Category guide
What is an agent browser?
An agent browser is a web browser designed with AI agents as first-class operators, not a human browser with an AI sidebar bolted on.
The short version
Traditional browsers assume a human clicks, reads, and remembers. Agent browsers assume an AI system may navigate pages, fill forms, compare changes, maintain state, and run long workflows while a human supervises. That changes the architecture.
Durable stateAgents need sessions that survive restarts and continue work over time.
Visible supervisionHumans need to see what the agent is doing, not trust a headless black box.
Tool interoperabilityMCP and agent harnesses need stable browser-control surfaces.
Safety boundariesAgent browsing needs scoped control, auditability, and human override.
Vessel's position
Vessel Browser is an open-source agent browser runtime for Linux and Windows. It is built for persistent autonomous web agents, local/open-model workflows, MCP browser control, and human-in-the-loop browser automation.
When to use an agent browser
- When a workflow needs login state, tabs, or repeated visits.
- When an agent needs to inspect actual web pages, not just scrape APIs.
- When a human needs to supervise, approve, or correct actions.
- When you want a local browser runtime instead of a cloud-only browser API.