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If you are already familiar with browser vendors and are looking to quickly switch to Kernel browsers, follow the instructions here.

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Getting started

This quickstart guide will help you deploy and invoke your first browser automation on Kernel. You’ll create a simple automation using Playwright, Computer Use, or a web agent framework like Browser Use.

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Prerequisites

Note: You can also deploy and invoke apps using the Kernel MCP server from AI assistants (Cursor, Goose, Claude, etc.).

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1. Install the Kernel CLI

# Using brew
brew install onkernel/tap/kernel

# Using pnpm
pnpm install -g @onkernel/cli

# Using npm
npm install -g @onkernel/cli
Verify the installation exists: 
which kernel

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2. Create a new Kernel app

kernel create

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3. Authenticate with Kernel

The easiest way to authenticate is using OAuth: 
kernel login
This will open your browser to complete the authentication flow. Your credentials will be securely stored and automatically refreshed.

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4. Deploy the sample app on Kernel

cd sample-app
kernel deploy index.ts # --env ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=XXX if Stagehand or Computer Use

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5. Invoke the app

# Sample app
kernel invoke ts-basic get-page-title --payload '{"url": "https://www.google.com"}'

# Stagehand
kernel invoke ts-stagehand stagehand-task --payload '{"query": "Best wired earbuds"}'

# Computer Use
kernel invoke ts-cu cu-task --payload '{"query": "Search for the top 3 restaurants in NYC according to Pete Wells"}'

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Next steps

Nice work! With Kernel, you:
  1. Developed an app that uses Playwright, Computer Use, or a web agent framework like Browser Use
  2. Deployed and invoked it in the cloud
You can now update your browser automation with your own logic and deploy it again. Install our MCP server to give your coding agent our search_docs tool.

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Sample apps reference

These are the sample apps currently available when you run kernel create:
TemplateDescriptionFrameworkParams
sample-appReturns the page title of a specified URLPlaywright{ url }
browser-useCompletes a specified taskBrowser Use{ task }
stagehandReturns the first result of a specified Google searchStagehand{ query }
advanced-sampleImplements sample apps using advanced Kernel configsPlaywrightn/a
computer-useImplements an Anthropic Computer Use prompt loopAnthropic Computer Use API{ query }
cuaImplements an OpenAI CUA prompt loopOpenAI CUA API{ task }
gemini-cuaImplements a Gemini Computer Use prompt loopGemini Computer Use API{ task }
magnitudeImplements the Magnitude.run SDKMagnitude.runn/a