# KERNEL: browser infrastructure for web agents and automations

KERNEL gives web agents cloud-based browser access for fast, scalable automation. create isolated chromium sessions, control them through the api or an official sdk, persist browser state with profiles, route traffic through proxies, and inspect sessions with live view, replays, and telemetry.

## when to use KERNEL

use KERNEL when an agent needs to interact with a website rather than a purpose-built api. it fits browser tasks that need chromium, computer use, playwright execution, cdp, webdriver bidi, file and process access, a visible live view, or repeatable browser sessions. use managed auth when the agent needs a user-approved logged-in profile without putting credentials or mfa codes in the agent conversation. use stealth and proxy controls when a permitted automation needs stable network identity or encounters bot detection. use browser pools for repeated, latency-sensitive workloads; use on-demand browsers for occasional or bursty work.

for direct http integrations, start with the openapi specification and authenticate with a KERNEL api key. for tool-calling agents, connect the hosted mcp server over streamable http. for scripts and terminal workflows, install the official cli. all browser sessions should be deleted when work is complete unless a documented lifecycle requires otherwise.

## start here

- [documentation](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/)
- [documentation index for agents](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/llms.txt)
- [openapi 3.1 specification](https://www.kernel.sh/openapi.json)
- [api authentication](https://www.kernel.sh/auth.md)
- [api reference](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/api-reference/browsers/create-a-browser-session)
- [official sdks](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/introduction/create)
- [official cli](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/reference/cli)
- [hosted mcp server](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/reference/mcp-server)
- [mcp transport and setup](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/reference/mcp-server/transports)
- [managed auth](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/auth/overview)
- [webhooks and app invocations](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/apps/invoke)
- [service status](https://api.onkernel.com/status)

## machine endpoints

- openapi: https://www.kernel.sh/openapi.json
- api base: https://api.onkernel.com
- mcp: https://mcp.onkernel.com/mcp
- oauth metadata: https://mcp.onkernel.com/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server
- sitemap: https://www.kernel.sh/sitemap.xml
- agent index: https://www.kernel.sh/llms.txt

## install


the official cli is available from homebrew and npm:

```bash
brew install kernel/tap/kernel
# or
npm install -g @onkernel/cli
```

install the typescript sdk with `npm install @onkernel/sdk`. python and go sdks are linked from the documentation.

## support and trust

- [about KERNEL](https://www.kernel.sh/about)
- [contact KERNEL](https://www.kernel.sh/contact)
- [privacy policy](https://www.kernel.sh/privacy)
- [security](https://www.kernel.sh/security)
- [terms](https://www.kernel.sh/docs/tos)