A technical skill for deploying a remote-controlled, visually accessible Chrome browser environment on a Linux VPS for agent-driven automation.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install browser-vps-setup-skill
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install browser-vps-setup-skill using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Browser VPS Setup Skill?
This skill provides a comprehensive workflow to set up a professional-grade browser automation environment on any Linux VPS. It enables Openclaw Skills to execute complex web interactions—such as clicking, form filling, and screenshotting—within a dedicated server environment. By leveraging Xvfb for virtual displays and noVNC for web-based visual access, users can monitor agent activity in real-time through a secure SSH tunnel without exposing sensitive ports to the public internet.
The skill is specifically designed to overcome common automation hurdles, such as snap-related browser bugs and proxy authentication limitations. It includes a custom Python bridge to handle authenticated HTTP proxies, making it an essential tool for developers requiring high-reliability web scrapers, testing suites, or autonomous browsing agents using Openclaw Skills.
Browser VPS Setup Skill Use Cases
- Running persistent web automation tasks on remote servers to save local resources.
- Debugging AI agent interactions visually via a local browser using noVNC.
- Bypassing geo-restrictions or captchas by routing traffic through authenticated mobile or residential proxies.
- Deploying a multi-agent browsing stack where Openclaw Skills control the browser via Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP).
How Browser VPS Setup Skill Works
- The system installs core Linux dependencies including Xvfb for virtualized graphics, x11vnc for remote display access, and the official Google Chrome stable binary.
- A virtual display buffer (Xvfb) is initialized to provide a graphical environment on a headless server.
- The x11vnc server and noVNC web interface are started on the local loopback interface to ensure secure access.
- Google Chrome is launched with remote debugging enabled, allowing Openclaw Skills to attach to the browser session.
- A secure SSH tunnel is established by the user to forward the noVNC port, enabling encrypted visual monitoring.
- (Optional) A Python-based proxy bridge is executed to inject credentials into outgoing browser traffic.
Browser VPS Setup Skill Setup
First, install the necessary system packages and the Google Chrome stable release:
apt-get update && apt-get install -y xvfb x11vnc novnc
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb -O /tmp/chrome.deb
apt-get install -y /tmp/chrome.deb || apt --fix-broken install -y
Initialize the browser stack on the VPS:
# Start Virtual Display
Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1280x800x24 &
# Start VNC and noVNC
x11vnc -display :99 -forever -nopw -localhost -quiet &
websockify --web /usr/share/novnc 6080 localhost:5900 &
# Start Chrome with Remote Debugging
DISPLAY=:99 google-chrome-stable --no-sandbox --remote-debugging-port=18800 --user-data-dir=~/.openclaw/browser/openclaw/user-data --window-size=1280,800 &
Configure your local Openclaw Skills environment by adding the browser configuration to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json with attachOnly: true to connect to the remote instance.
Browser VPS Setup Skill Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill manages several key components and file paths to ensure persistent and reliable operation within the ecosystem of Openclaw Skills:
| Component | Path / Configuration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Browser Profile | ~/.openclaw/browser/openclaw/user-data | Stores cookies, session data, and browser cache. |
| CDP Port | 18800 | The port used for remote agent control via Chrome DevTools Protocol. |
| noVNC Port | 6080 | Local port for accessing the visual VNC interface. |
| Proxy Bridge | 127.0.0.1:18801 | Internal local port used for authenticated proxy forwarding. |
| Display ID | :99 | The virtual X11 display instance number. |
Browser VPS Setup Skill Advanced Features
- Local Python Proxy Bridge: Solves the limitation of Chrome's inability to handle authenticated proxies via CLI flags by injecting Basic Auth headers.
- SSH Tunneling Integration: Ensures all visual and control traffic is encrypted and never exposed to the public web.
- Stale Lock Management: Automatically cleans up SingletonLock and X11 lock files to prevent startup failures after crashes.
- Visual Co-Browsing: Allows both the human user and Openclaw Skills to interact with the same browser session simultaneously for debugging and guidance.
SKILL.md
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