
Vessel Browser
io.github.unmodeled-tylerPublished by GitHub account unmodeled-tylerv0.1.10Updated Oct 24, 2026
AI-native browser runtime for autonomous agents with human-in-the-loop supervision
Overview
A local, human-visible Chromium browser that exposes MCP tools so an assistant can read pages, fill forms, extract data and run supervised browsing tasks.
- What you can do
- Vessel is an AI-native browser runtime that external agents and MCP clients drive through a local MCP server (default port 3100). It exposes tools for reading and extracting page content, scrolling, dismissing popups, waiting for elements, screenshots, table extraction, highlights, bookmarks and folders, named sessions, workflow tracking, and memory notes. A Supervisor sidebar shows runs, approvals, checkpoints and undo, so a human can pause, steer or take over. A built-in chat assistant can use the same browser tools with a configured AI provider.
- When to use it
- Use it when an assistant needs to actually work on the web in a real browser window rather than through invisible automation: research, comparing pages, filling forms, tracking page changes, or long multi-step sessions that must survive interruptions. It suits developers and power users wiring an external agent harness to a persistent, supervised browser. It is less suitable if you only need headless scraping or a quick one-off fetch.
- Requirements
- Runs as a local desktop app (Chromium/Electron) on Linux, macOS or Windows; Linux is the most mature target (R10, R11). Install via AppImage, npm package @quanta-intellect/vessel-browser (Node.js 22 for source builds), or the source installer (R19-R29). No credentials are declared in the manifest; the built-in chat needs a provider and API key configured in Settings, and external harnesses connect over the local MCP endpoint (default port 3100) using a bearer token from ~/.config/vessel/mcp-auth
Installation
In SourceWeft
- Open Vessel Browser in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
- Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.
Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.
Other MCP clients
Follow the launch instructions in the repository.
README
[quanta-intellect-logo-transparent]
[Get it from the Snap Store] [Vessel Browser from Quanta Intellect - The browser where agents drive and humans supervise | Product Hunt]Vessel: Your AI-Powered Browser
Vessel is a simple, clean web browser with an AI assistant built in. Browse the web normally, then ask Vessel to help research, navigate pages, summarize what you are reading, fill forms, or keep track of longer tasks.
Unlike invisible browser automation, Vessel shows you what the AI is doing in a real browser window. You can follow along, approve important actions, pause or redirect the work, and take over whenever you want.
- A familiar browser, with AI help nearby — tabs, bookmarks, reader mode, downloads, and a sidebar assistant for web tasks
- Great for longer browsing sessions — durable conversation threads, a cross-source run inbox, named sessions, checkpoints, notes, bookmarks, and page changes make interrupted work recoverable
- You stay in control — review what the AI is doing, approve sensitive actions once or for a scoped run/domain, reject with steering, undo recent changes, and switch back to manual browsing at any time
- Open source and extensible — built on Chromium, with advanced automation support for MCP clients and agent tools when you need it
Linux is the most mature install target today. macOS release packaging is available from source.
Vessel is in active development. Treat it as early software, especially for sensitive browsing or account access.
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/0a72b48a-873a-4eb0-b8f2-23e34d8472c4
Quick Start
Want the complete AI toolkit from day one? Start a 7-Day Free Trial of Vessel Premium — $5.99/mo.
Fastest Install Today
Linux AppImage from GitHub Releases:
- Download the latest
Vessel-<version>-x64.AppImage - Mark it executable:
chmod +x Vessel-*.AppImage - Launch it:
./Vessel-*.AppImage - Open Settings (
Ctrl+,) to choose your AI provider and review advanced connection options
Install via npm
Or run it directly without installing:
Source Install
Development From Source
Vessel development uses Node.js 22. If you use fnm, run fnm use from the repo root to pick up .node-version.
If you want extra local AI tracing in development, create an optional src/main/telemetry/trace-logger.local.cjs file. Vessel will load it only in local dev builds, and packaged production builds ignore it.
Why Vessel?
Most AI tools can answer questions about the web. Vessel is for actually working on the web: reading pages, following links, comparing information, filling forms, tracking changes, and keeping longer browsing sessions organized.
[Vessel Browser supervisor sidebar showing agent workflow controls] [Vessel Browser command bar and agent-driven page interaction] [Vessel Browser persistent session and checkpoint interface] [Vessel Browser integrated chat assistant with browser tools]Vessel keeps that work visible. The AI uses a real browser, so you can see the pages it opens, the choices it makes, and the places where it needs your approval. You are never stuck watching a hidden automation run or guessing what happened after the fact.
For power users and developers, the same foundation also supports external agents, MCP clients, persistent sessions, checkpoints, and browser automation workflows.
Features
- AI-assisted browsing — ask Vessel to help with research, page reading, navigation, form work, and multi-step web tasks
- Human-visible browser UI — pages render like a normal browser so AI activity stays legible instead of disappearing into a hidden run
- Command Bar (
Ctrl+L) — a secondary operator surface for harness-driven workflows and future runtime commands - Supervisor Sidebar (
Ctrl+Shift+L) — live supervision across ten tabs, including a durable Run Inbox, conversation Threads, approvals, checkpoints, changes, and Research - Chat Assistant — built-in conversational AI in the sidebar Chat tab; supports Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama, llama.cpp, Mistral, xAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint; reads the current page automatically; has full access to the same browser tools as external agents; multi-turn session history; configure provider, model, and API key in Settings
- Skills (Premium) — reusable browser skills in the sidebar Skills tab; import, view, run, or delete skills the built-in agent can use for research, shopping, and site-specific workflows
- Research Desk (Beta) — a dedicated sidebar Research tab for structured research reports; start with a topic, complete an in-tab briefing, let Vessel draft research objectives, approve the plan, then dispatch browser sub-agents to collect source-backed claims and synthesize a markdown-exportable report. Starting the brief is free; plan approval, sub-agent execution, and report export require Vessel Premium.
- Dev Tools Panel (
F12) — inspect console output, network requests, and MCP/agent activity in a resizable panel at the bottom of the window; export logs by category and date range as JSON - Browser Basics For Long Runs — pinned tabs stay compact at the front of the tab strip and are protected from accidental close; tab groups can be color-coded and collapsed; audible tabs show audio indicators with mute controls; open additional browser windows with
Ctrl+N; print the active page withCtrl+Por save it directly as PDF withCtrl+Shift+P - Action Undo / Rollback — restore the browser to the session snapshot captured immediately before the last successful mutating agent action; available from the Supervisor tab and through the
undo_last_actiontool - Durable Run Inbox — Chat, MCP, scheduled, and Research work share one persisted lifecycle with status filters, parent/child research runs, redacted inputs, outputs, errors, and tab context
- Persistent Conversation Threads — group multiple independent chats inside named threads; each chat gets an AI-generated title after its first completed exchange and can be reopened or retitled, while threads can be renamed, archived, or deleted; archived threads follow the configured history period
- Scoped Approval Policies — approve once, approve for a run, approve for a domain, or reject and steer; explicit denies take precedence and expired scoped rules are ignored
- Agent-Meaningful Bookmarks — bookmarks carry structured context the agent can read and act on:
intent(what the page is for),expectedContent(what to expect on the page),keyFields(important form fields),agentHints(arbitrary directives), and a storedpageSchema; humans can create and edit this metadata directly in the Bookmarks tab, and all fields are searchable - Portable Bookmark Export — export browser-compatible Netscape HTML for import into Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave, and other browsers; optionally include Vessel notes/agent metadata, or export a full-fidelity Vessel JSON archive
- Page Schema Inference — Vessel automatically infers a typed schema for every page:
pageType(article, product, form, search, checkout, login, dashboard),primaryEntity(structured fields for products and articles),formFields(with names, types, labels, selectors), andactionButtons(with inferred intents: submit, addToCart, login, etc.); schema is attached to every content extraction result - Bookmarks for Agents — save pages into folders, attach one-line folder summaries, and search bookmarks over MCP instead of dumping the entire library
- Named Session Persistence — save cookies, localStorage, and current tab layout under a reusable name, then reload it after a restart
- Annotated Checkpoints — capture and restore short-lived browser recovery points with names and editable notes, so humans and agents can mark why a checkpoint matters before risky flows
- Page Highlights — agents can visually highlight text or elements on any page with labeled, color-coded markers that persist across navigation; highlight count and navigation controls appear in the sidebar; cleared explicitly or via tool call
- Agent Transcript Dock — floating transcript overlay anchored to the browser chrome; configurable display modes (off, summary, full) set in Settings; shows live agent thinking and status updates without occupying sidebar space
- Workflow Flow Tracking — agents can declare a named multi-step workflow at runtime using
flow_start; progress is tracked step-by-step withflow_advanceand visible in the sidebar throughout execution - Structured Page Visibility Context — extraction can report in-viewport elements, obscured controls, active overlays, and dormant consent/modal UI
- Popup Recovery Tools — agents can explicitly dismiss common popups, newsletter gates, and consent walls instead of brute-forcing generic clicks
- Form Autofill Profiles — save reusable personal or work profiles in Settings and fill common contact, address, and organization fields on the current page; Vessel matches fields using labels, names, placeholders, and autocomplete hints
- Page Diff / "What Changed?" — Vessel remembers the last snapshot of a page and surfaces a
Changedbadge in the address bar when the title, headings, or main content differ on a later visit; expand it to see a compact summary of what changed since the last snapshot - What Changed Timeline (Premium) — the sidebar Changes tab keeps a per-page history of recent change bursts, showing when each update was detected and a compact summary of what changed
- Per-Tab Ad Blocking Controls — tabs default to ad blocking on, but agents can selectively disable and re-enable blocking when a page misbehaves
- Domain Policy — allowlist or blocklist domains globally in Settings; agents cannot navigate to blocked domains
- Agent Credential Vault (Premium) — encrypted credential storage for agent-driven logins; credentials are filled directly into login forms via a "blind fill" pattern and are never sent to AI providers; user consent dialog before every use; TOTP 2FA support; domain-scoped access; append-only audit log
- Screenshot & Visual Analysis (Premium) — take a full-page screenshot and pass the image directly to the AI for visual layout analysis; useful when text extraction fails on heavy or canvas-rendered pages
- Obsidian Memory Hooks (Premium) — optional vault path for agent-written markdown notes, page captures, and research breadcrumbs
- Runtime Health Checks — startup warnings for MCP port conflicts, unreadable settings, and user-data write failures
- Reader Mode — extract article content into a clean, distraction-free view; toggle on and off from the address bar
- Focus Mode (
Ctrl+Shift+F) — hide all chrome, content fills the screen - Resizable Panels — drag the sidebar edge to resize; width persists across sessions
- Minimal Dark Theme — warm dark grays, restrained accent color, and no pure black/white
Reliability, History, and Approvals
The Supervisor sidebar now keeps longer-running work understandable across Chat, external MCP agents, scheduled jobs, and Research:
- Open Runs to filter work that needs attention, is active, failed, completed, or comes from any source. Each run has a chronological timeline with status changes, approvals, outputs, errors, and relevant tab context; records can be exported as Markdown or JSON or deleted from Vessel.
- Open Threads to organize multiple chats under a named topic. Chats can be reopened or retitled independently, while their parent thread can be renamed, archived, or deleted. New chats receive a generated title after their first completed exchange.
- Approval cards show the action, redacted arguments, domain, and whether undo is available. You can approve once, approve matching work for the current run or domain, reject, or reject with written steering. Persisted scoped rules remain visible in Supervisor and can be removed there.
- If Vessel closes while a run is active or waiting for approval, that run is marked interrupted on the next launch instead of being left misleadingly active. Vessel does not claim to resume or retry the unfinished execution automatically.
- Terminal run history and archived threads follow
historyRetentionDays(90days by default; supported values are7,30,90,180,365, ornullfor no automatic expiry). Active runs and unarchived threads are preserved.
Conversation history is encrypted through Electron's safeStorage API when encryption is available. If secure storage is unavailable, Vessel keeps conversations in memory for that session instead of writing plaintext chat history. Run records redact sensitive argument fields and limit stored output size before persistence or export.
Positioning
Most browsers treat automation as secondary and assume a human is the primary actor. Vessel is the opposite: it is the browser for the agent, with a visible interface that keeps the human in the loop.
That means the product should optimize for:
- persistent browser state across tasks and sessions
- clear visibility into what the agent is doing right now
- lightweight human intervention instead of constant manual driving
- a browser runtime that can serve long-lived agent systems such as Hermes Agent or OpenClaw-style harnesses
Stack
Architecture
Each browser tab is a separate WebContentsView managed by the main process. The browser chrome (SolidJS) runs in its own view layered on top. All communication between renderer and main goes through typed IPC channels via contextBridge.
The sidebar Skills tab renders skill forms entirely in the renderer and passes the rendered prompt to the built-in agent via the same query() path used by the Chat tab — no additional IPC surface is needed. The Changes tab reads the current page's diff timeline through IPC and unlocks persisted history for Premium users. The Research tab has a dedicated IPC surface for its state machine: briefing is available to everyone, while objective approval, parallel browser sub-agents, report synthesis, and markdown export are Premium-gated during the beta.
Getting Started
The installer:
- clones or updates Vessel into
~/.local/share/vessel-browser - installs dependencies and builds the app
- creates a
vessel-browserlauncher in~/.local/bin - creates a
vessel-browser-launchhelper in~/.local/bin - creates a
vessel-browser-updatehelper in~/.local/bin - creates a
vessel-browser-statushelper in~/.local/bin - creates a desktop entry for Linux app launchers
- writes
~/.config/vessel/vessel-settings.jsonwith MCP port3100 - writes
~/.config/vessel/mcp-stdio-snippet.json - writes
~/.config/vessel/mcp-http-snippet.json - installs a
vessel-browser-mcphelper that can run as a stdio-to-HTTP proxy (--stdio) or print config snippets - prints the exact recommended stdio MCP snippet to paste into your harness config
The packaged AppImage path:
- does not require a local Node/Electron toolchain
- uses the packaged Vessel app icon and metadata
- is the recommended path for early adopters who just want to run Vessel
Windows packaged releases:
- use the
Vessel-<version>-x64-setup.exeNSIS installer - can be installed over an existing Vessel install when upgrading
- preserve Vessel app data during the normal upgrade path
You do not need to uninstall Vessel before installing a newer Windows release. Uninstall first only if you are recovering from a broken install or intentionally removing local Vessel data.
After install:
Notes:
npm run devstill launches the stock Electron binary, so Linux may continue showing the default Electron gear icon in development- packaged builds created with
npm run dist/npm run dist:diruse the Vessel app icon npm run build:icon:macregeneratesresources/vessel-icon.icnsfromresources/vessel-icon.pngfor macOS packagingnpm run dist:macandnpm run dist:mac:dirbuild universal macOS artifacts by default, so the same app runs natively on Intel and Apple Silicon Macsnpm run dist:mac:x64andnpm run dist:mac:arm64are available when you need smaller architecture-specific test artifactsnpm run verify:mac:universaluseslipoto confirm the packaged app executable and Electron framework include bothx86_64andarm64slicesnpm run dist:mac,npm run dist:mac:dir,npm run dist:mac:x64, andnpm run dist:mac:arm64intentionally disable auto-signing so local packaging works on any Mac without keychain setupnpm run dist:mac:signedandnpm run dist:mac:dir:signedbuild universal artifacts and use normalelectron-buildersigning discovery; if your login keychain has duplicate Apple certs, clean those up or use a dedicated keychain before running the signed path- signed builds are still not notarized by this repo out of the box, so Gatekeeper warnings remain until notarization is added for release publishing
- the tracked smoke test runs typecheck, build, the MCP stdio proxy regression check, and the Electron navigation regression harness
- for headless CI, run the smoke test under
xvfb-run -a npm run smoke:test - run
npm run test:navigation-regressionfor the standalone navigation suite; it builds fresh test/preload bundles, opens focused test windows, and uses a temporary profile and loopback server - the navigation runner requires a completed-suite report as well as a zero exit, times out after three minutes, and removes its temporary files on normal completion or failure
Setting up Vessel for Hermes Agent or OpenClaw
Vessel is designed to act as the browser runtime that your external agent harness drives.
- Launch Vessel
- Open Settings (
Ctrl+,) to confirm MCP status, copy the endpoint, or change the MCP port - Optional: set an Obsidian vault path, create autofill profiles, or adjust session preferences
- Start Hermes Agent or OpenClaw and point it at Vessel — the easiest way is
vessel-browser-mcp --stdioas the MCP command (auth is resolved automatically), or connect directly tohttp://127.0.0.1:<mcpPort>/mcpwith the bearer token from~/.config/vessel/mcp-auth.json - Use the Supervisor panel in Vessel's sidebar to pause the agent, change approval mode, review pending approvals, checkpoint, undo the last mutating action, or restore the browser session while the harness runs
- Open Runs to inspect or export activity from Chat, MCP, scheduled jobs, and Research; use Threads to reopen and organize durable conversations
- Use the Bookmarks panel to organize saved pages into folders, edit agent-facing bookmark metadata, export bookmarks for other browsers, and expose saved pages back to the agent over MCP
Notes:
- Vessel exposes browser control to external agents through its local MCP server
- The MCP endpoint supports both legacy clients and the modern
2026-07-28protocol revision, includingserver/discover - The default MCP port is
3100 - Hermes Agent and OpenClaw should treat Vessel as the persistent, human-visible browser rather than launching their own separate browser session
- Vessel supports a built-in Chat tab with configurable AI provider; open Settings (
Ctrl+,) and enable Chat Assistant to set a provider and model - The sidebar Research tab is marked Beta; use it to turn a broad research topic into a brief, approve a multi-thread plan, run browser sub-agents, and export the final report as markdown. Briefing is free, while full execution and export require Premium.
llama.cpp (Local)is a first-class chat provider in Settings and targetshttp://localhost:8080/v1by default; Vessel auto-fetches the active model fromllama-server- For
llama-server, use--ctx-size 16384minimum and32768recommended for reliable Vessel agent loops; lower values often fail once prompt, tool schema, and tool history accumulate - Approval policy is controlled live from the sidebar Supervisor panel rather than a separate global settings screen
- Settings now show MCP runtime status, active endpoint, startup warnings, and allow changing the MCP port with an immediate server restart
- Settings also include reusable Form Autofill profiles for one-click filling of common contact and address forms on the active page
- The address bar can also show a
Changedbadge when Vessel detects that a previously visited page has meaningfully changed since the last saved snapshot - Premium users can open the sidebar Changes tab for the full What Changed timeline for the active page
- The Bookmarks tab can export browser-compatible HTML, HTML with Vessel notes, or a full Vessel JSON archive with agent metadata intact
- Agents can selectively disable ad blocking for a problematic tab, reload, retry the flow, and turn blocking back on later
- Agents can persist authenticated state with named sessions, for example
github-logged-in, and reload that state in later runs - The intended control plane is an external harness driving Vessel through MCP
- If you set an Obsidian vault path in Settings, harnesses can write markdown notes directly into that vault via Vessel memory MCP tools
Using llama.cpp as the built-in chat provider
Vessel can talk directly to a local llama-server through its OpenAI-compatible API.
Example:
Then in Vessel:
- Open Settings (
Ctrl+,) - Enable Chat Assistant
- Choose
llama.cpp (Local)as the provider - Click refresh if needed; Vessel will auto-detect the active model from
http://localhost:8080/v1
Notes:
--ctx-size 16384is the minimum practical setting for Vessel agent loops--ctx-size 32768is the recommended default for longer browsing sessions- Vessel will warn in Settings if it detects a
llama-servercontext size below the recommended floor, or if it cannot detect the ctx size from the running server
Initial memory tools:
vessel_memory_note_createvessel_memory_appendvessel_memory_listvessel_memory_searchvessel_memory_page_capturevessel_memory_link_bookmark
Bookmark and folder tools exposed today include:
vessel_bookmark_listvessel_bookmark_searchvessel_bookmark_openvessel_bookmark_savevessel_bookmark_removevessel_create_foldervessel_folder_renamevessel_folder_remove
Page interaction and recovery tools exposed today include:
vessel_extract_contentvessel_read_pagevessel_scrollvessel_dismiss_popupvessel_set_ad_blockingvessel_wait_forvessel_screenshot(Premium) — capture the full page as an image for visual AI analysisundo_last_action— restore the browser to the snapshot captured before the last successful mutating agent action
Page highlight tools:
vessel_highlight— visually mark text or an element on the page with a labeled, color-coded overlay; persists until clearedvessel_clear_highlights— remove all highlights from the current page
Workflow tracking tools:
vessel_flow_start— begin a named multi-step workflow and declare its steps upfront; progress appears in the sidebar throughout executionvessel_flow_advance— mark the current step complete and advance to the nextvessel_flow_status— check current workflow progressvessel_flow_end— clear the active workflow tracker
Data extraction tools (Premium):
vessel_extract_table— extract a page table as structured JSON rows with column headers
Named session tools exposed today include:
vessel_save_sessionvessel_load_sessionvessel_list_sessionsvessel_delete_session
Session files are sensitive because they may contain login cookies and tokens. Vessel stores them under the app user-data directory with restrictive file permissions.
Agent Credential Vault tools (Premium):
vessel_vault_status— check whether stored credentials exist for a domain (returns labels/usernames, never passwords)vessel_vault_login— fill a login form using stored credentials (blind fill — credentials go directly into the page, never into the AI conversation)vessel_vault_totp— generate and fill a TOTP 2FA code from a stored secret
Session performance tools (Premium):
vessel_metrics— show per-tool call counts, average durations, error rates, and total session stats
Vault security model:
- Credentials are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM with a key protected by the OS keychain (Electron safeStorage)
- Credential values are never sent to AI providers — they flow only through the main process to the content script
- Every credential use triggers a user consent dialog ("Allow Once" / "Allow for Session" / "Deny")
- All credential access is recorded in an append-only audit log
- Credentials are domain-scoped — they can only be used on matching domains
- Users manage credentials in Settings > Agent Credential Vault
Notable extraction modes include:
visible_only— only currently visible, in-viewport, unobstructed interactive elements plus active overlaysresults_only— likely primary search/result links onlyfull/summary/interactives_only/forms_only/text_only
The extraction output can distinguish:
- active blocking overlays
- dormant consent/modal UI present in the DOM but not active for the current session or region
Stdio proxy MCP config (recommended — resolves auth automatically):
The stdio proxy reads the bearer token from ~/.config/vessel/mcp-auth.json at connection time and preserves both legacy and 2026-07-28 protocol negotiation, so no manual token management is needed.
Vessel must already be running when your MCP client connects, and ~/.config/vessel/mcp-auth.json must exist from install or first launch.
Generic HTTP MCP config (requires copying the token manually):
Hermes Agent config.yaml MCP config:
Configuration
The installer writes three snippets to:
~/.config/vessel/mcp-stdio-snippet.json~/.config/vessel/mcp-http-snippet.json~/.config/vessel/mcp-hermes-snippet.yaml
It also installs a helper command:
Helper examples:
Source install update helpers:
Status helper:
Smart launch helper:
vessel-browser-launch prefers a healthy source install and falls back to the newest local AppImage when the source install is likely blocked by Electron sandbox permissions.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Project Structure
Design Principles
- Agent first — the browser is the agent's operating surface, not just a human tool with automation bolted on
- Human visible — the UI should make agent behavior easy to follow, audit, and steer
- Persistent by default — browser state should survive long-running workflows and repeated sessions
- Content first — chrome is 110px, everything else is your page
- Easy on the eyes — warm dark grays, muted text, no visual noise
- Linux-native — frameless window, system font fallbacks, XDG conventions
License
MIT
Developed by Tyler Williams in Portland, Oregon (2026)
Source: README.md at commit 5cb5e53
Tools
0Version history
1- v0.1.10LatestSep 16, 2026
Score
50% of the applicable checks met
How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.
- Reached in the last 30 days25 pts
Keep the endpoint answering the MCP handshake; SourceWeft probes it every 30 days.
- Auth declared10 pts
Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.
- Tools listed15 pts
Answer tools/list without a credential, or ship a package that starts in a sandbox without one.
- DescriptionRequired15 pts
- Logo10 pts
- Documentation15 pts
- License10 pts