This section will guide you through setting up and running the Computer Use Preview model, either the Gemini Developer API or Vertex AI. Follow these steps to get started.
Clone the Repository
git clone https://github.com/google/computer-use-preview.git
cd computer-use-previewSet up Python Virtual Environment and Install Dependencies
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txtInstall Playwright and Browser Dependencies
# Install system dependencies required by Playwright for Chrome
playwright install-deps chrome
# Install the Chrome browser for Playwright
playwright install chromeYou can get started using either the Gemini Developer API or Vertex AI.
You need a Gemini API key to use the agent:
export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY"Or to add this to your virtual environment:
echo 'export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY"' >> .venv/bin/activate
# After editing, you'll need to deactivate and reactivate your virtual
# environment if it's already active:
deactivate
source .venv/bin/activateReplace YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY with your actual key.
You need to explicitly use Vertex AI, then provide project and location to use the agent:
export USE_VERTEXAI=true
export VERTEXAI_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
export VERTEXAI_LOCATION="YOUR_LOCATION"Or to add this to your virtual environment:
echo 'export USE_VERTEXAI=true' >> .venv/bin/activate
echo 'export VERTEXAI_PROJECT="your-project-id"' >> .venv/bin/activate
echo 'export VERTEXAI_LOCATION="your-location"' >> .venv/bin/activate
# After editing, you'll need to deactivate and reactivate your virtual
# environment if it's already active:
deactivate
source .venv/bin/activateReplace YOUR_PROJECT_ID and YOUR_LOCATION with your actual project and location.
The primary way to use the tool is via the main.py script.
General Command Structure:
python main.py --query "Go to Google and type 'Hello World' into the search bar"Available Environments:
You can specify a particular environment with the --env <environment> flag. Available options:
playwright: Runs the browser locally using Playwright.browserbase: Connects to a Browserbase instance.
Local Playwright
Runs the agent using a Chrome browser instance controlled locally by Playwright.
python main.py --query="Go to Google and type 'Hello World' into the search bar" --env="playwright"You can also specify an initial URL for the Playwright environment:
python main.py --query="Go to Google and type 'Hello World' into the search bar" --env="playwright" --initial_url="https://www.google.com/search?q=latest+AI+news"Browserbase
Runs the agent using Browserbase as the browser backend. Ensure the proper Browserbase environment variables are set:BROWSERBASE_API_KEY and BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID.
python main.py --query="Go to Google and type 'Hello World' into the search bar" --env="browserbase"The main.py script is the command-line interface (CLI) for running the browser agent.
| Argument | Description | Required | Default | Supported Environment(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
--query |
The natural language query for the browser agent to execute. | Yes | N/A | All |
--env |
The computer use environment to use. Must be one of the following: playwright, or browserbase |
No | N/A | All |
--initial_url |
The initial URL to load when the browser starts. | No | https://www.google.com | All |
--highlight_mouse |
If specified, the agent will attempt to highlight the mouse cursor's position in the screenshots. This is useful for visual debugging. | No | False (not highlighted) | playwright |
| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| GEMINI_API_KEY | Your API key for the Gemini model. | Yes |
| BROWSERBASE_API_KEY | Your API key for Browserbase. | Yes (when using the browserbase environment) |
| BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID | Your Project ID for Browserbase. | Yes (when using the browserbase environment) |
