opentabs-dev/opentabs

Browser automation clicks buttons. OpenTabs calls APIs.

OpenTabs – Let an AI use the web like you do

What it is – OpenTabs is a developer‑focused toolkit that lets large‑language‑model (LLM) agents call real web services (Slack, Discord, GitHub, Stripe, etc.) through your own authenticated browser session. It does this without needing API keys or OAuth flows; the browser extension forwards the AI’s requests over a local server, re‑using the cookies and tokens you already have.

How it works

  1. Install the @opentabs-dev/cli npm package and load the companion Chrome extension.
  2. Connect – the extension creates a bridge between the browser and a local MCP‑compatible server.
  3. Use – an LLM (or any MCP client) can invoke web‑API calls, click, type, take screenshots, or capture network traffic as if it were a human user.

Key features

  • 100+ ready‑made plugins (≈2 000 tools) for popular services such as Discord, Slack, GitHub, Notion, AWS, Stripe, etc. Install a plugin with a single CLI command and start using it instantly.
  • Built‑in browser tools – screenshots, element clicking, typing, and network capture work on any tab without extra plugins.
  • Plugin development – scaffold a new plugin in one command, publish it to npm, and any AI can load it. The system can also auto‑discover APIs from a website and generate a plugin.
  • Security model – tools are disabled by default; each plugin can be set to Off, Ask (confirm via dialog), or Auto. Updates reset permissions, and the AI must review plugin source before enabling.
  • Local‑only execution – all code runs on your machine; no cloud service is required. An optional anonymous telemetry feed can be opted out of.
  • MCP compatibility – works with any Model Context Protocol client, with a fallback CLI‑only mode for headless use.

Typical use cases

  • Automating workflows for LLM agents that need to post messages, create tickets, or upload files on services you’re already logged into.
  • Building custom AI assistants that can interact with internal tools without exposing secrets.
  • Rapid prototyping of AI‑driven bots that require real‑time web interaction (e.g., posting to Discord, filing GitHub issues).

Getting started

# Install the CLI globally
npm install -g @opentabs-dev/cli

# Start the local server and bridge
opentabs start

Then load the unpacked extension from ~/.opentabs/extension in Chrome’s Developer mode. Install a plugin, for example:

opentabs plugin install discord

The AI can now call Discord’s API using the session you’re already logged into.

Security & privacy

  • No API keys are stored; the AI uses the authenticated browser cookies.
  • Each plugin must be explicitly enabled; the AI reviews the source code before activation.
  • Permissions are version‑aware and reset on updates.
  • All operations run locally; an audit log is kept, and telemetry is optional.

Contributing – The repo includes typical Node.js scripts (npm run dev, npm run check). Documentation, quick‑start guides, and plugin SDK references are hosted at https://opentabs.dev/docs.

OpenTabs is MIT‑licensed and not affiliated with any third‑party services.