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Anchor MCP Server (Open Source)

Model Context Protocol A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides browser automation capabilities using Anchor Browser’s remote browser service with Playwright. This server enables LLMs to interact with web pages through Anchor’s cloud-based browsers with built-in proxies, stealth features, and advanced capabilities. This is based on the open source repository at browsermcp-com/mcp, which extends Microsoft’s Playwright MCP with Anchor Browser’s cloud infrastructure.
Looking for our hosted MCP service? Check out MCP - Hosted Version for zero-setup integration.

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When to Use Open Source MCP

Choose the open source version when you need:
  • Custom tool modifications - Modify browser automation tools for specific use cases
  • Advanced configuration - Fine-tune browser settings and behaviors
  • Local development - Test MCP integrations during development
  • Compliance requirements - Run MCP server within your infrastructure
  • Integration with existing systems - Connect MCP to your internal tools and workflows

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Key Features

  • Remote Browser Execution: Uses Anchor Browser’s cloud infrastructure instead of local browsers
  • Built-in Proxies: Automatic residential proxy rotation and geo-targeting
  • Stealth & Anti-Detection: Advanced browser fingerprinting and anti-bot detection
  • Fast and lightweight: Uses Playwright’s accessibility tree, not pixel-based input
  • LLM-friendly: No vision models needed, operates purely on structured data
  • Deterministic tool application: Avoids ambiguity common with screenshot-based approaches
  • Customizable: Modify and extend tools for your specific needs

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Requirements

  • Node.js 18 or newer
  • Anchor Browser API Key (Get one here)
  • VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, Goose or any other MCP client

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Getting Started

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1. Clone and Build

Since this is a custom Anchor MCP server, you need to build it locally: 
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/browsermcp-com/mcp.git
cd mcp

# Install dependencies and build
npm install
npm run build

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2. Get Your Anchor API Key

  1. Sign up at anchorbrowser.io
  2. Get your API key from the dashboard
  3. Copy your API key (starts with sk-)

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3. Configure MCP Client

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Cursor

Add to your ~/.cursor/mcp.json: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anchor-browser": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mcp/cli.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANCHOR_API_KEY": "sk-your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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VS Code

Add to your MCP configuration: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anchor-browser": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mcp/cli.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANCHOR_API_KEY": "sk-your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anchor-browser": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mcp/cli.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANCHOR_API_KEY": "sk-your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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4. Restart Your MCP Client

After updating the configuration, restart your MCP client (Cursor, VS Code, etc.) to load the new server.

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Configuration Options

The Anchor MCP server supports essential configuration options: 
node cli.js --help

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Available Options:

  • --host <host> - Host to bind server to (default: localhost, use 0.0.0.0 for all interfaces)
  • --port <port> - Port to listen on for HTTP transport (Docker/server mode)

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Example with Options:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anchor-browser": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/mcp/cli.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ANCHOR_API_KEY": "sk-your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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How It Works

  1. Browser Session Creation: When you use browser tools, the MCP server calls Anchor’s API to create a remote browser session
  2. Remote Connection: Connects to the remote browser via WebSocket using Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP)
  3. Tool Execution: All browser automation happens in Anchor’s cloud infrastructure
  4. Proxy & Stealth: Automatic residential proxy rotation and advanced anti-detection features
  5. Session Management: Each session is isolated and can be viewed live via Anchor’s dashboard

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Production & CI/CD Usage

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Self-Hosted in Production

The open source MCP server can be deployed in production environments:
  • Docker Containers - Run in containerized environments
  • CI/CD Pipelines - Integrate with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI
  • Serverless Functions - Deploy as microservices or serverless functions
  • Kubernetes - Scale horizontally in Kubernetes clusters

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CI/CD Integration Example

# GitHub Actions with self-hosted MCP
name: E2E Testing
on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    services:
      anchor-mcp:
        image: your-registry/anchor-mcp:latest
        env:
          ANCHOR_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.ANCHOR_API_KEY }}
        ports:
          - 8931:8931
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Run AI tests against MCP server
        run: |
          python ai_test_runner.py --mcp-url http://localhost:8931/mcp

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Benefits Over Local Browsers

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🌐 Global Proxy Network

  • Automatic residential proxy rotation
  • Geo-targeting for different regions
  • No proxy configuration needed

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🛡️ Advanced Stealth

  • Browser fingerprinting protection
  • Anti-bot detection bypass
  • Real browser environments

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☁️ Cloud Infrastructure

  • No local browser dependencies
  • Consistent browser versions
  • Scalable execution

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📊 Monitoring & Debugging

  • Live view of browser sessions
  • Session recordings and traces
  • Network request logging