# browser_snapshot

A read tool on the Playwright MCP MCP server.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `browser_snapshot`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-snapshot

## Facts

- Tool: `browser_snapshot`
- Server: Playwright MCP (`alialobidm/playwright-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/alialobidm/playwright-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "browser_snapshot",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why browser_snapshot is rated Low

The tool name and server context indicate this retrieves a snapshot of the current browser state (DOM, accessibility tree, etc.) for inspection purposes. This is a read operation with no side effects—it observes page state without modifying, executing, or deleting anything. Blast radius is minimal since misuse only exposes information already accessible within the browser context.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'browser_snapshot' combined with server description stating it provides 'accessibility snapshots' indicates a retrieval operation that captures page state without modification."

## Use case

AI agents call browser_snapshot to retrieve information from Playwright MCP without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Playwright MCP:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "browser_snapshot": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Playwright MCP (58)

- `browser_cookie_clear` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-cookie-clear.md
- `browser_cookie_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-cookie-delete.md
- `browser_localstorage_clear` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-localstorage-clear.md
- `browser_localstorage_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-localstorage-delete.md
- `browser_sessionstorage_clear` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-sessionstorage-clear.md
- `browser_sessionstorage_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-sessionstorage-delete.md
- `browser_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-click.md
- `browser_close` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-close.md
- `browser_drag` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-drag.md
- `browser_evaluate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-evaluate.md
- `browser_file_upload` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-file-upload.md
- `browser_fill_form` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-fill-form.md
- `browser_handle_dialog` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-handle-dialog.md
- `browser_hover` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-hover.md
- `browser_install` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-install.md
- `browser_mouse_click_xy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-click-xy.md
- `browser_mouse_down` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-down.md
- `browser_mouse_drag_xy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-drag-xy.md
- `browser_mouse_move_xy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-move-xy.md
- `browser_mouse_up` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-up.md
- `browser_mouse_wheel` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-mouse-wheel.md
- `browser_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-navigate.md
- `browser_navigate_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-navigate-back.md
- `browser_press_key` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-press-key.md
- `browser_resize` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-resize.md
- `browser_route` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-route.md
- `browser_run_code` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-run-code.md
- `browser_select_option` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-select-option.md
- `browser_start_tracing` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-start-tracing.md
- `browser_start_video` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp/browser-start-video.md
- …and 28 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/alialobidm-playwright-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=alialobidm-playwright-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/alialobidm-playwright-mcp