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Overview

The Start Browser node initializes a browser instance using Playwright. This is typically the first node in any browser automation workflow. It supports multiple browser engines (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit) and offers extensive configuration options including headless mode, viewport settings, and stealth mode.

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Configuration

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headless
boolean
default:"true"
Run browser in headless mode (without UI). Set to false to see the browser window during execution.
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browser
string
default:"chromium"
Browser engine to use.Options:
  • chromium - Google Chrome/Chromium
  • firefox - Mozilla Firefox
  • webkit - Safari/WebKit
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viewportWidth
number
Browser viewport width in pixels. If not specified, uses default viewport size.
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viewportHeight
number
Browser viewport height in pixels. Required if viewportWidth is specified.
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maxWindow
boolean
default:"true"
Maximize the browser window on launch.
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stealthMode
boolean
default:"false"
Enable stealth mode to avoid detection by anti-bot systems. This modifies browser fingerprints and behaviors.
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jsScript
string
JavaScript code to inject into all pages before they load. Useful for modifying page behavior or adding custom functionality.
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capabilities
object
Browser context options passed to browser.newContext(). This allows fine-grained control over browser capabilities.Common options:
  • locale: Set browser locale (e.g., “en-US”)
  • timezoneId: Set timezone (e.g., “America/New_York”)
  • permissions: Grant permissions (e.g., [“geolocation”])
  • userAgent: Custom user agent string
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launchOptions
object
Browser launch options passed to browser.launch(). Controls browser startup behavior.Common options:
  • args: Additional browser arguments (array of strings)
  • executablePath: Custom browser executable path
  • slowMo: Slow down operations by specified milliseconds

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Outputs

The node creates a browser instance and stores it in the execution context. All subsequent browser nodes will use this instance.
  • Browser Context: Stored as default context
  • Page: Initial page is created and set as current page

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Examples

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Basic Browser Launch

{
  "type": "openBrowser",
  "data": {
    "headless": true,
    "browser": "chromium"
  }
}

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Advanced Configuration

{
  "type": "openBrowser",
  "data": {
    "headless": true,
    "browser": "chromium",
    "capabilities": {
      "userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36",
      "locale": "en-US",
      "timezoneId": "America/Los_Angeles"
    }
  }
}

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Notes

The browser instance remains active throughout the workflow execution. Use the Close Browser node or let the workflow complete to close it automatically.
When using stealthMode, some websites may still detect automation. Consider combining it with other techniques like custom user agents and realistic interaction patterns.
The jsScript parameter executes before any page loads, making it useful for overriding navigator properties or injecting global utilities.

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