# Changelog Source: https://docs.browseros.com/changelog What's new in BrowserOS All notable changes to BrowserOS are documented here. For the full release history with download links, see our [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS/releases). *** ## v0.46.0 June 17, 2026 * **Claude Code & Codex in your browser** — The agent harness now bundles full coding agents. Claude Code and Codex plug straight into the assistant, so you can drive your browser with the agent — and the subscription — you already use. * **A brand new experience** — A redesigned new tab, a calmer composer, and a rebuilt command center for switching between agents. The whole assistant is cleaner, faster to reach, and easier to live in. * **New MCP tools** — A tighter, more reliable browser tool surface for agents, rebuilt from the ground up. Plus one-click install of BrowserOS as an MCP server into the agents you already run, with automatic URL sync. * **Chromium 148** — Updated to the latest Chromium base with all recent upstream fixes and security patches * **Streamlined** — We've pulled back a few features that weren't getting much use — Skills, Soul, and Memory — so we can focus and ship better versions soon. *** ## v0.44.0 March 20, 2026 * **ChatGPT Pro & GitHub Copilot** — Already paying for ChatGPT Pro, Plus, or GitHub Copilot? Use that subscription to automate browser tasks in BrowserOS at no extra cost — just log in with your existing account. * **Voice input** — Talk to your agent instead of typing. The chat bar now accepts voice input for any query. * **Smarter agent** — Overhauled agent grounding for more reliable and precise browser actions. * **Bug fixes & reliability** — Improved memory tools, fixed fill tool issues, new tab layout fixes, and numerous stability improvements across the board. *** ## v0.43.0 March 12, 2026 * **Skills** — Reusable instructions that teach your agent how to handle specific tasks. Ships with 12 built-in skills like deep research, price comparison, and form filling — and you can create your own. * **Memory** — Your assistant now remembers you across conversations. Core memory stores permanent facts like your name and projects, while daily notes capture session context and auto-expire after 30 days. Everything stays local on your machine. * **Kimi K2.5** — In partnership with Moonshot AI, Kimi K2.5 is now the default model in BrowserOS — open-source, multimodal, and great for browser automation. Bring your own key from [platform.moonshot.ai](https://platform.moonshot.ai/) anytime. * **SOUL.md** — Shape your assistant's personality, tone, and boundaries. It evolves on its own as you interact — the more you use it, the more it feels like yours. *** ## v0.42.0 March 9, 2026 * **SOUL.md** — Your assistant now has a soul. Tell it how you like to communicate, set boundaries, shape its personality — and it adapts on its own over time. The more you use it, the more it feels like *your* assistant. * **Vertical tabs** — One of the most requested features is here. BrowserOS now ships with vertical tabs by default. More screen space, better tab management, and a cleaner layout out of the box. Prefer horizontal? You can switch back anytime in settings. [Read more →](/features/vertical-tabs) * **Long-term memory** — Your assistant finally remembers you. Your name, your projects, what you talked about last week — it carries context across every conversation so you never have to repeat yourself. All stored locally on your machine. * **Chromium 146** — Updated to the latest Chromium release with all recent upstream fixes and security patches BrowserOS v0.42.0 SOUL.md feature for agent personalization BrowserOS v0.42.0 vertical tabs toggle in settings *** ## v0.41.0 March 4, 2026 * **New agent (v3)** — Completely redone from scratch. 2x faster, 2–3x better performance * **Tools — major upgrade** — Agent tools and MCP server both got a big overhaul. \~20 new tools (54 total) including file upload, save as PDF, background windows, and more. Connection with third-party coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) is much better now * **General fixes** — Better agent installation, bug fixes, and smoother experience overall * **Linux Debian packaging** — Fixed the remaining Debian packaging issues *** ## v0.40.1 February 16, 2026 * **Chromium 145** — Upgraded to the latest Chromium base with all recent upstream fixes and security patches * **Login session import improvements** — Importing login sessions is now more reliable * **Stability & reliability** — General improvements across the board *** ## v0.39.0 February 3, 2026 * **Sync** — Save your browser configuration, agent history, and scheduled tasks across machines. Your setup now follows you wherever you go * **App Connector redesign** — Connecting MCP apps is now easier. The new App Connector UI makes it simpler to discover, install, and manage your connected apps * **MCP port stability** — Additional fixes for users still experiencing port issues. More reliable connections across restarts * **Keyboard shortcuts** — Updated shortcuts to avoid conflicts with European keyboards BrowserOS v0.39.0 featuring Sync and improved MCP connectors *** ## v0.38.0 January 28, 2026 Bug fix and stability release. * **MCP port fix on Windows & Linux** — Fixed an issue with MCP port. Port now stays consistent across restarts and made it more reliable * **Settings fix** — Fixed `chrome.browser.settings` not working correctly. Settings should now persist and apply as expected * **Improved agent** — Made the agent more reliable and performant. General stability fixes across the agent loop *** ## v0.37.0 January 21, 2026 * **Workflows** — Build reliable, repeatable browser automations with a visual graph builder. Chat with the workflow agent to define step-by-step automation—ideal for complex tasks where ad-hoc prompts aren't enough. Workflows visual graph builder showing a data entry automation * **Cowork** — Describe an outcome, step away, and come back to finished work. Combine browser automation with local file operations—research on the web and save reports, scrape data and export to files, all in one task. [Read more →](/features/cowork) Agent researching Hacker News and generating an HTML report *** ## v0.36.3 January 15, 2026 * **Agent history** — Agent conversations are now saved automatically. View and resume them anytime from the Assistant panel Agent history button in the Assistant panel Agent history showing past conversations *** ## v0.36.2 January 10, 2026 Bug fix release focused on MCP stability. * **MCP server disconnect fix** — Fixed port handling issue causing MCP connections to drop unexpectedly *** ## v0.36.0 January 8, 2026 * **Agent personalization** — Add your own prompts to personalize the agent. Tweak its behavior, adjust how it responds, set your preferred formatting, and more * **Toolbar customization** — Hide the Hub chat and labels from the settings page to declutter your toolbar * **MCP server port stability** — The port now stays consistent through browser restarts, so you don't have to keep updating your MCP clients * **Fixed agent install/update issues** — The agent now handles installs and updates more proactively *** ## v0.35.0 December 25, 2025 * **Agent stability fixes** — Fixed bugs to make the agent loop much more reliable * **Gemini 3 support** — Gemini 3 now supported through OpenRouter and Google adapters * **Better error surfacing** — Error messages are now clearer *** ## v0.34.0 December 20, 2025 * **Third-party MCP server support** — Connect external MCP servers like Google Calendar, Notion, Google Docs, Gmail, and more. You can also connect your own custom MCP servers * **Gemini 3 support** — Gemini 3 Pro and Flash models now work with BrowserOS * **Windows icon fix** — The Windows icon now displays BrowserOS logo correctly * **Agent & UI improvements** — Various agent loop fixes and UI polish *** ## v0.33.0 December 18, 2025 * **OpenAI-compatible provider support** — Connect any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint * **Multi-window & multi-profile agent support** — Agent now works across multiple windows and browser profiles * **MCP server reliability** — Fixed connection drops and improved stability * **Agent reliability improvements** — General stability fixes *** ## v0.32.0 December 12, 2025 A complete revamp of BrowserOS. **New features:** * **New Agent** — Completely rebuilt agent: faster, smarter, and more reliable * **Agent Per Tab** — Run multiple agents in different tabs simultaneously * **Polished UI** — Fresh, cleaner interface design * **Manifest V2 Support** — Ad blockers like uBlock Origin work again * **Native Split View** — Work on two things side by side * **Chromium 142** — Updated to Chromium 142.0.7444.49 * **Azure & AWS Bedrock** — Native support for Azure OpenAI and AWS Bedrock models **Breaking changes:** * Old agent will stop working — update required * LLM provider settings won't carry over — reconfiguration needed *** ## v0.30.0 November 14, 2025 * **Better text extraction** — Improved copy button in LLM Chat * **MCP server stability** — Improved connection reliability * **UI cleanup** — Unpinned extensions for cleaner look * **Third-party MCP fixes** — Fixed support for third-party MCP servers *** For older releases, see the [full release history on GitHub](https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS/releases). # Chrome DevTools MCP Source: https://docs.browseros.com/comparisons/chrome-devtools-mcp A developer-focused comparison of BrowserOS MCP and Chrome DevTools MCP for browser automation Both BrowserOS MCP and [Chrome DevTools MCP](https://github.com/ChromeDevTools/chrome-devtools-mcp) give AI agents control over a browser via the Model Context Protocol. But they're built for different scopes. Chrome DevTools MCP focuses on debugging and inspection, while BrowserOS MCP is a complete browser automation and app integration platform. This page breaks down the differences for developers evaluating which to use with Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, or any MCP client. *** ## At a Glance | | **BrowserOS MCP** | **Chrome DevTools MCP** | | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Total MCP tools** | 53 | 29 | | **External app integrations** | 40+ (Gmail, Slack, GitHub, etc.) | None | | **Setup** | Copy URL from settings, works instantly | Requires `--remote-debugging-port` flag and separate server process | | **Browser session** | Your real browser with cookies, logins, extensions | Attached debug session (some sites block WebDriver-controlled browsers) | | **Architecture** | Built into the browser | External Node.js process connecting via CDP | *** ## Feature Comparison ### Navigation & Tab Management | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------------------------- | :---------------: | :-----------------: | | Navigate to URL / back / forward / reload | `navigate_page` | `navigate_page` | | Open new tab | `new_page` | `new_page` | | Close tab | `close_page` | `close_page` | | List open tabs | `list_pages` | `list_pages` | | Switch to tab | `show_page` | `select_page` | | Hidden/background tabs | `new_hidden_page` | - | | Move tab between windows | `move_page` | - | | Get active/focused tab | `get_active_page` | - | | Wait for condition | - | `wait_for` | ### Content & Observation | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ------------------------------- | :----------------------: | :-----------------: | | Accessibility tree snapshot | `take_snapshot` | `take_snapshot` | | Enhanced structural snapshot | `take_enhanced_snapshot` | - | | Page content as Markdown | `get_page_content` | - | | Extract all page links | `get_page_links` | - | | Raw HTML / DOM access | `get_dom` | - | | Search DOM (text / CSS / XPath) | `search_dom` | - | | Screenshot | `take_screenshot` | `take_screenshot` | | Execute JavaScript | `evaluate_script` | `evaluate_script` | ### Interaction & Input | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------------- | :-----------------: | :-----------------: | | Click element | `click` | `click` | | Click at coordinates | `click_at` | - | | Type / fill text | `fill` | `fill` | | Fill entire form | - | `fill_form` | | Type text (raw keystrokes) | - | `type_text` | | Clear input | `clear` | - | | Hover | `hover` | `hover` | | Drag | `drag` | `drag` | | Press key / key combo | `press_key` | `press_key` | | Check / uncheck checkbox | `check` / `uncheck` | - | | Select dropdown option | `select_option` | - | | Focus element | `focus` | - | | Scroll (directional) | `scroll` | - | | Upload file | `upload_file` | `upload_file` | | Handle dialog (alert/confirm) | `handle_dialog` | `handle_dialog` | ### File & Export | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------- | :---------------: | :-----------------: | | Save page as PDF | `save_pdf` | - | | Save screenshot to disk | `save_screenshot` | - | | Download file via click | `download_file` | - | ### Window Management | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------- | :--------------------: | :-----------------: | | List windows | `list_windows` | - | | Create window | `create_window` | - | | Create hidden window | `create_hidden_window` | - | | Close window | `close_window` | - | | Activate / focus window | `activate_window` | - | ### Tab Groups | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | -------------------------- | :----------------: | :-----------------: | | List tab groups | `list_tab_groups` | - | | Create tab group | `group_tabs` | - | | Update group (title/color) | `update_tab_group` | - | | Ungroup tabs | `ungroup_tabs` | - | | Close tab group | `close_tab_group` | - | ### Bookmarks | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ------------------------ | :----------------: | :-----------------: | | List bookmarks | `get_bookmarks` | - | | Create bookmark / folder | `create_bookmark` | - | | Remove bookmark | `remove_bookmark` | - | | Update bookmark | `update_bookmark` | - | | Move bookmark | `move_bookmark` | - | | Search bookmarks | `search_bookmarks` | - | ### History | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------- | :--------------------: | :-----------------: | | Search history | `search_history` | - | | Get recent history | `get_recent_history` | - | | Delete URL from history | `delete_history_url` | - | | Delete history range | `delete_history_range` | - | ### Debugging & Performance | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | -------------------------- | :-----------: | :--------------------------------------------------: | | Console messages | Coming soon | `get_console_message` / `list_console_messages` | | Network request inspection | Coming soon | `get_network_request` / `list_network_requests` | | Performance tracing | Coming soon | `performance_start_trace` / `performance_stop_trace` | | Performance analysis | Coming soon | `performance_analyze_insight` | | Memory snapshot | Coming soon | `take_memory_snapshot` | | Lighthouse audit | Coming soon | `lighthouse_audit` | | Device / network emulation | Coming soon | `emulate` | | Resize viewport | Coming soon | `resize_page` | ### External App Integrations | Feature | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ------------------------------------ | :-----------: | :-----------------: | | Gmail, Outlook | Yes | - | | Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar | Yes | - | | Slack, Discord, Teams, WhatsApp | Yes | - | | GitHub, GitLab | Yes | - | | Linear, Jira, Asana, Monday, ClickUp | Yes | - | | Notion, Google Docs/Sheets/Drive | Yes | - | | Figma, Canva | Yes | - | | Salesforce, HubSpot | Yes | - | | Shopify, Stripe | Yes | - | | 20+ more services | Yes | - | *** ## Setup Comparison BrowserOS MCP is built into the browser. No separate process, no debug flags. ```bash theme={null} # One command, done claude mcp add --transport http browseros http://127.0.0.1:9239/mcp --scope user ``` The server URL is available at `chrome://browseros/mcp`. Copy it and connect. Chrome DevTools MCP requires launching Chrome with remote debugging enabled and running a separate Node.js server. ```bash theme={null} # Step 1: Launch Chrome with debug port /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 # Step 2: Install and run the MCP server npx @anthropic-ai/chrome-devtools-mcp@latest # Step 3: Connect your MCP client to the server ``` Some sites may block sign-in when the browser is controlled via WebDriver (the default launch mechanism). *** ## Summary | Dimension | BrowserOS MCP | Chrome DevTools MCP | | ----------------------------------------- | :------------------------: | :------------------------------: | | Browser automation tools | **54** | **29** | | External app integrations | **40+** | **0** | | Window management | Yes | No | | Tab groups | Yes | No | | Bookmarks & history | Yes | No | | File export (PDF, screenshots, downloads) | Yes | No | | Content extraction (Markdown, links, DOM) | Yes | No | | Console / network inspection | Coming soon | Yes | | Performance tracing & Lighthouse | Coming soon | Yes | | Memory snapshots | Coming soon | Yes | | Device emulation | Coming soon | Yes | | Setup complexity | Copy URL | Debug port + Node server | | Browser session | Real (cookies, extensions) | Debug-attached (WebDriver flags) | BrowserOS MCP gives you a broader automation surface: browser control, content extraction, file operations, and 40+ app integrations through a single connection. Debugging and performance tools are coming soon to BrowserOS MCP, which will close the remaining gap with Chrome DevTools MCP. For most AI agent workflows, BrowserOS MCP already covers more ground out of the box. # Claude Cowork Source: https://docs.browseros.com/comparisons/claude-cowork How BrowserOS Cowork compares to Claude Cowork for getting real work done with AI Both BrowserOS Cowork and [Claude Cowork](https://claude.com/product/cowork) let an AI agent work with your local files autonomously. You describe a task, step away, and come back to completed work. They share a similar file toolkit under the hood. The key difference is what else each product can do. BrowserOS Cowork runs inside a real browser with full web access and 40+ app integrations. Claude Cowork runs inside an isolated VM with professional document generation. This page compares both products so you can decide which fits your workflow. *** ## At a Glance | | **BrowserOS Cowork** | **Claude Cowork** | | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | **Runs in** | Your real browser | Claude Desktop app (VM) | | **File tools** | Read, write, edit, search, organize | Read, write, edit, search, organize | | **Browser automation** | Yes, 53 tools (click, type, screenshot, navigate, etc.) | No | | **App integrations** | 40+ (Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Calendar, Notion, etc.) | \~4 connectors (Google Drive, Gmail, DocuSign) | | **AI model** | Your choice (Claude, GPT, Gemini, Kimi, local models) | Claude only | | **Internet access** | Full (through your real browser) | Restricted | | **Document generation** | Basic (HTML, Markdown, CSV) | Advanced (Excel with formulas, PowerPoint, formatted docs) | | **Pricing** | Free (bring your own AI key) | Requires paid Claude subscription | | **Platform** | Any OS with BrowserOS | macOS, Windows x64 | *** ## Feature Comparison ### File Operations Both products provide a comparable set of file tools. You can read, write, edit, search, and organize files in both. This is table-stakes for both products. | What you can do | BrowserOS Cowork | Claude Cowork | | --------------------------------- | :--------------: | :-----------------: | | Read and view files | Yes | Yes | | Create and save new files | Yes | Yes | | Edit specific parts of a file | Yes | Yes | | Search inside files for text | Yes | Yes | | Find files by name or pattern | Yes | Yes | | List and browse folders | Yes | Yes | | Run commands/scripts | Yes | Yes | | Break work into parallel subtasks | Coming soon | Built-in sub-agents | The file tools are largely equivalent. The real differentiator is what else each product can do beyond file operations. ### Working with the Web This is the biggest difference. BrowserOS Cowork runs inside a real browser with your existing logins and sessions. | What you can do | BrowserOS Cowork | Claude Cowork | | ------------------------------------ | :-----------------------------: | :-----------: | | Open and navigate websites | Yes | No | | Click buttons, fill forms, type text | Yes | No | | Take screenshots of web pages | Yes | No | | Extract content from web pages | Yes | No | | Save pages as PDF | Yes | No | | Download files from the web | Yes | No | | Access sites where you're logged in | Yes (your real browser session) | No | | Manage tabs, windows, and bookmarks | Yes | No | | Search your browsing history | Yes | No | Claude Cowork has no browser access. If your task involves anything on the web, whether that's researching, filling out forms, grabbing content from a site, or checking on a web app, you need BrowserOS. ### Connected Apps BrowserOS connects to 40+ services directly. Claude Cowork has a handful of connectors. | Service | BrowserOS Cowork | Claude Cowork | | --------------------- | :--------------: | :-----------: | | Gmail | Yes | Yes | | Google Drive | Yes | Yes | | Google Calendar | Yes | Limited | | Slack | Yes | No | | GitHub | Yes | No | | Linear / Jira / Asana | Yes | No | | Notion | Yes | No | | Figma | Yes | No | | Salesforce / HubSpot | Yes | No | | Shopify / Stripe | Yes | No | | 30+ more services | Yes | No | ### Document Generation Claude Cowork has an edge when it comes to creating polished office documents. | What you can do | BrowserOS Cowork | Claude Cowork | | --------------------------- | :--------------: | :-----------: | | HTML and Markdown files | Yes | Yes | | CSV and data files | Yes | Yes | | Excel with working formulas | No | Yes | | PowerPoint presentations | No | Yes | | Formatted Word documents | No | Yes | *** ## How They Work BrowserOS Cowork runs inside the browser. The agent has access to your real browser session (cookies, logins, extensions) and a sandboxed folder on your computer. * Works in your real browser with your existing logins * File access sandboxed to the folder you select * 40+ app integrations via OAuth * Connect from any AI tool (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, etc.) * Uses whatever AI model you choose Claude Cowork runs in an isolated virtual machine on your desktop via the Claude Desktop app. * Runs in a secure VM, isolated from your main system * File access to folders you grant permission to * \~4 connectors (Google Drive, Gmail, DocuSign, FactSet) * Only works in the Claude Desktop app * Uses Claude models only * Comes pre-loaded with Python, Node.js, Ruby, and common tools *** ## Where Claude Cowork Shines * **Professional documents**: Create Excel spreadsheets with working formulas, PowerPoint presentations, and formatted Word documents * **Parallel subtasks**: Automatically breaks complex work into smaller tasks that run at the same time * **Stronger isolation**: Runs in a full virtual machine, giving you OS-level separation from your main system * **Zero setup**: Works out of the box in the Claude Desktop app with pre-installed tools and languages *** ## Where BrowserOS Cowork Shines * **Full browser access**: Navigate websites, fill forms, click buttons, take screenshots, and extract content from any page. Claude Cowork cannot touch the web. * **Your real logins**: Because it runs in your actual browser, the agent can access sites where you're already logged in: dashboards, internal tools, social media, banking portals, anything. * **40+ app integrations**: Gmail, Slack, GitHub, Calendar, Notion, Linear, Figma, Salesforce, and more. All accessible in the same session as your file work. Claude Cowork has about 4 connectors. * **Pick your AI model**: Use Claude, GPT-5, Gemini, Kimi K2.5, or a local model. Claude Cowork only works with Claude. * **Full internet access**: Your agent can visit any website. Claude Cowork's VM is restricted to a short list of allowed sites. * **Free**: BrowserOS is free. Just bring your own AI API key. Claude Cowork requires a paid Claude subscription. *** ## Summary | | BrowserOS Cowork | Claude Cowork | | -------------------------------------- | :-----------------------------------------: | :-----------------: | | File tools (read, write, edit, search) | Yes | Yes | | Browse the web | **Yes (53 tools)** | No | | Connected apps | **40+** | \~4 | | Internet access | Full | Restricted | | Choose your AI model | Yes | Claude only | | Works with other AI tools | Yes (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, etc.) | Claude Desktop only | | Excel, PowerPoint, Word | No | **Yes** | | Parallel subtasks | Coming soon | **Built-in** | | Security model | Folder-level sandbox | VM isolation | | Platform | Any OS | macOS, Windows x64 | | Pricing | Free + API key | Paid subscription | Both products handle file operations equally well. The choice comes down to what else you need. If your work touches the web, connected apps, or you want to choose your own AI model, BrowserOS Cowork gives you that. If you need polished office documents and prefer a fully isolated desktop experience, Claude Cowork is a good fit. # OpenClaw Source: https://docs.browseros.com/comparisons/openclaw How BrowserOS compares to OpenClaw for everyday AI assistance [OpenClaw](https://openclaw.ai/) is an open-source personal AI assistant that runs on your machine and connects through messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and Discord. It is a powerful tool for technical users who want a self-hosted, always-on AI agent. BrowserOS takes a different approach. Instead of running a background server that you message through chat apps, BrowserOS puts the AI assistant directly inside your browser, where most of your work already happens. No terminal setup, no daemon management, no Node.js required. This comparison is for users deciding which tool fits their needs. ## At a Glance | | **BrowserOS** | **OpenClaw** | | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | **What it is** | AI-powered browser with built-in assistant | Self-hosted AI agent you message through chat apps | | **Setup** | Download and open | Install via npm, run onboarding wizard, configure daemon | | **Technical skill needed** | None | Comfortable with terminal and Node.js | | **Interface** | Built into your browser | WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, iMessage, and 15+ more | | **Browser automation** | 53 tools (clicks, forms, navigation, screenshots, tabs, bookmarks, history) | Chrome via CDP (snapshots and actions) | | **App integrations** | 40+ built-in (OAuth or API key depending on the service) | Skills-based (community-built, self-installable) | | **LLM support** | 11+ providers including local models (Ollama, LM Studio) | Multiple providers with failover routing | | **Runs on** | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux (+ iOS/Android companion apps) | | **Authentication** | OAuth or API key depending on the service | API keys, OAuth, pairing codes per channel | | **Open source** | Yes (AGPL-3.0) | Yes (MIT) | ## Where BrowserOS Shines ### No technical setup required OpenClaw requires Node.js 22+, npm installation, a terminal-based onboarding wizard, daemon configuration (launchd or systemd), and channel pairing for each messaging platform. If something goes wrong, you need `openclaw doctor` to diagnose issues. BrowserOS is a browser. Download it, open it, and start talking to the assistant. There is no daemon to manage, no services to keep running, and no terminal needed. ### Browser automation built in BrowserOS gives the assistant full control of your browser with 53 tools: clicking buttons, filling forms, navigating between pages, taking screenshots, managing tabs, organizing bookmarks, searching history, and more. The assistant sees what you see and can interact with any website you are logged into. OpenClaw has browser automation through a dedicated Chrome instance with CDP, but it runs as a separate process rather than being integrated into the browser you are already using. With BrowserOS, the assistant works directly in your browsing session with all your cookies, logins, and open tabs. ### 40+ app integrations built in BrowserOS connects to Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, Jira, Figma, Salesforce, Stripe, and 30+ more services out of the box. Most services connect through OAuth (one-click sign-in), while some require an API key. Either way, the assistant detects when an app is not connected and walks you through the setup right in the conversation. OpenClaw uses a skills system where integrations are community-built plugins. Some popular services have skills available, but connecting a new service often means finding the right skill, installing it, and configuring credentials manually. ### Works where you already are Most of your work happens in a browser. BrowserOS puts the assistant right there, so it can see the page you are on, interact with web apps, and pull data from your open tabs. There is no context-switching between a chat app and your browser. OpenClaw's approach of messaging through WhatsApp or Telegram is clever for mobile use, but when you are at your computer working in a browser, having the assistant inside that browser is more natural and more capable. ## Where OpenClaw Shines ### Messaging app access OpenClaw connects to 20+ messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, iMessage, Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more. You can message your assistant from your phone or any chat app without opening a specific application. This is ideal if you want AI help on the go through apps you already have open. BrowserOS is a desktop browser. To use the assistant, you need to be in BrowserOS. ### Always-on background agent OpenClaw runs as a daemon on your machine, processing tasks even when you are not actively chatting. It supports cron jobs, webhooks, and Gmail Pub/Sub for automated triggers. It can wake up, do something, and report back through your messaging app. BrowserOS has [scheduled tasks](/features/scheduled-tasks) that run automations on a schedule, but the browser needs to be running. OpenClaw's daemon approach is more suited for server-like always-on operation. ### Mobile companion apps OpenClaw offers iOS and Android companion apps with camera access, voice input, screen recording, and device-level actions (notifications, contacts, calendar, SMS). This extends the assistant to your phone in a way that BrowserOS cannot currently match. ### Agent-to-agent communication OpenClaw supports multi-session agent coordination where agents can discover each other, read transcripts, and send messages between sessions. This is useful for complex workflows where multiple specialized agents collaborate. ### Self-modifying skills OpenClaw agents can write and install their own skills during a conversation. If the assistant does not have a capability, it can create one on the fly. This makes it extremely flexible for power users who want the agent to extend itself. ## Feature Comparison ### App Integrations | Service | BrowserOS | OpenClaw | | ------------------ | --------------------------- | ----------------- | | Gmail | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill + API setup | | Google Calendar | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill + API setup | | Slack | Built-in (OAuth) | Built-in channel | | Discord | Built-in (OAuth) | Built-in channel | | Notion | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill | | GitHub | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill | | Linear | Built-in (OAuth or API key) | Skill | | Jira | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill | | Figma | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill | | Salesforce | Built-in (OAuth) | Skill | | Stripe | Built-in (API key) | Skill | | WhatsApp | Built-in (OAuth) | Built-in channel | | Shopify | Built-in (OAuth or API key) | Community skill | | Total integrations | 40+ built-in | 50+ via skills | ### Setup and Maintenance | | BrowserOS | OpenClaw | | ----------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | Installation | Download browser | `npm install -g openclaw`, run onboarding wizard | | Runtime | Open the browser | Daemon process (launchd/systemd) | | Updates | Auto-update | `openclaw update --channel stable` | | Troubleshooting | Built-in | `openclaw doctor` CLI tool | | Node.js required | No | Yes (v22+) | | Terminal required | No | Yes | ## Who Should Use What * Want an AI assistant without any technical setup * Do most of your work in a browser * Need browser automation (filling forms, clicking buttons, extracting data) * Want 40+ app integrations that connect with one click * Prefer a visual interface over terminal commands * Want to message your AI from WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal * Need an always-on agent that runs 24/7 as a background service * Are comfortable with Node.js and terminal-based setup * Want mobile companion apps for on-the-go access * Need agents that can write their own extensions ## Using Both Together BrowserOS and OpenClaw are not mutually exclusive. Some users run OpenClaw as their always-on mobile assistant (accessible through WhatsApp or Telegram) while using BrowserOS as their desktop browser for work that involves web apps, browser automation, and visual tasks. The two tools complement each other rather than compete directly. # Contributing to BrowserOS Source: https://docs.browseros.com/contributing Guide to contributing to BrowserOS BrowserOS has two main parts you can contribute to: * **Agent** — The AI features, UI, and browser automation (TypeScript/React) * **Browser** — The custom Chromium build (C++/Python) Most contributors work on the Agent since it's much easier to set up. ## Quick Links * [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS) * [Discord Community](https://discord.gg/YKwjt5vuKr) * [Report Issues](https://github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS/issues) ## Ways to Contribute **Report bugs** — [Open an issue](https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS/issues/new) with steps to reproduce, expected vs actual behavior, and screenshots. **Suggest features** — Share ideas on [GitHub](https://github.com/browseros-ai/BrowserOS/issues/99) or [Discord](https://discord.gg/YKwjt5vuKr). **Improve docs** — Docs live in `docs/` and use Mintlify. Edit pages and update `docs/docs.json` for navigation. *** ## Path 1: Agent Development The Agent is a monorepo with 3 components: | Component | Path | What it does | | -------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | **Agent UI** | `apps/app` | Chrome extension — chat interface, settings, side panel | | **Server** | `apps/server` | Bun server — agent loop, MCP tools, API endpoints | | **Controller** | `apps/controller-ext` | Chrome extension — bridges `chrome.*` APIs to the server | ### Architecture BrowserOS Agent architecture diagram ### Setup ```bash theme={null} # Clone the repo git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/BrowserOS.git cd BrowserOS/packages/browseros-agent # Install dependencies bun install # Copy environment files cp apps/server/.env.example apps/server/.env.development cp apps/app/.env.example apps/app/.env.development ``` ### Running Locally ```bash theme={null} # Terminal 1: Start the server bun run start:server # Terminal 2: Start the agent extension (dev mode) bun run start:agent ``` Then load the extension in BrowserOS: 1. Go to `chrome://extensions/` 2. Enable **Developer mode** 3. Click **Load unpacked** and select the `apps/app/dist/` folder ### Commands | Command | Description | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------- | | `bun run start:server` | Start the server | | `bun run start:agent` | Start agent extension (dev mode) | | `bun run build:server` | Build server for production | | `bun run build:agent` | Build agent extension | | `bun run build:ext` | Build controller extension | | `bun run test` | Run tests | | `bun run lint` | Check with Biome | | `bun run typecheck` | TypeScript check | *** ## Path 2: Browser Development Only go down this path if you're working on Chromium-level features like patches to the browser itself. **Requirements:** * \~100GB disk space * 16GB+ RAM recommended * 3+ hours for first build ### Prerequisites * macOS with Xcode and Command Line Tools * Python 3.12+ * [UV](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) (Python package manager) * Git * Ubuntu 20.04+ or similar * build-essential package * Python 3.12+ * [UV](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) * Git * Windows 10/11 * Visual Studio 2022 with C++ workload * Python 3.12+ * [UV](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) * Git ### Build Instructions **1. Clone Chromium source** Follow the official [Chromium: Get the Code](https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/get-the-code/) guide. This sets up `depot_tools` and fetches \~100GB of source code. Note the path where you clone it (e.g., `~/chromium/src`). **2. Install UV and dependencies** ```bash theme={null} # Install UV curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh # Navigate to build system cd packages/browseros # Install dependencies uv sync ``` **3. Build debug version** ```bash theme={null} uv run browseros build \ --chromium-src \ --setup \ --prep \ --build \ --build-type debug ``` The `--setup` and `--prep` flags are only needed for the first build. After that, just use `--build` for incremental builds: ```bash theme={null} uv run browseros build --chromium-src --build --build-type debug ``` **4. Run BrowserOS** ```bash theme={null} /out/Default_arm64/BrowserOS\ Dev.app/Contents/MacOS/BrowserOS\ Dev \ --enable-logging=stderr \ --use-mock-keychain \ --user-data-dir=/tmp/test-profile ``` ```bash theme={null} /out/Default_x64/BrowserOS\ Dev.app/Contents/MacOS/BrowserOS\ Dev \ --enable-logging=stderr \ --use-mock-keychain \ --user-data-dir=/tmp/test-profile ``` ```bash theme={null} \out\Default_x64\BrowserOS Dev.exe \ --enable-logging=stderr \ --user-data-dir=%TEMP%\test-profile ``` ```bash theme={null} /out/Default_x64/browseros \ --enable-logging=stderr \ --user-data-dir=/tmp/test-profile ``` ### Build Flags | Flag | Description | | ---------------- | ---------------------------------- | | `--chromium-src` | Path to Chromium source directory | | `--setup` | Run setup phase (first build only) | | `--prep` | Run prep phase (first build only) | | `--build` | Run the compile phase | | `--build-type` | `debug` or `release` | | `--sign` | Sign the build | | `--package` | Package for distribution | ### Troubleshooting **Build fails with missing dependencies** — Make sure you followed all steps from the Chromium build guide for your platform. **Out of disk space** — Chromium needs \~100GB. Check with `df -h`. **Build takes too long** — Use ccache, more CPU cores, or stick to debug builds. **UV command not found** — Restart your terminal after installing UV. *** ## Making Your First PR 1. **Fork** the repository on GitHub 2. **Clone** your fork locally 3. **Create a branch**: `git checkout -b feature/your-feature` 4. **Make changes** and test them 5. **Commit**: `git commit -m "feat: add your feature"` 6. **Push**: `git push origin feature/your-feature` 7. **Open a PR** with a clear description ### Sign the CLA On your first PR, our bot will ask you to sign the Contributor License Agreement. Just comment: ``` I have read the CLA Document and I hereby sign the CLA ``` *** ## Code Standards **TypeScript:** * Use strict typing, avoid `any` * Use Zod schemas instead of TypeScript interfaces * Use path aliases (`@/lib`) not relative paths (`../`) * Naming: `PascalCase` for classes, `camelCase` for functions **React:** * Tailwind CSS only (no SCSS or CSS modules) * Hooks at top level only * Test with Vitest **General:** * Keep functions short (under 20 lines) * Write tests for new features * Handle errors gracefully *** ## Getting Help * **Discord** — [discord.gg/YKwjt5vuKr](https://discord.gg/YKwjt5vuKr) * **GitHub Issues** — [github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS/issues](https://github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS/issues) * **GitHub Discussions** — [github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS/discussions](https://github.com/BrowserOS-ai/BrowserOS/discussions) *** By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under AGPL-3.0. # Ad Blocking Source: https://docs.browseros.com/features/ad-blocking BrowserOS supports full ad blocking with uBlock Origin BrowserOS supports full ad blocking through [uBlock Origin](https://ublockorigin.com/), the most powerful open-source ad blocker available — the full extension, not the watered-down "Lite" version. ## Why BrowserOS? Chrome [killed support](https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline) for uBlock Origin by phasing out Manifest V2 extensions. The only option left on Chrome is "uBlock Origin Lite," a significantly weaker version that can't use advanced filtering rules. **BrowserOS re-enabled full Manifest V2 support**, so you can install and run the original uBlock Origin at full power — the same extension Chrome no longer allows. Install the full uBlock Origin extension from the Chrome Web Store. Works on BrowserOS out of the box. ## BrowserOS vs Chrome We ran both browsers through [adblock.turtlecute.org](https://adblock.turtlecute.org/), a test that measures how effectively a browser blocks ads and tracking scripts. BrowserOS blocking 68% of ads Chrome blocking only 7% of ads Out of 133 ad-related requests: * **BrowserOS** blocked 91 (68%) * **Chrome** blocked 9 (7%) That's roughly **10x more protection** with zero configuration. ## What This Means Fewer ads means faster page loads, less bandwidth usage, and significantly reduced tracking. BrowserOS handles this natively so you can focus on browsing. # Bring Your Own LLM Source: https://docs.browseros.com/features/bring-your-own-llm Connect your own AI models to BrowserOS BrowserOS includes a default AI model you can use right away, but it has strict rate limits. For the best experience, bring your own API keys or run models locally. See how to connect your own LLM in under a minute: