web-access

Overview of web-access skill

What web-access does

The web-access skill is an installable workflow for networked tasks that go beyond plain text search. It helps an agent decide when to use search, direct page fetching, raw HTML retrieval, or real browser automation through Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP). In practice, web-access is for jobs like reading dynamic pages, working through login-gated flows, extracting data from modern sites, and interacting with web UIs that ordinary prompts cannot reliably handle.

Who should install web-access

This web-access skill is best for users who regularly ask an agent to:

• search and verify live information
• inspect real web pages instead of summaries
• access JavaScript-heavy sites
• perform browser actions such as clicking, navigating, uploading, or form filling
• work on sites where login state or real browser context matters

If your tasks stop at simple public facts, built-in search may be enough. If you need reliable web interaction, web-access for Browser Automation is the stronger fit.

The real job-to-be-done

Most people do not need “a browser skill” in the abstract. They need a repeatable way to get from a vague request like “check this site and extract the latest info” to a method that actually works on the target site. The value of web-access is that it supplies that decision layer: start cheap when possible, escalate to first-party sources, and use CDP only when the page or workflow truly requires a real browser.

What makes web-access different

The main differentiator is not just browser control. It combines:

• a tool-selection strategy
• a local CDP proxy for real Chrome interaction
• environment checks before attempting automation
• reference material for the proxy API
• a hook for site-specific operating patterns

That makes web-access usage more practical than a generic “browse the web” prompt, especially when the target site is dynamic or defensive.

What matters before you adopt it

The main adoption blocker is environment readiness. web-access install is not just adding a skill; you also need a usable local Chrome debugging setup and Node.js available. If you cannot run local scripts or connect to your Chrome instance, you will not get the full value of the skill.

How to Use web-access skill

Install web-access skill

Add the skill to your local skills directory:

npx skills add https://github.com/eze-is/web-access --skill web-access

Then run the dependency check the repository expects:

bash ~/.claude/skills/web-access/scripts/check-deps.sh

This verifies the two things that matter most:

• node is installed, ideally Node.js 22+
• Chrome remote debugging is available

Prepare the browser environment

The repository is explicit that web-access relies on Chrome remote debugging. In Chrome, open:

chrome://inspect/#remote-debugging

Enable Allow remote debugging for this browser instance, then restart Chrome if needed. This is the difference between “the skill is installed” and “the browser automation path actually works.”

Start the CDP proxy when browser control is needed

For tasks that require real browser interaction, start the local proxy:

node ~/.claude/skills/web-access/scripts/cdp-proxy.mjs &

By default, the proxy listens on:

http://localhost:3456

The proxy gives simple HTTP endpoints for tab creation, navigation, evaluation, clicks, and other browser actions. This is the operational core of web-access for Browser Automation.

Know when to use search, fetch, curl, or CDP

A practical web-access guide starts with choosing the lightest tool that can finish the task:

• Use search when you are discovering sources.
• Use page fetch when the URL is known and you want extracted page content.
• Use curl when you need raw HTML, metadata, or embedded structured data.
• Use CDP when the page is dynamic, login-gated, interaction-heavy, or anti-automation-sensitive.

The skill’s real value is knowing when to escalate instead of repeatedly failing with the wrong tool.

What input produces good web-access usage

The skill works better when your request includes:

• the target URL or domain
• the task goal
• what counts as success
• whether login is expected
• the exact fields or evidence you want returned

Weak input:

Check this website.

Stronger input:

Use web-access to open https://example.com/pricing, confirm the current plan names and monthly prices, and return them in a table with the page title and URL as evidence. If the pricing is loaded dynamically, use browser automation.

The stronger version gives the agent a completion target and a fallback path.

Turn a rough goal into a skill-friendly prompt

A reliable prompt pattern is:

1. State the target.
2. State the success criteria.
3. State the preferred evidence.
4. State any constraints.

Example:

Use web-access to inspect the official product page for the latest API pricing. Prefer the official source over summaries. If the page content is JS-rendered or hidden behind interaction, use CDP. Return the exact prices, currency, relevant caveats, and the source URL.

This works because it tells the agent both what to find and how to decide between methods.

Read these repository files first

If you want to understand web-access install and execution quickly, read in this order:

1. SKILL.md
2. scripts/check-deps.sh
3. references/cdp-api.md
4. scripts/cdp-proxy.mjs
5. README.md

Why this order:

• SKILL.md explains the operating philosophy and tool-selection logic.
• check-deps.sh shows the real environment assumptions.
• cdp-api.md tells you what browser actions are actually exposed.
• cdp-proxy.mjs confirms implementation details like port, discovery, and compatibility.
• README.md gives the broader framing.

Use the proxy API directly when needed

The reference file shows practical endpoints such as:

• GET /health
• GET /targets
• GET /new?url=...
• GET /navigate?target=...&url=...
• POST /eval?target=...
• POST /click?target=...
• POST /clickAt?target=...

This matters because the web-access skill is not a black box. If an agent stalls, you can inspect health, list tabs, or evaluate page state directly.

Prefer clickAt for real-user gesture cases

The repository distinguishes between a JS click and a browser-level click:

• click uses el.click()
• clickAt dispatches real mouse events through CDP

That difference matters for file dialogs, upload buttons, and some anti-bot-sensitive interactions. If a normal click appears to do nothing, switching to the browser-level action is one of the highest-value adjustments.

Use site pattern matching if the domain is tricky

There is a helper script:

bash ~/.claude/skills/web-access/scripts/match-site.sh "your task text"

It scans references/site-patterns/ for domain-specific guidance. Even though the folder may be sparse at first, this structure is useful if your work repeats across the same sites. It turns the skill from a one-off tool into an accumulated operating playbook.

A practical workflow for live tasks

A good default workflow for web-access usage is:

1. Clarify the goal and output format.
2. Identify the best first-party source.
3. Try the least expensive retrieval method.
4. Escalate to CDP if rendering, login, or interaction blocks progress.
5. Validate against the success criteria before stopping.

This mirrors the repository’s “goal first, evidence-driven adjustment” approach and reduces wasted retries.

web-access skill FAQ

Is web-access only for browser automation

No. web-access is broader than CDP automation. It covers the decision process for network tasks, including search, extraction, raw HTML inspection, and browser control. The browser path is important, but the skill is most useful when you need to choose the right access method instead of forcing every task into a browser.

When is web-access better than an ordinary prompt

Use the web-access skill when the task depends on live pages, dynamic rendering, interaction, or first-party verification. A normal prompt can describe what you want; web-access adds operational rules, environment checks, and a concrete browser-control path.

Is web-access good for beginners

Yes, if you can follow local setup steps. The skill helps beginners by making escalation paths more explicit. The main challenge is environment setup, not conceptual complexity. If you are comfortable running shell commands and enabling Chrome debugging, it is approachable.

When should I not use web-access

Skip web-access when:

• the answer is static and already known
• built-in search is enough
• you cannot run local Node scripts
• you cannot use a local Chrome instance
• the task does not require network access at all

In those cases, the setup overhead may outweigh the benefit.

Does web-access require Node.js 22

Node.js 22+ is the preferred path because the proxy uses the native WebSocket API there. The repository provides a fallback for older Node versions if the ws module is installed, but the cleanest setup is still Node 22+.

Can web-access handle login-required sites

That is one of the main reasons to install it. Because it works through your real Chrome context, web-access for Browser Automation is suitable for sites where session state matters. The practical limit is whether the site can be accessed through your local browser session and whether the required interaction is exposed through the proxy methods.

How does web-access compare with Playwright-style setups

web-access is lighter and more focused on agent workflows. It does not aim to be a full browser testing framework. Instead, it gives an agent a practical way to control the user’s existing Chrome through a small HTTP proxy and a clear decision model for when to use it.

How to Improve web-access skill

Give web-access clearer success criteria

The biggest quality lever is not more detail everywhere; it is better completion criteria. Tell the skill:

• what page or domain to use
• what exact data to return
• what evidence to include
• when to stop

This reduces drifting, over-browsing, and incomplete extraction.

Start with first-party sources

The repository strongly favors source quality. If search results are noisy, direct the agent toward the official site, account page, documentation page, or original platform post. That single change often improves both correctness and speed.

Escalate faster on dynamic or blocked pages

A common failure mode is spending too long on fetch-like methods when the site clearly needs a real browser. If content is missing, elements are not present, or the site is known to be JS-heavy, instruct web-access to switch to CDP early.

Use stronger field-level extraction requests

Instead of:

Summarize the page.

Ask for:

Use web-access to extract the product name, current price, availability, page title, canonical URL, and any visible shipping restrictions.

Field-level requests improve output structure and make verification easier.

Distinguish interaction intent from reading intent

If your goal is to read, say so. If your goal is to act, say exactly what action is required. The skill behaves better when the prompt separates:

• information retrieval
• navigation
• form input
• clicking or uploading
• post-action verification

That prevents unnecessary browser actions and makes web-access usage more predictable.

Check the proxy health before debugging prompts

If browser actions fail, verify the local stack first:

curl -s http://localhost:3456/health
curl -s http://localhost:3456/targets

This quickly tells you whether the problem is your prompt, the page, or the CDP connection.

Prefer reproducible selectors and explicit page states

For interactive tasks, ask for actions tied to stable cues:

• a URL
• a visible button label
• a form field purpose
• a post-click page change to confirm success

Prompts improve when they specify what should happen after the click, not just the click itself.

Build site knowledge over time

The references/site-patterns/ structure is a practical extension point. If you repeatedly automate the same domains, document known selectors, login quirks, rendering delays, or anti-automation behaviors there. This is one of the best ways to improve the web-access skill for your own workflow rather than treating each task as new.

Iterate after the first attempt, not after five retries

The skill’s philosophy is evidence-based adjustment. If the first approach fails, change the method, not just the wording. Useful iteration questions:

• Did the target source exist?
• Was the content actually rendered?
• Was login required?
• Was the page action a JS click case or a real gesture case?
• Was the requested output too vague?

Short feedback loops improve results more than repeated blind retries.

Read the implementation when a task matters

For high-stakes automation, spend a few minutes in:

• references/cdp-api.md
• scripts/cdp-proxy.mjs
• scripts/check-deps.sh

This gives you real operational confidence: supported endpoints, fallback behavior, default port, and dependency assumptions. That is the kind of information gain that materially improves web-access guide quality and lowers adoption risk.