Parallel Browser MCP Server

MCP server for parallel browser automation across multiple providers.

Local serverstdioGo

What is the Parallel Browser MCP MCP server?

Connect Parallel Browser MCP to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. MCP server for parallel browser automation across multiple providers. The parallel browser mcp mcp server is what makes that connection.

What the server does

parallel-browser-mcp is an MCP server for parallel browser automation. It exposes a numeric session model over MCP so one client can create and control multiple browser sessions at the same time across multiple browser providers.

  • Multiple concurrent browser sessions in memory
  • Provider abstraction shared across Browserbase, Anchor Browser, Cloudflare Browser Run, and local Playwright
  • MCP session tools:
  • start_session
  • close_session
  • close_all_sessions

Installation

The server ships on npm as parallel-browser-mcp, so your MCP client can launch it on demand — there is no separate build step. Add the server block to your client's configuration, restart it, and the tools register themselves.

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • start_session — close_session
  • close_all_sessions — get_sessions
  • browser_navigate — browser_go_back
  • browser_click — browser_fill
  • browser_fill_form — browser_screenshot
  • browser_snapshot — browser_hover
  • browser_drag — browser_select_option
  • browser_generate_locator — browser_get_page_structure
  • browser_evaluate — browser_keyboard_press
  • browser_keyboard_type — browser_mouse_move
  • browser_mouse_click_xy — browser_mouse_drag
  • browser_upload_file — browser_wait_for_selector

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG, BROWSERBASE_API_KEY, ANCHOR_API_KEY, BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG_PATH, BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID, CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN, CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID, BROWSERBASE_CONTEXT_ID. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Parallel Browser MCP.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Where it fits

This sits in the browser automation group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Parallel Browser MCP's toolset — start_session, close_all_sessions, browser_navigate and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by etairl; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Parallel Browser MCP's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
start_sessionclose_session
close_all_sessionsget_sessions
browser_navigatebrowser_go_back
browser_clickbrowser_fill
browser_fill_formbrowser_screenshot
browser_snapshotbrowser_hover
browser_dragbrowser_select_option
browser_generate_locatorbrowser_get_page_structure
browser_evaluatebrowser_keyboard_press
browser_keyboard_typebrowser_mouse_move
browser_mouse_click_xybrowser_mouse_drag
browser_upload_filebrowser_wait_for_selector
playwrightnone
browserbaseBROWSERBASE_API_KEY, plus a projectId in config or BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID

How to install the Parallel Browser MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "parallel-browser": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "parallel-browser-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG": "your-value",
        "BROWSERBASE_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "ANCHOR_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG_PATH": "your-value",
        "BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID": "your-value",
        "CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN": "your-value",
        "CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID": "your-value",
        "BROWSERBASE_CONTEXT_ID": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
BROWSER_MCP_CONFIGConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
BROWSERBASE_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
ANCHOR_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG_PATHFilesystem location the server is allowed to use.Optional
BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_IDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_IDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional
BROWSERBASE_CONTEXT_IDConfiguration value read at startup.Optional

Example prompts to try

  • Use Parallel Browser MCP to start session.
  • Use Parallel Browser MCP to close all sessions.
  • Use Parallel Browser MCP to browser navigate.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Parallel Browser MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (start_session, close_all_sessions, browser_navigate, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Parallel Browser MCP directly.