: "Scrape pricing from competitor.com" (a site with Cloudflare protection) ```bash # Attempt 1: local mode browse open https://competitor.com/pricing --local browse snapshot # Output shows: "Checking your browser..." (Cloudflare interstitial) # or: page content is empty / access denied browse stop ``` The agent detects bot protection and tells the user: > This site has Cloudflare bot detection. Browserbase remote mode can use Browserbase Identity with a Verified browser and residential proxies. Want me to set it up? If the user agrees: ```bash # Set Browserbase credentials export BROWSERBASE_API_KEY="bb_live_..." # Retry in remote mode browse open https://competitor.com/pricing --remote browse snapshot # full page content now accessible browse get text ".pricing-table" browse stop ``` ## Example 5: Persist Login with Context ID **User request**: "Log into my dashboard and save the session so I don't have to log in again next time" This uses Browserbase contexts to persist cookies and storage across sessions. Requires remote mode. ```bash # Session 1: Log in and persist state SESSION_JSON="$(browse cloud sessions create --context-id ctx_abc123 --persist --keep-alive)" SESSION_ID="$(echo "$SESSION_JSON" | jq -r .id)" CONNECT_URL="$(echo "$SESSION_JSON" | jq -r .connectUrl)" browse open https://app.example.com/login --cdp "$CONNECT_URL" browse snapshot # find login form fields browse click @0-3 # click email input browse type "user@example.com" browse press Tab browse type "my-password" browse click @0-7 # click Sign In button browse wait load browse snapshot # confirm logged-in dashboard browse stop browse cloud sessions update "$SESSION_ID" --status REQUEST_RELEASE # state is saved back to ctx_abc123 ``` In a later session, reuse the same context — already authenticated: ```bash # Session 2: Resume with saved state (already logged in) SESSION_JSON="$(browse cloud sessions create --context-id ctx_abc123 --keep-alive)" SESSION_ID="$(echo "$SESSION_JSON" | jq -r .id)" CONNECT_URL="$(echo "$SESSION_JSON" | jq -r .connectUrl)" browse open https://app.example.com/dashboard --cdp "$CONNECT_URL" browse snapshot # dashboard loads — no login needed browse get text ".welcome-message" browse stop browse cloud sessions update "$SESSION_ID" --status REQUEST_RELEASE ``` **Key pattern**: Use `browse cloud sessions create --context-id --persist` for the first Browserbase session to save auth state, then attach with `browse open ... --cdp "$CONNECT_URL"`. On subsequent sessions, create with the same `--context-id` and omit `--persist` if you don't want changes saved back. ## Tips - **Snapshot first**: Always run `browse snapshot` before interacting — it gives you the accessibility tree with element refs - **Use refs to click**: `browse click @0-5` is more reliable than trying to describe elements - **Re-snapshot after actions**: Element refs change when the page updates - **`get text` for data extraction**: Use `browse get text [selector]` to pull text content from specific elements - **`stop` when done**: Always `browse stop` to clean up the browser session - **Prefer snapshot over screenshot**: Snapshot is fast and structured; screenshot is slow and uses vision tokens. Only screenshot when you need visual context (layout, images, debugging)