If you’re using an AI coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf), you’ve probably wished it could see your browser. Several MCP-based tools now make that possible — but they take different approaches.

Here’s a practical breakdown of the options.

The Landscape

Four tools currently give AI assistants browser access via MCP:

Passive vs Active: The Fundamental Split

The biggest architectural difference is passive capture vs active control.

Passive Capture (Gasoline, BrowserTools, Cursor MCP)

You browse normally. The extension watches what happens — console logs, network errors, exceptions — and makes that data available to your AI.

Pros:

• Zero interference with your browsing
• Captures real user behavior
• Works on any page you visit

Cons:

• Can’t click buttons or navigate programmatically
• Can’t take screenshots (traditionally — though some add this)

Active Control (Chrome DevTools MCP)

The tool takes control of a Chrome instance via the Chrome DevTools Protocol (Puppeteer). It can navigate, click, screenshot, and inspect.

Pros:

• Full browser automation
• Can reproduce issues programmatically
• Can take screenshots

Cons:

• Requires a separate Chrome instance
• Can’t observe your normal browsing
• Needs Chrome debug port open

Dependencies Matter

For enterprise environments, the dependency footprint matters:

Gasoline’s zero-dependency approach means no node_modules/ folder, no lock file drift, and no supply chain risk. The binary you audit is the binary you run.

Privacy: Where Does Data Go?

Gasoline is the only tool that architecturally guarantees data locality — the server binary rejects non-localhost connections at the TCP level and never makes outbound network calls.

Performance Impact

Gasoline enforces strict SLOs with adaptive sampling for high-frequency events (WebSocket, network bodies).

Feature Comparison

When to Choose What

Choose Gasoline if:

• You want zero dependencies and zero supply chain risk
• Enterprise security policies require local-only data handling
• You need WebSocket monitoring or network body capture
• You want to generate Playwright tests from real sessions
• You use any MCP-compatible tool (not just Cursor)

Choose Chrome DevTools MCP if:

• You need to automate browser actions
• You want screenshot capabilities
• You’re building testing/scraping workflows

Choose BrowserTools MCP if:

• You specifically need Lighthouse audits
• You’re already invested in the Node.js ecosystem

Choose Cursor MCP Extension if:

• You only use Cursor
• You want the simplest possible setup

Getting Started with Gasoline

npx gasoline-mcp

One command. No Node.js runtime. No accounts. Full setup guide →