steel_scrape
Read a budgeted page plus bounded links and metadata. Starts no browser session
LABSCO SUMMARY
Read first, and open a browser only when the page needs one.
Most questions about a page end at steel_scrape, which starts no billed session; a session opens only to interact, and is released when the task is done. Once it is open, the agent aims at elements by reference rather than by pixels, and at a login, CAPTCHA or payment it hands the browser to you.
What it is
Steel's own MCP server, version 3.0.0: a cloud Chrome run by Steel that an agent reads, clicks and types in. Pages come back as an accessibility tree with element references rather than as pixels, and a person can take over the same browser for a login, a CAPTCHA, a payment or a local file.
What you get
- Page reads that start no billed browser session, returning the page within a size budget plus its links and metadata —
steel_scrape - Screenshots and PDFs of a URL, also without a session —
steel_screenshot,steel_pdf - Pages read as an accessibility tree with
@eNreferences (steel_snapshot,steel_find), andsteel_actto click, type, fill, select, hover, scroll and dismiss overlays by reference - Actions that report what changed — whether the page navigated, the DOM changed or focus moved — and say so when nothing did
- A handoff that gives you the same browser for a login, CAPTCHA, payment or file upload, triggered automatically at login walls —
steel_session_handoff - Known reversible steps run in one call, stopping for you before a login, a payment or a final confirmation —
steel_batch - A released session's activity read back without starting a new browser —
steel_session_diagnostics
Requirements
A Steel API key from app.steel.dev — the free tier is enough to try it — and Node.js 20 or newer for the npx routes; the Claude Desktop bundle needs no Node. Against a self-hosted steel-browser, set STEEL_LOCAL=true instead: no key, one session at a time, and no managed proxies, profiles or CAPTCHA solving.
Setup effort
Add the configuration to your client
USE CASES
01
Reading a page that blocks a plain fetch
Read it in a real browser without opening a session, so there is nothing to release and no session billed.
02
Filling in a form
Start a session, read the page as an accessibility tree, and click, type and fill by the element references it returns.
03
Getting past a login or a CAPTCHA
Take over the same browser for the sign-in, then hand it back; the server never guesses a password.
04
Capturing a page for someone else
Screenshot a URL or render it to PDF, again without starting a session.
05
Running a known sequence in one call
Batch reversible steps together; the run stops for you before a login, a payment or a final confirmation.
06
Working out what happened in a session
Read the latest released session's activity without starting a new browser.
16 tools
Listed in project docs. Your client may show a different list.
steel_screenshot
Capture a URL for a person, or a live session for a visual check; URL captures support proxies
steel_pdf
Render a page to PDF and return a link; supports proxies
steel_session_create
Start a browser session you can interact with
steel_session_release
Shut it down and stop the meter
steel_navigate
Point a session at a URL
steel_snapshot
Read the page as an accessibility tree with @eN references
steel_find
Locate elements by text, safe regex, or role without reading the whole page
steel_act
Click, type, fill a form, select, hover, scroll, press a key, go back, dismiss overlays
steel_wait_for
Wait for named text, a selector, or a URL
steel_session_diagnostics
Read a session's activity, or rediscover this credential's live handles, without starting a browser
steel_session_handoff
Pause while a person takes exclusive control of the same browser, then return it to the agent
steel_session_replay
On an explicit request, return a finished session's Steel dashboard link
steel_batch
Run known reversible steps in one call; hands off before login, payment, or final confirmation
steel_session_options
Plan a non-default session and discover saved profile IDs or managed-login namespaces
steel_session_live_view
Feeds the inline viewer its connection details. Hosts hide it from the model
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
16 tools named in the project's documentation. Sixteen is the default browse profile. Setting STEEL_PROFILE=scrape leaves only steel_scrape, steel_screenshot and steel_pdf, none of which starts a browser session. steel_session_live_view only feeds the inline browser viewer, and hosts that show that viewer hide it from the model.
Requires
- Node.js >= 20 (for the npx routes)
- STEEL_API_KEY in the client entry, or STEEL_LOCAL=true with a self-hosted steel-browser
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
MCP Clients
Claude Desktop
Download steel-mcp-2.0.1.mcpb from https://github.com/steel-dev/steel-mcp-server/releases/latest and open it.
Claude installs it and asks for your Steel API key. No Node install is needed.
When you update an installed bundle, quit and reopen Claude after the installer finishes, then start a new conversation so Claude reads the new tool catalog.
The bundle on the Releases page is version 2.0.1; the npx routes on the other tabs build the current source (3.0.0), so the two can offer slightly different tools.
Claude Code
CLAUDE CODE · TERMINAL
claude mcp add steel -e STEEL_API_KEY=<YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY> -- npx -y github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-serverCursor
CURSOR · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"steel": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"STEEL_API_KEY": "<YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}The first run clones and builds the server, which takes about a minute; later runs start at once. <YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY> is a key from https://app.steel.dev/settings/api-keys. To drive a self-hosted steel-browser instead, set STEEL_LOCAL to "true" and leave the key out: no key is needed or sent, one browser session runs at a time, and managed proxies, profiles and CAPTCHA solving are not available.
VS Code
VS CODE · JSON
{
"servers": {
"steel": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"STEEL_API_KEY": "<YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}The first run clones and builds the server, which takes about a minute; later runs start at once. <YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY> is a key from https://app.steel.dev/settings/api-keys. To drive a self-hosted steel-browser instead, set STEEL_LOCAL to "true" and leave the key out: no key is needed or sent, one browser session runs at a time, and managed proxies, profiles and CAPTCHA solving are not available.
Any MCP client
ANY MCP CLIENT · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"steel": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"STEEL_API_KEY": "<YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}<YOUR_STEEL_API_KEY> is a key from https://app.steel.dev/settings/api-keys. To drive a self-hosted steel-browser instead, set STEEL_LOCAL to "true" and leave the key out: no key is needed or sent, one browser session runs at a time, and managed proxies, profiles and CAPTCHA solving are not available.
