name: "cli-anything-browser"
description: "Browser automation CLI using DOMShell MCP server. Maps Chrome's Accessibility Tree to a virtual filesystem for agent-native navigation."

cli-anything-browser#

A command-line interface for browser automation using DOMShell's MCP server. Navigate web pages using filesystem commands: ls, cd, cat, grep, click.

Installation#

Prerequisites#

Node.js and npx (for DOMShell MCP server):

   # Install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/
   npx --version

Chrome/Chromium with DOMShell extension:
- Install extension in Chrome
- Ensure Chrome is running before using CLI

Python 3.10+

Install CLI#

cd browser/agent-harness
pip install -e .

Command Groups#

`page` — Page Navigation#

page open <url> — Navigate to URL
page reload — Reload current page
page back — Navigate back in history
page forward — Navigate forward in history
page info — Show current page info

`fs` — Filesystem Commands (Accessibility Tree)#

fs ls [path] — List elements at path
fs cd <path> — Change directory
fs cat [path] — Read element content
fs grep <pattern> [path] — Search for text pattern
fs pwd — Print working directory

`act` — Action Commands#

act click <path> — Click an element
act type <path> <text> — Type text into input

`session` — Session Management#

session status — Show session state
session daemon-start — Start persistent daemon mode
session daemon-stop — Stop daemon mode

Usage Examples#

# Open a page
cli-anything-browser page open https://example.com

# Explore structure
cli-anything-browser fs ls /
cli-anything-browser fs cd /main
cli-anything-browser fs ls

# Go back to root
cli-anything-browser fs cd /

Search and Click#

cli-anything-browser fs grep "Login"
cli-anything-browser act click /main/button[0]

Form Fill#

cli-anything-browser act type /main/input[0] "user@example.com"
cli-anything-browser act click /main/button[0]

JSON Output#

cli-anything-browser --json fs ls /

Daemon Mode (Faster Interactive Use)#

# Start persistent connection
cli-anything-browser session daemon-start

# Run commands (uses persistent connection)
cli-anything-browser fs ls /
cli-anything-browser fs cd /main

# Stop daemon when done
cli-anything-browser session daemon-stop

Interactive REPL#

cli-anything-browser

Path Syntax#

DOMShell uses a filesystem-like path for the Accessibility Tree:

/                           — Root (document)
/main                       — Main landmark
/main/div[0]                — First div in main
/main/div[0]/button[2]      — Third button in first div

Array indices are 0-based: button[0] is the first button
Use .. to go up one level
Use / for root

Agent-Specific Guidance#

JSON Output for Parsing#

All commands support --json flag for machine-readable output:

cli-anything-browser --json fs ls /

Returns:

{
  "path": "/",
  "entries": [
    {"name": "main", "role": "landmark", "path": "/main"}
  ]
}

Error Handling#

The CLI provides clear error messages for common issues:

npx not found: Install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/
DOMShell not found: Run npx @apireno/domshell --version
MCP call failed: Install DOMShell Chrome extension

Check is_available() return value before running commands.

Daemon Mode for Efficiency#

For agent workflows with multiple commands, use daemon mode:

Start daemon: cli-anything-browser session daemon-start
Run commands: Each command reuses the MCP connection
Stop daemon: cli-anything-browser session daemon-stop

This avoids the 1-3 second cold start overhead for each command.

Links#

Security Considerations#

IMPORTANT: When using this CLI with AI agents, be aware of the following security considerations:

URL Restrictions#

The browser harness validates all URLs before navigation:

Explicit scheme required: URLs must include http:// or https:// scheme (scheme-less URLs like example.com are rejected)
Blocked schemes: file://, javascript://, data://, vbscript://, about://, chrome://, and browser-internal schemes
Allowed schemes: http:// and https:// only (configurable via CLI_ANYTHING_BROWSER_ALLOWED_SCHEMES)
Private network blocking: Optional via CLI_ANYTHING_BROWSER_BLOCK_PRIVATE=true (disabled by default)

DOM Content Risks#

The Accessibility Tree includes all visible and hidden elements on a page. Malicious websites could:

Craft ARIA labels with manipulative text (e.g., "Ignore previous instructions")
Use aria-hidden elements to inject content not visible to users
Create confusing DOM structures that mislead navigation

Mitigation: When interacting with untrusted websites, consider:

Using the --json flag for structured output that's easier to parse safely
Sanitizing or filtering DOM content before including it in prompts
Limiting navigation to trusted domains

Private Network Access#

By default, the browser can access localhost and private networks (192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, etc.). To block:

export CLI_ANYTHING_BROWSER_BLOCK_PRIVATE=true
cli-anything-browser page open http://localhost:8080  # Will be blocked

Session Isolation#

Multiple browser sessions share the same Chrome instance. Cookies and authentication state may persist across sessions. For sensitive operations, consider:

Using Chrome's guest mode or incognito
Clearing cookies between sessions
Using separate Chrome profiles for different security contexts