connect-chrome

To launch a headed Chrome browser for live QA, the session opens a visible Chromium window with a fixed control port and auto-loads the Side Panel extension for real-time observation of clicks and page state changes.

Yes, you can monitor browser automation in real time because the environment runs a visible, headed Chromium session, allowing you to visually inspect page navigation and extension-assisted workflows as they execute.

This setup supports running Playwright tasks in a visible browser by providing a headed Chromium session with persistent browser state and a fixed control port, ensuring actions are easy to observe rather than running headless.

To fix a stale Chrome session or crashed browser lock, the connection process includes explicit verification of the browser mode and port, alongside automated cleanup steps to clear stale locks and recover crashed sessions.

You should avoid using a headed browser session when running fully automated background pipelines where visual observation is unnecessary, as this environment specifically targets live demos, manual inspection, and debugging tasks.

Yes, the setup requires the gstack Side Panel extension, which is automatically loaded into the persistent browser state to coordinate and monitor browser actions in real time.