pilot-mcp — Fast Browser Automation MCP Server

What is pilot-mcp?

pilot-mcp is an MCP server that gives AI agents like Claude Code and Cursor a fast, persistent browser for web automation. Built on Playwright, it runs Chromium in-process over stdio, achieving ~5-50ms latency per action after the initial 3s launch — claimed to be 20x faster than alternatives.

How to use pilot-mcp?

Install with npx pilot-mcp and run npx playwright install chromium. Add a server entry to your Claude Code .mcp.json or Cursor MCP settings with command: "npx" and args: ["-y", "pilot-mcp"]. Environment variable PILOT_PROFILE selects tool set: core (9 tools), standard (25, default), or full (51 tools).

Key features of pilot-mcp

• 51 tools for navigation, snapshots, interaction, iframes, and debugging.
• Snapshot‑by‑ref system: capture once, interact using @eN refs.
• Token control: max_elements, structure_only, interactive_only filters.
• Cookie import from Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, and Comet.
• Handoff/resume: open headed Chrome, interact manually, then resume automation.
• Snapshot diffing to track page changes between actions.

Use cases of pilot-mcp

• Multi‑step web research: navigate, click, read results across several pages.
• Form filling and data extraction with structured snapshots.
• Testing UI workflows across tabs, iframes, and dialogs.
• Comparing page content (staging vs production) via pilot_page_diff.
• Debugging: inspect console logs, network requests, and element state in real time.

FAQ from pilot-mcp

What runtime does pilot-mcp require?

Node.js, Playwright, and Chromium (installed via npx playwright install chromium). No HTTP server or Chrome extension needed; everything runs over stdio.

How does pilot-mcp compare to @playwright/mcp or BrowserMCP?

pilot-mcp claims ~5-50ms per action vs 100-300ms for alternatives, with a persistent in‑process browser, 51 tools, cookie import, iframe support, and token‑control filters that alternatives lack.

Can I use my existing browser cookies?

Yes. pilot_import_cookies decrypts cookie databases from Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, and Comet using platform‑specific safe storage keys.

What security protections are built in?

Output path validation restricts screenshots/PDFs to PILOT_OUTPUT_DIR, path traversal is blocked, pilot_evaluate input is limited to 50KB, and file uploads resolve symlinks to prevent directory escape.

Does pilot-mcp support authentication?

No built‑in authentication. Cookie import can forward logged‑in sessions from your real browser, and custom headers (pilot_set_header) can be used for API keys or tokens.