gstack/skills/qa/references/legacy/open-gstack-browser.md

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<!-- GSTACK2_ROUTING replacement=$qa --mode Report --module open-gstack-browser visibility=internal depth=standard mutation=configuration web=local-browser -->

<!-- GSTACK2_LEGACY_BODY_START source=open-gstack-browser -->
## Host-neutral runtime bindings

These assignments select stable paths only; they do not install anything or grant consent:

```bash
GSTACK_HOME="${GSTACK_HOME:-$HOME/.gstack}"
GSTACK_ROOT="$GSTACK_HOME"
GSTACK_STATE_ROOT="$GSTACK_HOME"
GSTACK_BIN="$GSTACK_HOME/bin"
BUN_CMD="$GSTACK_BIN/bun"
B="$GSTACK_BIN/browse"
D="$GSTACK_BIN/gstack-design"
P="$GSTACK_BIN/make-pdf"
```
## Visible-browser point-of-use gate

This workflow may require internal `browser-visible` because it reaches a headed browser, extension, interactive cookie picker, or browser handoff. Do not offer visible Chromium during ordinary headless QA.

At the first actual visible-browser step, run the local-only `node references/support/runtime-bootstrap.mjs options --capability browser-visible`, explain that this extension-bearing flow requires managed Chromium because installed Chrome-family builds can block automation extension loading, and ask whether the user wants to check exact official sizes. Disclose that an uncached preview makes one public GitHub signed-manifest request and sends no repository/private data, then STOP. Only after approval run `node references/support/runtime-bootstrap.mjs preview --capability browser-visible --browser managed`. It expands to `core + browser-code + browser-visible` for a first install, but an existing verified headless runtime downloads only missing `browser-visible`; it never requires `browser-headless`. Show the exact missing components and summed incremental compressed bytes, then STOP again for separate install approval. Only after install approval run `node references/support/runtime-bootstrap.mjs install --capability browser-visible --browser managed --yes`, recheck readiness, and resume the interrupted step.

# $qa --mode Report --module open-gstack-browser — Launch GStack Browser

Launch GStack Browser — AI-controlled Chromium with the sidebar extension,
anti-bot stealth, and custom branding. You see every action in real time.

## SETUP (run this check BEFORE any browse command)

```bash
_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)
B=""
[ -n "$_ROOT" ] && [ -x "$GSTACK_BIN/browse" ] && B="$GSTACK_BIN/browse"
[ -z "$B" ] && B="${GSTACK_HOME:-$HOME/.gstack}/bin/browse"
if [ -x "$B" ]; then
  echo "READY: $B"
else
  echo "NEEDS_SETUP"
fi
```

If `NEEDS_SETUP`:
1. Tell the user: "The optional managed headless browser capability is missing. Do you want to preview its exact dependency-closed component plan and compressed bytes now?" Then STOP and wait.
2. Read `references/RUNTIME.md` and follow its explicit capability bootstrap. Never assume a standard-installed skill directory contains `./setup`.
3. The approved managed runtime includes its own pinned Bun at `$GSTACK_BIN/bun`; never download or install another Bun from a skill workflow.

## Step 0: Pre-flight cleanup

Before connecting, kill any stale browse servers and clean up lock files that
may have persisted from a crash. This prevents "already connected" false
positives and Chromium profile lock conflicts.

```bash
# Kill any existing browse server
if [ -f "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)/.gstack/browse.json" ]; then
  _OLD_PID=$(cat "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/.gstack/browse.json" 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"pid":[0-9]*' | grep -o '[0-9]*')
  [ -n "$_OLD_PID" ] && kill "$_OLD_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
  sleep 1
  [ -n "$_OLD_PID" ] && kill -9 "$_OLD_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
  rm -f "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/.gstack/browse.json"
fi
# Clean Chromium profile locks (can persist after crashes)
_PROFILE_DIR="${GSTACK_HOME:-$HOME/.gstack}/chromium-profile"
for _LF in SingletonLock SingletonSocket SingletonCookie; do
  rm -f "$_PROFILE_DIR/$_LF" 2>/dev/null || true
done
echo "Pre-flight cleanup done"
```

## Step 1: Connect

```bash
$B connect
```

This launches GStack Browser (rebranded Chromium) in headed mode with:
- A visible window you can watch (not your regular Chrome — it stays untouched)
- The gstack sidebar extension auto-loaded via `launchPersistentContext`
- Anti-bot stealth patches (sites like Google and NYTimes work without captchas)
- Custom user agent and GStack Browser branding in Dock/menu bar
- A sidebar agent process for chat commands

The `connect` command auto-discovers the extension from the gstack install
directory. It always uses port **34567** so the extension can auto-connect.

After connecting, print the full output to the user. Confirm you see
`Mode: headed` in the output.

If the output shows an error or the mode is not `headed`, run `$B status` and
share the output with the user before proceeding.

## Step 2: Verify

```bash
$B status
```

Confirm the output shows `Mode: headed`. Read the port from the state file:

```bash
cat "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)/.gstack/browse.json" 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"port":[0-9]*' | grep -o '[0-9]*'
```

The port should be **34567**. If it's different, note it — the user may need it
for the Side Panel.

Also find the extension path so you can help the user if they need to load it manually:

```bash
_EXT_PATH=$($GSTACK_BIN/gstack runtime path extension 2>/dev/null || true)
echo "EXTENSION_PATH: ${_EXT_PATH:-NOT FOUND}"
```

## Step 3: Guide the user to the Side Panel

Use AskUserQuestion:

> Chrome is launched with gstack control. You should see Playwright's Chromium
> (not your regular Chrome) with a golden shimmer line at the top of the page.
>
> The Side Panel extension should be auto-loaded. To open it:
> 1. Look for the **puzzle piece icon** (Extensions) in the toolbar — it may
>    already show the gstack icon if the extension loaded successfully
> 2. Click the **puzzle piece** → find **gstack browse** → click the **pin icon**
> 3. Click the pinned **gstack icon** in the toolbar
> 4. The Side Panel should open on the right showing a live activity feed
>
> **Port:** 34567 (auto-detected — the extension connects automatically in the
> Playwright-controlled Chrome).

Options:
- A) I can see the Side Panel — let's go!
- B) I can see Chrome but can't find the extension
- C) Something went wrong

If B: Tell the user:

> The extension is loaded into Playwright's Chromium at launch time, but
> sometimes it doesn't appear immediately. Try these steps:
>
> 1. Type `chrome://extensions` in the address bar
> 2. Look for **"gstack browse"** — it should be listed and enabled
> 3. If it's there but not pinned, go back to any page, click the puzzle piece
>    icon, and pin it
> 4. If it's NOT listed at all, click **"Load unpacked"** and navigate to:
>    - Press **Cmd+Shift+G** in the file picker dialog
>    - Paste this path: `{EXTENSION_PATH}` (use the path from Step 2)
>    - Click **Select**
>
> After loading, pin it and click the icon to open the Side Panel.
>
> If the Side Panel badge stays gray (disconnected), click the gstack icon
> and enter port **34567** manually.

If C:

1. Run `$B status` and show the output
2. If the server is not healthy, re-run Step 0 cleanup + Step 1 connect
3. If the server IS healthy but the browser isn't visible, try `$B focus`
4. If that fails, ask the user what they see (error message, blank screen, etc.)

## Step 4: Demo

After the user confirms the Side Panel is working, run a quick demo:

```bash
$B goto https://news.ycombinator.com
```

Wait 2 seconds, then:

```bash
$B snapshot -i
```

Tell the user: "Check the Side Panel — you should see the `goto` and `snapshot`
commands appear in the activity feed. Every command Claude runs shows up here
in real time."

## Step 5: Sidebar chat

After the activity feed demo, tell the user about the sidebar chat:

> The Side Panel also has a **chat tab**. Try typing a message like "take a
> snapshot and describe this page." A sidebar agent (a child Claude instance)
> executes your request in the browser — you'll see the commands appear in
> the activity feed as they happen.
>
> The sidebar agent can navigate pages, click buttons, fill forms, and read
> content. Each task gets up to 5 minutes. It runs in an isolated session, so
> it won't interfere with this Claude Code window.

## Step 6: What's next

Tell the user:

> You're all set! Here's what you can do with the connected Chrome:
>
> **Watch Claude work in real time:**
> - Run any gstack skill (`/qa`, `$design --mode Implement --module design-review`, `$qa --mode Report --module benchmark`) and watch
>   every action happen in the visible Chrome window + Side Panel feed
> - No cookie import needed — the Playwright browser shares its own session
>
> **Control the browser directly:**
> - **Sidebar chat** — type natural language in the Side Panel and the sidebar
>   agent executes it (e.g., "fill in the login form and submit")
> - **Browse commands** — `$B goto <url>`, `$B click <sel>`, `$B fill <sel> <val>`,
>   `$B snapshot -i` — all visible in Chrome + Side Panel
>
> **Window management:**
> - `$B focus` — bring Chrome to the foreground anytime
> - `$B disconnect` — close headed Chrome and return to headless mode
>
> **What skills look like in headed mode:**
> - `/qa` runs its full test suite in the visible browser — you see every page
>   load, every click, every assertion
> - `$design --mode Implement --module design-review` takes screenshots in the real browser — same pixels you see
> - `$qa --mode Report --module benchmark` measures performance in the headed browser

Then proceed with whatever the user asked to do. If they didn't specify a task,
ask what they'd like to test or browse.
<!-- GSTACK2_LEGACY_BODY_END source=open-gstack-browser -->

<!-- GSTACK2_BUG_FIX_START pr=679 anchor=GSTACK2_FIX_679_MATCH_USER_LANGUAGE -->
## Upstream judgment port: PR #679

[Match the user language](https://github.com/garrytan/gstack/pull/679)

### User-language rule

Write questions, progress updates, reports, and artifacts in the language used by the user. Source material, code identifiers, commands, and quotations may remain in their original language when translating them would reduce accuracy.
<!-- GSTACK2_BUG_FIX_END pr=679 -->