Steel MCP Server

What is Steel MCP Server?

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables LLMs like Claude to navigate the web through Puppeteer-based tools and Steel. Based on the Web Voyager framework, it provides tools for all standard web actions—clicking, scrolling, typing, and taking screenshots.

How to use Steel MCP Server?

Install via Smithery (npx -y @smithery/cli install @steel-dev/steel-mcp-server --client claude) or clone, npm install, npm run build, then configure Claude Desktop with environment variables. Choose cloud mode (requires a Steel API key) or local/self-hosted mode (requires a running Steel Docker instance). The server starts automatically with Claude Desktop.

Key features of Steel MCP Server

• Browser automation with Puppeteer
• Steel integration for browser session management
• Visual element identification via numbered labels
• Screenshot capture and resource retrieval
• Basic web interaction (navigate, click, type)
• Lazy-loading support through scrolling

Use cases of Steel MCP Server

• Search for a recipe and save the ingredients list
• Track a package delivery status
• Find and compare prices for a specific product
• Fill out an online job application

FAQ from Steel MCP Server

What is the difference between cloud mode and local mode?

In cloud mode, browser sessions are managed via the Steel cloud service (requires STEEL_API_KEY). In local mode, you run your own Steel Docker container and no API key is needed.

What are the prerequisites to run Steel MCP Server?

You need Git, Node.js, and Claude Desktop installed. For local mode, you also need the Steel Docker image running locally.

How do I get a Steel API key?

You can obtain one from the Steel dashboard at https://app.steel.dev/settings/api-keys.

What tools does Steel MCP Server provide?

It provides navigate, search, click, type, scroll_down, scroll_up, go_back, wait, and save_unmarked_screenshot tools, all driven by numbered labels on interactive elements.

Can I view active browser sessions?

Yes. In cloud mode, sessions appear in the Steel dashboard. In local mode, visit the self-hosted dashboard at http://localhost:5173.