chrome-setup-flyio

# Chrome Setup on Fly.io ## Problem The Hermes browser tool uses `agent-browser` CLI which requires Chrome/Chromium. On Fly.io, the container runs as non-root user `hermes` with no `apt-get`. ## Solution ### 1. Set npm global prefix (no sudo) ```bash npm config set prefix /opt/data/npm-global ``` ### 2. Install agent-browser ```bash export PATH="/opt/data/npm-global/bin:$PATH" npm install -g agent-browser ``` ### 3. Download Chrome ```bash agent-browser install ``` Chrome installs to: `~/.agent-browser/browsers/chrome-<version>/chrome` ### 4. Set environment variable Add to `/opt/data/.env`: ``` AGENT_BROWSER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/opt/data/home/.agent-browser/browsers/chrome-<version>/chrome ``` ### 5. Add npm global to PATH in .env ``` PATH=/opt/data/npm-global/bin:$PATH ``` ### 6. Create symlink for cache detection The browser tool checks `/opt/data/.agent-browser/browsers` (HERMES_HOME-based path): ```bash mkdir -p /opt/data/.agent-browser ln -sf /opt/data/home/.agent-browser/browsers /opt/data/.agent-browser/browsers ``` ## Pitfalls - `npm install -g` fails without setting custom prefix (permission denied) - `agent-browser install --with-deps` fails on Fly.io (no apt-get) - Chrome binary is ~277MB; takes ~30s to download - `.env` changes require agent restart to take effect - Browser tool looks for Chrome in HERMES_HOME path, not HOME path — symlink needed - **Browserbase Launch plan doesn't include residential proxies or advanced stealth.** The API returns 402 and Hermes falls back gracefully, but the session is effectively the same as local Chrome from a datacenter IP. StreetEasy/Zillow/Google will still block with captchas. Scale plan required for proxy support.