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helium-browser

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Updated 10-16 08:02

About this skill

Helium Browser

Helium (https://helium.computer/) is a Chromium-based browser. Attach over CDP to control the user's live Helium with its real tabs, cookies, and logins.

Every new CDP connection makes Helium show an "Allow remote debugging?" prompt that the user must click. Use exactly one connection per task, held open by the tool's daemon or server. Tell the user right before connecting so they can approve it. Never retry a failed connection in a loop or open extra "test" connections; each one is another prompt.

Pick a tool

Use the first one available, then read only its reference:

  1. agent-browser (command -v agent-browser): references/agent-browser.md
  2. chrome-devtools-mcp (an MCP server configured for Helium): references/chrome-devtools-mcp.md
  3. playwright-cli (command -v playwright-cli), only after checking its known issue: references/playwright-cli.md

Prerequisite

The user enables remote debugging once at helium://inspect/#remote-debugging. It persists across restarts. While enabled, Helium writes DevToolsActivePort into its user-data directory:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/net.imput.helium
  • Linux: ~/.config/helium
  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\imput\Helium\User Data

The file holds two lines: the port, then the browser WebSocket path. Both change whenever Helium restarts, so read the file fresh and never hardcode the URL:

PROFILE="$HOME/Library/Application Support/net.imput.helium"   # Linux: "$HOME/.config/helium"
WS="ws://127.0.0.1:$(sed -n 1p "$PROFILE/DevToolsActivePort")$(sed -n 2p "$PROFILE/DevToolsActivePort")"

The debug server is WebSocket-only. Its HTTP discovery endpoints (/json/version, /json/list) return 404, so an http://127.0.0.1:<port> CDP URL never works. Launching a tool with Helium's profile directory also fails while Helium runs (Chromium profile lock); attaching is the only way.

Working in the user's browser

  • Confirm you attached to the right browser: the tab list must show the user's real tabs.
  • Open your own tabs instead of navigating the user's tabs, and close only tabs you opened.
  • Treat signed-in sessions as the user's own; act on accounts only as far as the task requires.
  • Finish by disconnecting as the tool's reference describes. Disconnecting never quits Helium.

Troubleshooting

  • Timeout while connecting: the prompt was not approved in time. Ask the user to dismiss any stale prompts and to approve the next one, then connect once more.
  • ECONNREFUSED: Helium is not running, is still starting, or restarted with a new port. Re-read DevToolsActivePort.
  • No prompt appears and connecting hangs: toggle remote debugging off and on at helium://inspect/#remote-debugging, or quit and relaunch Helium.

While remote debugging is enabled, any local process can fully control the browser through it. It is bound to localhost; the user can turn it off when not needed.