# PinchTab

> Lightweight Go binary exposing an HTTP API to control Chrome browsers

PinchTab is a lightweight Go binary and orchestrator that lets AI agents and scripts control Chrome through a standard HTTP API. Instead of sending heavy screenshots to multimodal models, it extracts the accessibility tree to cut token usage significantly while offering stealth injection to bypass bot detection. It operates with zero configuration and includes a built-in real-time dashboard for managing multiple browser instances.

Website: https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab

Also at: https://opensourceprojects.dev/post/e7415816-a348-4936-b8bd-0c651c4ab2d8

## What it is for

- Equip AI agents with lightweight browser automation tools via standard HTTP requests
- Scrape JavaScript-rendered web pages while bypassing common anti-bot protections
- Reduce LLM token consumption by extracting accessibility trees rather than raw screenshots
- Orchestrate multiple headless Chrome sessions across persistent user profiles

## Features

- Standalone lightweight (~12MB) single binary written in Go
- RESTful HTTP API for navigation, typing, clicking, and DOM inspection
- Token-efficient page representation using browser accessibility trees
- Advanced stealth injection for avoiding bot detection mechanisms
- Built-in web dashboard for real-time monitoring and instance control
- Dual runtime support for full orchestration server or single-instance bridge
- Session and profile persistence across restarts

## Pricing

Open source. Free and open-source under the MIT license

## Details

- Type: GitHub repo
- Category: [Development](https://xiry.app/topics/development.md)
- Topic: [Browser Automation](https://xiry.app/topics/development/browser-automation.md)
- Open source: yes
- Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows, Command line, API, Self-hosted
- For: Developers building AI agents, web scrapers, and automated browser workflows
- Alternative to: Puppeteer, Playwright, Browserbase, Stagehand
- Tags: browser automation, ai agents, chrome, golang, cdp, scraping, stealth

## Why it was saved

- [@GithubProjects, 1 March 2026](https://x.com/GithubProjects/status/2027906735248494804): Gives any agent or script real browser control with a tiny 12MB footprint and no setup.
- [@simplifyinAI, 9 March 2026](https://x.com/simplifyinAI/status/2030963191753138491): Any AI agent in Python, TypeScript or Go can control Chrome by sending plain HTTP requests — PinchTab clicks, types and navigates. It manages Chrome instances, bypasses bot detection, and reduces token usage ~13x by parsing the accessibility tree instead of taking screenshots.

## Compare

- [Alternatives to Puppeteer](https://xiry.app/alternatives/puppeteer.md)
- [Alternatives to Playwright](https://xiry.app/alternatives/playwright.md)
- [Alternatives to Browserbase](https://xiry.app/alternatives/browserbase.md)
- [Alternatives to Stagehand](https://xiry.app/alternatives/stagehand.md)

## Related

- [agent-browser](https://xiry.app/resources/agent-browser): Browser automation CLI and engine purpose-built for AI agents (GitHub repo, Open source)
- [Browser Use Cloud](https://xiry.app/resources/browser-use-cloud): Cloud-hosted stealth browser infrastructure and execution platform for AI agents. (Web app, Freemium)
- [Hyperbrowser App Examples](https://xiry.app/resources/hyperbrowser-app-examples): Open-source web apps and AI browser tools built with Hyperbrowser (GitHub repo, Open source)
- [agent-browser Environments](https://xiry.app/resources/agent-browser-environments): Run browser automation agents inside on-demand isolated sandbox environments (Web app, Free)
- [autobrowse](https://xiry.app/resources/autobrowse): Self-improving browser automation skill for AI coding agents (GitHub repo, Open source)
- [Autotab](https://xiry.app/resources/autotab): AI computer-use agent that learns and automates browser tasks by demonstration (Web app, Freemium)

Updated 11 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/pinchtab-2375

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