The Playwright MCP runs as a **local stdio server** with browser automation capabilities: - **Local Execution**: Browsers run on your machine with full access to your system's browser context - **Cookie & Session Access**: The automated browser can access cookies and sessions like a normal browser - **Code Execution**: The MCP can execute JavaScript in browser contexts - **File Access**: Screenshot and PDF features write files to your filesystem **Security best practices**: Avoid automating sensitive sites with stored credentials, be cautious with the JavaScript evaluation tool, and consider using isolated browser profiles for automation tasks.

Getting started with Playwright MCP: 1. **Add the server**: Configure your AI client with `npx @playwright/mcp@latest` 2. **Install browsers**: If prompted, run the browser installation tool to download required browsers 3. **Start automating**: Ask your AI to navigate to websites, fill forms, or take screenshots **Pro tip**: Use `browser_snapshot` instead of screenshots—it captures the accessibility tree which the AI can interpret much more reliably than images, making interactions faster and more accurate.