macOS
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brew install playwright-clilocal Homebrew formula metadata
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Install playwright-cli with Homebrew
CLI for Playwright: record/generate code, inspect selectors, take screenshots. Version 0.1.23 via Homebrew; verified 2026-11-01.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
CLI for Playwright: record/generate code, inspect selectors, take screenshots
Project links
Commands and aliases
- playwright-cli
history
Project history and usage
Playwright CLI is Microsoft's command-line browser-automation interface for coding agents. It exposes navigation, interaction, inspection, screenshots, recording, storage, tracing, and code-generation workflows through token-conscious commands and accessibility snapshots.
Project history
Microsoft developed Playwright as cross-browser automation software for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. The dedicated Playwright CLI later adapted that foundation to coding-agent workflows with compact commands, structured page snapshots, code generation, screenshots, tracing, storage management, and session control.
The CLI and Playwright MCP share browser-automation foundations but expose different interfaces: the CLI favors shell commands and skills, while MCP exposes structured protocol tools and persistent agent integration.
Adoption history
Playwright CLI extends Playwright from test-runner and library workflows into browser automation designed specifically for coding agents. Official installation supports a global command, use through a project's existing Playwright dependency, and optional agent skills.
Its documentation emphasizes token-efficient accessibility snapshots, persistent named sessions, and a dashboard for observing or taking over agent-driven browser sessions.
How it is used
Initialize a workspace with `playwright-cli install`, open a page, and use snapshot references with commands such as `click`, `fill`, `screenshot`, and `generate-locator`. Named sessions allow multiple independent browser instances.
The CLI automatically reads global and workspace configuration files. Authentication state can be saved to a user-chosen JSON file with `state-save` and restored with `state-load`; official documentation warns that these files contain live authentication tokens and must not be committed.
Why package nerds care
Playwright CLI represents the packaging of browser automation as an agent-facing command-line primitive. It is notable for combining a conventional executable, workspace-local configuration, installable agent skills, and stateful browser daemons while remaining usable through an existing Playwright dependency.
Timeline
- 2020: Microsoft publicly introduced Playwright-based cross-browser automation.
- 2026: Playwright's dedicated Agent CLI documentation describes workspace initialization, agent skills, named sessions, configuration, and an interactive dashboard.
Related projects
- Playwright is the underlying browser-automation project.
- Playwright MCP exposes related automation capabilities through the Model Context Protocol and is the closest official alternative interface.
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for playwright-cli. Package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.playwright/cli.config.json./.playwright/cli.config.json
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
playwright-cli | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-11-04
manager version0.1.23
manager updated2026-11-01
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://playwright.devnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:playwright-cli |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.1.23 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/playwright-cli |
| Homepage | https://playwright.dev |
| Upstream docs | https://playwright.dev |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://registry.npmjs.org/@playwright/cli/-/cli-0.1.23.tgz |
| Last updated | 2026-11-01T18:15:34Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | node |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | playwright-cli |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation