kernel-mcp

KERNEL mcp

the KERNEL mcp server gives you hosted chromium sessions. nothing runs on the user's machine. every browser is a cloud vm that you create, drive, and delete through mcp tools.

on first use, the user signs in to KERNEL over oauth in their browser. during authorization they can grant org-wide access or limit it to one KERNEL project.

tools

session lifecycle

• manage_browsers: create, list, get, update, delete, and get_telemetry for browser sessions. create returns a session id, cdp url, and live view url. options include stealth, headless, proxy_id, profile_name, viewport_width/viewport_height, and timeout_seconds.
• manage_browser_pools: pre-warmed pools for high-throughput work. create a pool, acquire a browser, and release it when done.

driving a browser

• execute_playwright_code: run playwright typescript against an existing session. page is already in scope. return a value to get it back.
• browser_repl: persistent javascript repl inside the browser vm with playwright, patchright, and raw cdp. state survives across calls. start with repl.help().
• computer_action: mouse, keyboard, scroll, and screenshot actions. batch several actions per call and end with a screenshot.
• webmcp: call structured tools a page exposes through webmcp. check for these before writing selectors for a site action.
• browser_curl: send http requests from inside the browser session, using its cookies and network path.
• exec_command: run shell commands inside the browser vm, for example to check dns, files, or logs.

state and auth

• manage_profiles: saved cookies and local storage. setup opens a guided session so the user can log in once. pass profile_name to manage_browsers create to reuse it.
• manage_auth_connections: managed auth for third-party sites. before a task that needs an account, list connections for the domain. if none is authenticated, login starts a hosted sign-in flow the user completes in their own browser, so credentials and mfa stay out of chat.
• manage_proxies: datacenter, isp, residential, mobile, or custom proxies with country, state, or city targeting.
• manage_extensions: list and manage uploaded chrome extensions.

other

• manage_replays: start and stop mp4 recordings of a session (paid plans).
• manage_apps: list apps, check deployment status, and invoke KERNEL apps.
• search_docs: search the KERNEL documentation.

workflows

browse or scrape a page

1. manage_browsers create with stealth: true if the site has bot detection.
2. execute_playwright_code to navigate and extract:

   await page.goto("https://news.ycombinator.com");
   return await page.$$eval(".titleline > a", els =>
     els.slice(0, 10).map(e => e.textContent)
   );
   

3. manage_browsers delete when finished.

work on a site that needs a login

1. manage_auth_connections list with the site's domain.
2. if a connection is AUTHENTICATED, create the browser with its profile_name. otherwise create a connection, run login, share the hosted url with the user, and wait until it completes.
3. run the task, then delete the browser.

visual or coordinate-based tasks

1. computer_action with a screenshot to see the page.
2. batch click_mouse, type_text, and press_key, ending with another screenshot.

tips

• delete browsers when you are done. set timeout_seconds as a backstop.
• use headless: true when nobody needs the live view. it starts faster.
• share the live view url when the user needs to watch or take over.
• if a session misbehaves, manage_browsers get_telemetry works on active and deleted sessions.