# kernel-agent-browser

Guides agent-browser through Kernel cloud browser automation. Helps bypass bot detection and maintain authenticated sessions using semantic selectors.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1200 installs · ★ 13
- Author: kernel
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/kernel/skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/kernel-cli/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-13
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/kernel-agent-browser

## What it does

This skill provides operational rules for automating websites via the `-p kernel` provider. It guides the agent to query interfaces with semantic selectors like `find role` or `find label` instead of fragile `@e` element IDs. It also covers iframe navigation.

Setup requires setting the `KERNEL_API_KEY` environment variable and loading the companion `kernel-cli` skill. Live inspection requires disabling headless mode with `KERNEL_HEADLESS=false`. Local session discovery requires jq.

In `agent-browser` 0.33.0, setting `KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME` triggers an HTTP 400 error due to a parameter type issue. The skill documents a reliable CDP workaround: initialize the session via Kernel CLI with `--save-changes`, then point `agent-browser` to the resulting WebSocket URL.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add kernel/skills --skill kernel-agent-browser -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/kernel-agent-browser/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add kernel/skills --skill kernel-agent-browser -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add kernel/skills --skill kernel-agent-browser -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install kernel/skills kernel-agent-browser
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add kernel/skills --skill kernel-agent-browser -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/kernel/skills --path plugins/kernel-cli/skills/kernel-agent-browser
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add kernel/skills --skill kernel-agent-browser -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/kernel/skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/kernel-cli/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- automate web pages using agent-browser -p kernel
- evade anti-bot defenses with the KERNEL_STEALTH flag
- preserve login sessions across runs via CDP profiles
- retrieve live view links and Kernel session IDs

## Example prompts
- Launch agent-browser with -p kernel and fill out the login form
- Click the checkout button using semantic selectors with find role
- Inspect the active Kernel session and extract the live view URL

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 5cd15c2ea44b4438.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 5cd15c2ea44b4438
````text
---
name: kernel-agent-browser
description: Best practices for using agent-browser with Kernel cloud browsers. Use when automating websites with agent-browser -p kernel, tuning stealth or proxy behavior, persisting profiles, handling iframes, discovering Kernel session IDs or live views, or cleaning up cloud sessions.
---

# Agent-Browser with Kernel Cloud Browsers

This skill documents best practices for using agent-browser's built-in Kernel provider (`-p kernel`) for cloud browser automation.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

- **Automate websites** using `agent-browser -p kernel` commands
- **Handle bot detection** on sites with aggressive anti-bot measures
- **Persist login sessions** across automation runs using profiles
- **Work with iframes** including cross-origin payment forms
- **Get live view URLs** for debugging or manual intervention
- **Find the underlying Kernel session ID** for advanced Playwright scripting
- **Create site-specific automation skills** for new websites

## References

- [Creating Site-Specific Skills](references/create-site-specific-skill.md) - Guide for building automation skills for specific websites

## Prerequisites

Load the `kernel-cli` skill for Kernel CLI installation and authentication.

## Environment Variables

Set these before your first `agent-browser -p kernel` call. The CLI holds state between invocations.

| Variable | Description | Default |
|----------|-------------|---------|
| `KERNEL_API_KEY` | **Required.** Your Kernel API key for authentication | (none) |
| `KERNEL_HEADLESS` | Run browser in headless mode (`true`/`false`) | `true` |
| `KERNEL_STEALTH` | Launch a stealth browser (`true`/`false`) | `false` |
| `KERNEL_TIMEOUT_SECONDS` | Session timeout in seconds | `300` |
| `KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME` | Currently unusable with `-p kernel` in agent-browser 0.33.0; use the CDP workaround below | (none) |

### Recommended Configuration

Set options explicitly; agent-browser reads them when it creates the provider session.

```bash
export KERNEL_API_KEY="your-api-key"
export KERNEL_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=600     # 10-minute timeout for complex workflows
export KERNEL_HEADLESS=false          # Required when you need a live view
export KERNEL_STEALTH=true            # Opt in for bot-sensitive sites
# Do not set KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME with -p kernel; use the workaround below.
```

### Profile Persistence

> **Warning:** `KERNEL_PROFILE_NAME` doesn't work with `-p kernel` in agent-browser 0.33.0. It sends `profile` as a string instead of the object required by Kernel, so session creation fails with HTTP 400. It also doesn't set `save_changes`. Profiles must be pre-created.

Until this is fixed upstream, create the browser with the Kernel CLI and attach agent-browser over CDP. Don't combine `-p kernel` with `--cdp`.

```bash
PROFILE_NAME=mysite  # Create once with: kernel profiles create --name mysite
kernel profiles get "$PROFILE_NAME" >/dev/null
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 5cd15c2ea44b4438

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 5cd15c2ea44b4438 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2956 of 18267 bytes. © kernel · MIT · https://github.com/kernel/skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/kernel-cli/skills/kernel-agent-browser/SKILL.md

_Part of the page did not fit — see the HTML version._

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md