> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/microsoft/playwright/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Browser

> API reference for the Browser class - manage browser instances

Browser represents a browser instance that can contain multiple isolated browser contexts.

## Inheritance

Extends: `ChannelOwner`

Implements: `EventEmitter`

## Events

* `disconnected`: Emitted when browser disconnects

## Methods

### browserType

Returns the browser type that was used to launch this browser.

```typescript theme={null}
browserType(): BrowserType
```

**Returns:** `BrowserType` - The browser type (chromium, firefox, or webkit)

### newContext

Creates a new browser context.

```typescript theme={null}
newContext(options?: BrowserContextOptions): Promise<BrowserContext>
```

<ParamField path="options" type="BrowserContextOptions" optional>
  Context configuration options

  * `viewport` (object | null): Viewport size
  * `userAgent` (string): User agent string
  * `locale` (string): Locale (e.g., 'en-US')
  * `timezoneId` (string): Timezone (e.g., 'America/New\_York')
  * `permissions` (string\[]): Granted permissions
  * `geolocation` (object): Geolocation { latitude, longitude, accuracy }
  * `colorScheme` ('light' | 'dark' | 'no-preference'): Color scheme
  * `extraHTTPHeaders` (object): Extra HTTP headers
  * `offline` (boolean): Emulate network offline
  * `httpCredentials` (object): HTTP credentials { username, password }
  * `deviceScaleFactor` (number): Device scale factor
  * `isMobile` (boolean): Whether to emulate mobile device
  * `hasTouch` (boolean): Whether to support touch events
  * `storageState` (string | object): Storage state to initialize context with
</ParamField>

**Returns:** `Promise<BrowserContext>` - New browser context

### contexts

Returns all open browser contexts.

```typescript theme={null}
contexts(): BrowserContext[]
```

**Returns:** `BrowserContext[]` - Array of all browser contexts

### newPage

Creates a new page in a new context.

```typescript theme={null}
newPage(options?: BrowserContextOptions): Promise<Page>
```

<ParamField path="options" type="BrowserContextOptions" optional>
  Context options (same as newContext)
</ParamField>

**Returns:** `Promise<Page>` - New page in a new context

**Note:** The context will be closed when the page is closed

### version

Returns browser version.

```typescript theme={null}
version(): string
```

**Returns:** `string` - Browser version string

### isConnected

Indicates whether browser is connected.

```typescript theme={null}
isConnected(): boolean
```

**Returns:** `boolean` - True if browser is connected

### close

Closes the browser and all its contexts.

```typescript theme={null}
close(options?: { reason?: string }): Promise<void>
```

<ParamField path="options" type="object" optional>
  Close options

  * `reason` (string): Optional reason for closing
</ParamField>

**Returns:** `Promise<void>`

### newBrowserCDPSession

Creates a new Chrome DevTools Protocol session.

```typescript theme={null}
newBrowserCDPSession(): Promise<CDPSession>
```

**Returns:** `Promise<CDPSession>` - CDP session

**Note:** Only available for Chromium

### startTracing

Starts tracing.

```typescript theme={null}
startTracing(page?: Page, options?: { path?: string; screenshots?: boolean; categories?: string[] }): Promise<void>
```

<ParamField path="page" type="Page" optional>
  Page to trace (all pages if not specified)
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="options" type="object" optional>
  Tracing options

  * `path` (string): File path to save trace to
  * `screenshots` (boolean): Capture screenshots
  * `categories` (string\[]): Tracing categories
</ParamField>

**Returns:** `Promise<void>`

**Note:** Only available for Chromium

### stopTracing

Stops tracing and returns trace data.

```typescript theme={null}
stopTracing(): Promise<Buffer>
```

**Returns:** `Promise<Buffer>` - Trace data

**Note:** Only available for Chromium

## Usage Examples

### Basic Browser Usage

```typescript theme={null}
import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const browser = await chromium.launch();
console.log(browser.version()); // e.g., "121.0.6167.57"

const context = await browser.newContext();
const page = await context.newPage();

await page.goto('https://example.com');

await browser.close();
```

### Multiple Contexts

```typescript theme={null}
import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const browser = await chromium.launch();

// Create multiple isolated contexts
const context1 = await browser.newContext({ locale: 'en-US' });
const context2 = await browser.newContext({ locale: 'de-DE' });

const page1 = await context1.newPage();
const page2 = await context2.newPage();

console.log(browser.contexts().length); // 2

await browser.close();
```

### Quick Page Creation

```typescript theme={null}
import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const browser = await chromium.launch();
const page = await browser.newPage({
  viewport: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
  userAgent: 'Custom User Agent',
});

await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.close(); // This closes the owned context too
```

### Browser Events

```typescript theme={null}
import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const browser = await chromium.launch();

browser.on('disconnected', () => {
  console.log('Browser disconnected');
});

console.log(browser.isConnected()); // true
await browser.close();
console.log(browser.isConnected()); // false
```

### CDP Session (Chromium)

```typescript theme={null}
import { chromium } from 'playwright';

const browser = await chromium.launch();
const cdpSession = await browser.newBrowserCDPSession();

await cdpSession.send('Performance.enable');
const metrics = await cdpSession.send('Performance.getMetrics');
console.log(metrics);

await browser.close();
```

## Related Classes

* [BrowserType](/api/browser-type) - For launching browsers
* [BrowserContext](/api/browser-context) - Isolated browser sessions
* [Page](/api/page) - Web pages