Mbbrowser + Playwright Automation: Beginner's Guide
If Selenium is the classic veteran and Puppeteer is the lightweight quick-hand, then Playwright is the "next-generation flagship" from Microsoft, combining the strengths of both. Mbbrowser formally supported the Playwright engine in v7.8, allowing you to easily manage thousands of accounts on the most powerful automation framework.
1. What is Mbbrowser Fingerprint Browser? (Recap)
The core value of a fingerprint browser: Giving each account an "undependent digital identity," making it impossible for target platforms to detect that you are managing multiple accounts.
Each Mbbrowser environment is maintained independently:
| Isolation Dimension | Description |
|---|---|
| Browser Fingerprints | Canvas, WebGL, AudioContext, Fonts, Plugins, etc., are all independent and randomized. |
| Proxy IP | Each environment is configured with a different proxy; real IPs are never exposed. |
| Cookie / Storage | Account data is completely isolated; login states are saved permanently. |
| User-Agent | Can simulate any device such as Windows, Mac, or iPhone. |
| TimeZone / Language | Matched with the proxy IP's region to evade timezone detection. |
2. What is Playwright? Why Choose It?
Playwright is an open-source browser automation framework developed by Microsoft, officially released in 2020. It is currently the fastest-growing framework in the frontend automation field.
Core Advantages of Playwright
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-waiting | Built-in smart wait mechanism; no need to manually write sleep before most actions. It automatically waits for elements to be actionable. |
| Locator API | The new Locator API is more stable than traditional selectors, supporting auto-retry and resistance to dynamic content. |
| Network Interception | Intercept, modify, and mock any network request, making it easy to bypass verification or debug interfaces. |
| Official Multi-language Support | Officially maintained bindings exist for JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, and .NET. |
| Multi-tab / Multi-context | Native support for cross-tab operations and context isolation, ideal for multi-account scenarios. |
| Speed | Directly connects to the browser via the CDP protocol; response speed is 30-50% faster than Selenium WebDriver. |
Lateral Comparison of Triple Engines
| Dimension | Puppeteer | Selenium | Playwright (Recommended) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Primarily Node.js | Python/Java/JS, etc. | JS/Python/Java/C#/.NET |
| Connection Method | WebSocket Protocol | debuggerAddress | CDP (ws_endpoint) |
| Auto-waiting | Manual waitForSelector | Limited Explicit Wait | Built-in, enabled by default |
| Network Interception | Basic Support | Almost None | Powerful, supports modifying responses |
| Selector Stability | Medium | Medium | High (Locator auto-retry) |
| Community Activity | High | Extremely High | High & Fast Growing (Microsoft) |
| Mbbrowser Support | ✅ Full Support | ✅ Full Support | ✅ New in v7.8, fully supported |
3. How do Mbbrowser + Playwright Work Together?
Technical Architecture Chain
Your Script (JS / Python / Java)
↓ HTTP Request (Tell Mbbrowser: which environment to open)
Mbbrowser ApiServer (apiserver.exe)
↓ Returns WebSocket Address (ws://127.0.0.1:PORT/devtools/browser/ID)
Playwright chromium.connectOverCDP(ws_endpoint)
↓ "Takes over" Chrome kernel via CDP protocol
Mbbrowser Fingerprint Environment (Fingerprints + Proxy + Cookies all in place)
↓ Sends requests with real fingerprints
Target Website (Perceived as a real user visit)Key Entry Point: connectOverCDP
This is the core method for Mbbrowser + Playwright. Unlike standard Playwright, which starts a new browser process, we use connectOverCDP to take control of an already running Mbbrowser instance:
// Standard Playwright (Starts new browser, no fingerprints) ❌
const browser = await chromium.launch();
// Mbbrowser + Playwright (Takes control of fingerprint environment) ✅
const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP("ws://127.0.0.1:9223/...");4. Multi-language Support
Mbbrowser's official support for Playwright covers three mainstream languages:
JavaScript / TypeScript (Node.js)
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(ws_endpoint);✅ Native support, optimal performance, similar to Puppeteer usage.
Python
from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
with sync_playwright() as p:
browser = p.chromium.connect_over_cdp(ws_endpoint)✅ First choice for Python developers; Mbbrowser handles Python virtual environments automatically.
Java
import com.microsoft.playwright.*;
Browser browser = playwright.chromium().connectOverCDP(ws_endpoint);✅ Directly accessible for enterprise Java developers; Mbbrowser handles driver extraction automatically.
5. Typical Business Scenarios
- 🛍️ Multi-store E-commerce: Manage seller accounts across Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, etc.
- 📱 Social Media Matrix: Auto-post, interact with, and monitor data on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
- 🔐 Auto-Login Maintenance: Periodically log in to keep accounts active.
- 🧪 Bulk Form Submission: Batch registration and survey filling.
- 📊 Data Scraping: Scrape backend data and export reports while logged in.
- 🌐 Network Debugging: Intercept and modify requests to simulate specific scenarios.
TIP
Ready? The next chapter Setup & ApiServer will guide you through installing all necessary environments step-by-step. Choose your language and have your first script running in as little as 10 minutes!