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BrowserStack

Use BrowserStack App Automate to run agent-device on hosted Android and iOS devices over WebDriver. You need a BrowserStack account with App Automate access.

Set credentials and connect

Export your BrowserStack credentials, for example from CI secrets:

Terminal window

export BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME=...
export BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY=...

Connect with the platform, exact device and OS version, and app to test:

Terminal window

export AGENT_DEVICE_SESSION=checkout-android
agent-device connect browserstack \
  --platform android \
  --device "Google Pixel 8" \
  --provider-os-version 14.0 \
  --provider-app bs://app-id

--provider-app accepts a BrowserStack app reference such as bs://..., an HTTP(S) app URL, or an existing local app path. agent-device uploads a local path when it creates the hosted session.

connect verifies the BrowserStack credentials and the exact device/OS pair. It checks a bs:// reference against recent uploads, and confirms that a local app file exists before saving its absolute path. A public URL is saved as-is; BrowserStack validates it when the session starts. open takes the app’s installed package or bundle identifier, not its upload name.

If you change credentials while the daemon runs, see Change credentials while the daemon runs.

Optional labels:

Terminal window

--provider-project agent-device
--provider-build "$GITHUB_RUN_ID"
--provider-session-name "$GITHUB_JOB"

Optional device features:

Terminal window

--provider-device-orientation portrait   # or landscape        (alias --device-orientation)
--provider-geo-location US                                   # (alias --geo-location)
--provider-timezone New_York                                 # (alias --timezone)
--provider-appium-version 3.2.0                              # (alias --appium-version)
--provider-language Fr                                       # (alias --language)
--provider-locale Fr                                         # (alias --locale)
--provider-network-profile 4g-lte-advanced-good              # (alias --network-profile)
--provider-custom-network 1000                               # (alias --custom-network)
--provider-no-resign-app                                     # iOS only

agent-device sends these values to BrowserStack as bstack:options capabilities when it creates the hosted session.

The orientation applies when the session starts. An activity without a fixed orientation, such as a Chrome Custom Tab hosting OAuth, can still open in landscape. Run agent-device orientation portrait after it opens if you need portrait.
--provider-appium-version pins the Appium server BrowserStack runs for the session. Without it, BrowserStack runs its default Appium 1.x, and mobile: commands such as deepLink and pressButton need Appium 2.x or newer.
--provider-network-profile and --provider-custom-network are mutually exclusive.
--provider-no-resign-app applies to iOS only. BrowserStack re-signs uploaded iOS apps with its provisioning profile, which strips entitlements. Pass this flag when you test features that need entitlements, such as push notifications.

Run a session from the CLI

Terminal window

export BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME=...
export BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY=...
export AGENT_DEVICE_SESSION=checkout-android

agent-device connect browserstack \
  --platform android \
  --device "Google Pixel 8" \
  --provider-os-version 14.0 \
  --provider-app bs://app-id \
  --provider-project agent-device \
  --provider-build "$GITHUB_RUN_ID"

agent-device open com.example.app
agent-device snapshot -i
agent-device click 'label="Continue"'
agent-device close
agent-device artifacts --json
agent-device disconnect

To drive BrowserStack only through MCP, see Use a provider only through MCP.

Use the Node.js client

Configure the client directly when your Node.js process manages the BrowserStack credentials and selectors instead of a saved CLI connection profile:

import { createAgentDeviceClient } from 'agent-device';

const client = createAgentDeviceClient({
  leaseProvider: 'browserstack',
  providerOsVersion: '14.0',
  providerApp: 'bs://app-id',
  providerProject: 'agent-device',
  providerBuild: process.env.GITHUB_RUN_ID,
});

await client.apps.open({ app: 'com.example.app', platform: 'android', device: 'Google Pixel 8' });
const snapshot = await client.capture.snapshot({ interactiveOnly: true });
console.log(snapshot.nodes.slice(0, 5));
await client.interactions.click({ selector: 'label="Continue"' });
const closed = await client.sessions.close();
const providerSessionId = closed.provider?.providerSessionId;

if (providerSessionId) {
  const artifacts = await client.sessions.artifacts({
    provider: 'browserstack',
    providerSessionId,
  });
  if ('cloudArtifacts' in artifacts) console.log(artifacts.cloudArtifacts);
}

Get artifacts and troubleshoot

After close, BrowserStack can return session video, Appium logs, device logs, dashboard URLs, and public URLs. The provider session ID is the WebDriver session ID. See Retrieve artifacts after close.

BrowserStack errors distinguish rejected credentials, an unavailable device/OS pair, a missing bs:// upload, and a missing local app file.

To enter text, see Fill text on hosted WebDriver sessions.

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