Gasoline MCP vs Cursor MCP Extension: Which Should Cursor Users Choose?
If you use Cursor, you now have two MCP options for browser debugging: Cursor MCP Extension and Gasoline MCP. Both capture browser telemetry and surface it to your AI assistant through the Model Context Protocol. But they differ in scope, features, and portability.
Cursor MCP Extension is built exclusively for Cursor. Gasoline MCP works with Cursor and every other MCP-compatible tool — Claude Code, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, Zed, and whatever ships next.
Here’s a practical comparison to help you decide.
Feature Comparison
Section titled “Feature Comparison”| Feature | Gasoline MCP | Cursor MCP Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Console log capture | Yes | Yes |
| Network error capture | Yes | Yes |
| Network body capture | Yes | No |
| WebSocket monitoring | Yes | No |
| DOM queries (CSS selectors) | Yes | No |
| Accessibility auditing | Yes | No |
| Test generation (Playwright) | Yes | No |
| Multi-editor support | Yes | No (Cursor only) |
Gasoline MCP covers every capability Cursor MCP Extension offers, then adds network body capture, WebSocket monitoring, DOM queries, accessibility auditing, and Playwright test generation on top.
Architecture
Section titled “Architecture”Both tools use a Chrome extension paired with a local server. The difference is in the runtime:
- Gasoline MCP: Chrome extension + single Go binary. Zero dependencies. No Node.js required. The binary you download is the binary you run — no
node_modules/, no lock files, no supply chain surface area. - Cursor MCP Extension: Chrome extension + Node.js MCP server. Requires a Node.js runtime and npm packages.
If dependency footprint matters to your team — for security audits, enterprise policy, or simply reducing moving parts — Gasoline MCP’s zero-dependency design is a meaningful advantage.
Why Portability Matters
Section titled “Why Portability Matters”The AI editor landscape is evolving fast. A year ago, most developers hadn’t heard of MCP. Today, it’s supported by Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, Zed, and more.
Cursor MCP Extension locks your browser debugging setup to a single editor. If you switch to another tool — or even want to try one — you need a different solution.
Gasoline MCP is editor-agnostic. It works with any tool that speaks MCP. Your browser debugging configuration moves with you, regardless of which assistant you’re using today or which one you try tomorrow.
Features Cursor MCP Extension Lacks
Section titled “Features Cursor MCP Extension Lacks”The feature gap is significant if you’re debugging anything beyond basic console errors:
WebSocket monitoring. If your app uses WebSockets — chat, real-time dashboards, collaborative editing, live data feeds — Cursor MCP Extension can’t see that traffic. Gasoline MCP captures WebSocket frames with adaptive sampling to keep overhead negligible.
Network body capture. Cursor MCP Extension reports network errors, but not response bodies. When your AI assistant is debugging a failed API call, it needs to see what the server actually returned. Gasoline MCP captures request and response bodies with configurable filtering.
DOM queries. Gasoline MCP lets your AI assistant query the live DOM using CSS selectors. This is essential for verifying that UI changes rendered correctly or diagnosing layout issues.
Test generation. Gasoline MCP can generate Playwright tests from captured browser sessions. You browse your app, and your AI assistant turns that session into reproducible test code. Cursor MCP Extension has no equivalent.
When Cursor MCP Extension Is Fine
Section titled “When Cursor MCP Extension Is Fine”Cursor MCP Extension is a reasonable choice if all of the following are true:
- You only use Cursor and have no plans to try other editors
- You only need basic console log and network error capture
- You don’t work with WebSocket-based applications
- You don’t need to inspect network response bodies
- You want the absolute simplest setup with minimal configuration
For straightforward console-error debugging in a Cursor-only workflow, it gets the job done.
When Gasoline MCP Is Better
Section titled “When Gasoline MCP Is Better”Gasoline MCP is the stronger choice if any of the following apply:
- You want full-spectrum browser debugging (console, network, WebSocket, DOM)
- You use multiple AI editors or plan to try new ones
- You need network body capture for API debugging
- You work with real-time applications that use WebSockets
- You want to generate Playwright tests from real browser sessions
- You prefer zero dependencies and a minimal supply chain footprint
Should Cursor users use Gasoline MCP or Cursor MCP Extension?
Section titled “Should Cursor users use Gasoline MCP or Cursor MCP Extension?”If you’re a Cursor user deciding between the two, the question is whether you need more than basic console and network error capture. If you do — and most non-trivial debugging sessions do — Gasoline MCP gives you substantially more to work with. It also means your setup won’t break if you try a different editor next month.
Does Gasoline MCP work with Cursor?
Section titled “Does Gasoline MCP work with Cursor?”Yes. Gasoline MCP works with Cursor through standard MCP configuration. Setup takes a few minutes and requires no special integration. See the Cursor setup guide for step-by-step instructions.
Get Started
Section titled “Get Started”npx gasoline-mcpOne command. No runtime dependencies. Works with Cursor and every other MCP client.