Other tools that give AI coding assistants access to browser state via MCP:
Comparison Table
| Tool | Architecture | Approach | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | Extension + Go binary | Passive capture | None (single binary) |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Puppeteer-based server | Active control | Node.js 22+, Chrome debug port |
| BrowserTools MCP | Extension + Node server + MCP server | Passive capture + Lighthouse | Node.js |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Extension + MCP server | Passive capture | Node.js |
Key Differences
Vendor Neutral
Gasoline is independent and open-source. It works with any MCP-compatible AI tool — Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Continue — without favoring any vendor.
- Chrome DevTools MCP is maintained by Google
- Cursor MCP Extension is Cursor-specific
Passive vs Active
Gasoline observes what happens in your browser without interfering. You browse normally and errors are captured in the background.
Chrome DevTools MCP takes control of the browser via Puppeteer. It’s more powerful (can click, navigate, screenshot) but requires a separate Chrome instance and can’t observe your normal browsing session.
Zero Dependencies
Gasoline ships as a single Go binary with no runtime dependencies. Install with npx and it downloads the correct binary for your platform.
The alternatives require Node.js installed and running.
Performance Overhead
Gasoline enforces strict SLOs:
- < 0.1ms per console intercept
- Never blocks the main thread
- 20MB soft memory cap
- Adaptive sampling for high-frequency events
Privacy
Gasoline is 100% local:
- Server binds to localhost only
- No cloud, no analytics, no telemetry
- Auth headers automatically stripped
- Open source — audit the code
When to Choose What
| Use Case | Best Tool |
|---|---|
| Debug your own app during development | Gasoline |
| Automate browser actions (testing, scraping) | Chrome DevTools MCP |
| Need Lighthouse audits specifically | BrowserTools MCP |
| Only use Cursor | Cursor MCP Extension or Gasoline |
| Need zero-dependency setup | Gasoline |
| Want to observe normal browsing | Gasoline or BrowserTools MCP |