Overview

Anchor Browser provides built-in session recording that allows you to capture and review browser sessions. This feature is invaluable for debugging automation workflows, analyzing user behavior, and creating documentation.

How It Works

Anchor Browser automatically records browser sessions and creates an MP4 video file that captures the complete visual experience. Recordings are accessible both through our API and the web UI (see below).

Show SDK Usage

SDK Usage

Record a Session

Recording is enabled by default when creating a session. Start a session using the SDK, you can enable recording by setting: recording -> active -> true in the request body.

import { client, Sessions } from 'anchorbrowser';

(async () => {
  client.setConfig({ auth: () => process.env.ANCHOR_API_KEY });
  
  const response = await Sessions.createSession({
    body: {
      session: {
        recording: {
          active: true   // Enable recording (default)
        }
      }
    }
  });
  
  const sessionId = response.data.id
  console.log("Session created:", response.data);
})().catch(console.error);

import os
from anchorbrowser import Anchorbrowser

anchor_client = Anchorbrowser(api_key=os.getenv("ANCHOR_API_KEY"))

response = anchor_client.sessions.create_session(
    session={
        "recording": {
            "active": True  # Enable recording (default)
        }
    }
)

session_id = response.data.id
print("Session created:", session_id)

Get Session Recordings

Retrieve recordings for a specific session:

import { client, Recordings } from 'anchorbrowser';

(async () => {
  client.setConfig({ auth: () => process.env.ANCHOR_API_KEY });
  
  const recordings = await Recordings.listRecordings({
    path: { session_id: sessionId }
  });
  console.log("Recordings:", recordings.data);
})().catch(console.error);

import os
from anchorbrowser import Anchorbrowser

anchor_client = Anchorbrowser(api_key=os.getenv("ANCHOR_API_KEY"))

recordings = anchor_client.recordings.list_recordings(session_id)
print("Recordings:", recordings.data)

Download Recording

Download a specific recording file:

  import { client, Recordings } from 'anchorbrowser';
  import { writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
  
  (async () => {
    client.setConfig({ auth: () => process.env.ANCHOR_API_KEY });
    // const sessionId = 'your-session-id'; // Replace with actual session ID
    
    const recording = await Recordings.fetchPrimaryRecording({
      path: { session_id: sessionId }
    });
    
    // Save to file
    const buffer = await recording.arrayBuffer();
    await writeFile(`recording-${sessionId}.mp4`, Buffer.from(buffer));
    
    console.log(`Recording saved as recording-${sessionId}.mp4`);
  })().catch(console.error);

  import os
  from anchorbrowser import Anchorbrowser

  anchor_client = Anchorbrowser(api_key=os.getenv("ANCHOR_API_KEY"))
  session_id = "your-session-id"  # Replace with actual session ID

  recording = anchor_client.recordings.fetch_primary_recording(session_id)

  # Save to file
  with open(f"recording-{session_id}.mp4", "wb") as f:
      for chunk in recording.iter_bytes(chunk_size=8192):
          f.write(chunk)

  print(f"Recording saved as recording-{session_id}.mp4")

Delete Recording

Delete a specific recording from a session. Use "primary" as the recording ID to delete the primary recording.

import { client, Recordings } from 'anchorbrowser';

(async () => {
  client.setConfig({ auth: () => process.env.ANCHOR_API_KEY });
  const sessionId = 'your-session-id'; // Replace with actual session ID
  const recordingId = 'primary'; // Or use a specific recording ID

  const response = await Recordings.deleteRecording({
    path: { session_id: sessionId, recording_id: recordingId }
  });
  console.log("Recording deleted:", response.data);
})().catch(console.error);

import os
from anchorbrowser import Anchorbrowser

anchor_client = Anchorbrowser(api_key=os.getenv("ANCHOR_API_KEY"))
session_id = "your-session-id"  # Replace with actual session ID
recording_id = "primary"  # Or use a specific recording ID

response = anchor_client.recordings.delete_recording(session_id, recording_id)
print("Recording deleted:", response.data)

Show Web UI Usage

Web UI Usage

Create a Session

In order to create a session through the UI with recording enabled use the playground, it will be recorded by default.

Starting a session to be recorded in the playground

Session Recordings

The Session History dashboard shows all sessions. Each session has a link to its recording.

If a session is still running, the link in the session history page will take you to the session’s live view instead of the recording. Once the session ends, the link will point to the recording.

Session history dashboard showing list of sessions

Recording Playback

When you click on a session recording, the playback interface will be opened. You can use it to view the recording, navigate through it, and download it as MP4 file.

Introduction

Platform

Integrations

Account

Session Recording

Overview

How It Works

SDK Usage

Record a Session

Get Session Recordings

Download Recording

Delete Recording

Web UI Usage

Create a Session

Session Recordings

Recording Playback