| name | chrome-devtools |
| description | Inspect, instrument, and control a local Google Chrome through the Chrome DevTools MCP server. Use when Claude needs live Chrome tabs, navigation, DOM/console/network inspection, or Chrome DevTools Protocol commands against a running browser, rather than the headless browser automation covered by the playwright skill. |
Chrome DevTools
Use the Chrome DevTools MCP server as the interface to a running Chrome on
this machine. Its tools surface as mcp__chrome-devtools__* (load schemas with
ToolSearch when they are not already in context). They drive Chrome over the
Chrome DevTools Protocol and return structured results.
For scripted, headless, or cross-browser end-to-end automation, prefer the
playwright skill instead. Reach for Chrome DevTools MCP when you specifically
need to attach to and inspect the user's live Chrome session.
Prerequisites
The Chrome DevTools MCP server must be configured for the session. If the
mcp__chrome-devtools__* tools are absent:
- Confirm the server is registered (project or user
.mcp.json /
settings.json, or claude mcp list).
- The common server is
chrome-devtools-mcp (npx chrome-devtools-mcp@latest),
which launches or attaches to Chrome and exposes DevTools Protocol tooling.
- If it cannot be enabled, fall back to the
playwright skill and say so.
Workflow
-
Discover the available mcp__chrome-devtools__* tools with ToolSearch and
read their schemas before calling them.
-
Prefer read-only probes first: list pages/tabs, read the current URL/title,
snapshot the DOM, read console messages, or capture a screenshot.
-
Use navigation and interaction tools (navigate, click, fill, evaluate) only
when the task requires changing browser state.
-
Use raw CDP / evaluate calls for anything the higher-level tools don't
cover, e.g.:
document.title
-
Clean up after browser work: close throwaway tabs you opened, leaving only
tabs the user needs for handoff.
Safety
- Do not read cookies, passwords, local storage, or arbitrary Chrome profile
files.
- Do not run interaction or raw CDP commands against logged-in sites unless the
user explicitly asks for that browser action.
- Treat the user's live session as theirs: navigate or mutate state only when
requested, and report exactly what you did.
