AI-native Playwright CLI alternative
Kane CLI is the AI-native alternative to the Playwright CLI. Describe a flow in plain English and Kane CLI drives a real browser, self-heals on UI changes, and exports clean Playwright code you keep. Free to install.
or read the documentation
Why teams pair Kane CLI with Playwright
The Playwright CLI and framework are the industry standard for code-based browser testing: a runner, codegen, trace viewer, parallel execution, and cross-browser bindings. The cost is writing and maintaining selectors and test code as the UI changes.
Kane CLI replaces that authoring and maintenance with natural-language objectives that self-heal and verify, and it exports back to native Playwright with one command, so teams keep the escape hatch. You author less Playwright by hand without giving up the code.
And you run your existing Playwright on Browser Cloud at scale through the Playwright adapter, so the message is simple: author less Playwright with Kane CLI, run your Playwright on Browser Cloud.
Kane CLI vs Playwright CLI
The industry-standard code framework, with an AI-native authoring and verification layer on top.
| Capability | Kane CLI (TestMu AI) | Playwright CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Authoring | Natural-language objectives, no selectors | Write selectors and test code |
| Maintenance on UI change | Autoheal, no maintenance | Selector maintenance |
| Interactive mode | TUI: describe, run, and iterate in one persistent session | Playwright Inspector: step through recorded code |
| Recorder | Authors from intent, exports native Playwright | codegen recorder |
| Variables & parameterization | {{variables}} across dev, staging, prod; secrets never logged | Env files and fixtures you wire yourself |
| Parallel & multi-user flows | Bifurcation auto-branches one objective into parallel child agents; Browser Cloud parallel sessions | Configure parallel workers yourself |
| Remote browser endpoints | --ws-endpoint / --cdp-endpoint connects to any cloud browser, no local Chrome required | Own remote/cloud setup via browserType.connect() |
| Cloud scale for your Playwright suite | Browser Cloud Playwright adapter runs it unmodified | Local runner |
| CI/CD exit codes | Standard 0/1/2/3 exit codes: pass, fail, error, timeout | Pass/fail exit code from your test runner |
| Automated bug discovery | Surfaces console errors, failed requests, and anomalies while running | |
| Reporting & Test Manager sync | Auto-uploads every run: video, step trace, ShareLink, dashboard | You configure and host the HTML reporter |
| Native Playwright export | One command |
What you get with Kane CLI
Author less Playwright by hand, keep the code, run it at scale.
No code, no keys
Skip the SDK wiring and the model and API key setup. Install one CLI, describe the journey in natural language, and Kane CLI drives a real browser with a managed model.
Resilient by default
When the frontend changes, Kane CLI adapts on its own, pushing through up to 50 steps until the full journey is verified instead of breaking on a moved element.
Verified pass or fail
Built-in assertions check each step, not just the final screen, and flag the exact point of failure. A real result, not raw agent output to parse.
Variables across environments
Pass credentials, API keys, and test data as {{variables}}, with secrets marked so they are never logged or captured in screenshots. The same flow runs against dev, staging, and production with one flag change.
Cross-browser cloud and CI
Scale to cross-browser and cross-OS runs on the TestMu AI grid with one flag, and gate pipelines on clean exit codes from your terminal.
Own the Playwright code
Export any validated flow to native Playwright with one command, then modify and own it. The convenience never locks you in.
Build up confidence locally
Start in your terminal
Validate on the cloud
Release with confidence
Scale on Browser Cloud
Need the browsers too? Browser Cloud is the TestMu AI infrastructure layer: real, full-featured Chrome sessions on demand at scale, with a built-in tunnel to localhost and staging, full session transparency, persistent state, and best-effort stealth.
Install it with npm install @testmuai/browser-cloud. Kane CLI connects to Browser Cloud sessions over --ws-endpoint, so the same natural-language flow runs on real cloud browsers and scales across them.
Browser Cloud is the browsers. Kane CLI is the natural-language verification that runs on them and returns a pass or fail.
From prototype to production, on one engine
Kane CLI and KaneAI share the same automation engine and dashboard.
Prototype to production
Open-source agents and SDKs are great for prototyping. Kane CLI is the production-grade, test-focused path: assertions, caching, evidence, and CI built in.
Built for the agent loop
Generate code, then verify it in a real browser before opening a PR. Kane CLI closes the gap between what an agent writes and what works.
Evidence you can share
Every run produces a persistent video, step trace, and replay link to drop into a PR or bug report, backed by a dashboard your team can browse.
Add Kane CLI to your Playwright workflow in three steps
Install
Run npm install -g @testmuai/kane-cli, then sign in with your TestMu AI account. No project to scaffold and no API keys to manage.
Describe the flow
Tell Kane CLI what to do in natural language, or point your AI coding agent at the agent guide and let it drive the browser.
Run and verify
Kane CLI drives a real browser, verifies each step, and returns a pass or fail with video proof, synced to Test Manager with a shareable link.
Get Started With Kane CLI
🎉 Launch offer: Bonus credits for the first 3 months on paid plans
Choose the right plan for you
Local test authoring via CLI
Auto-heal & vision
View test cases on UI
Test Manager
Free
$0
/month
200 Credits
Resets in every
30 days
Starter
$19
/month
2000 Credits
Launch: 4,000 Credits (+100%)
Bonus for first 3 months
Pro
$99
/month
10,000 Credits
Launch: 15,000 Credits (+50%)
Bonus for first 3 months
Enterprise
Get access to solutions built on Enterprise-Grade Security, Privacy, and Compliances.
Need more credits?
Got a bigger use case in mind?
Let’s talk
Choose the right plan for you
Free
$0
/month
200 Credits
Resets in every
30 days
Starter
$19
/month
2000 Credits
Launch: 4,000 Credits (+100%)
Bonus for first 3 months
Pro
$99
/month
10,000 Credits
Launch: 15,000 Credits (+50%)
Bonus for first 3 months
Enterprise
Get access to solutions built on Enterprise-Grade Security, Privacy, and Compliances.
Need more credits?
Got a bigger use case in mind?
Let’s talk
Get the technical rundown
Documentation
Everything you need to install, configure, and run Kane CLI in under 2 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Kane CLI by TestMu AI is the AI-native Playwright CLI alternative. Instead of writing and maintaining selectors and test code, you describe the flow in natural language, Kane CLI drives a real browser and self-heals, and any validated flow exports back to native Playwright with one command. Browser Cloud runs your existing Playwright at scale through the Playwright adapter.
It does not have to. Kane CLI replaces the authoring and maintenance burden with natural-language objectives, then exports native Playwright with one command, so you keep the framework and the code. Think author less Playwright by hand, run your Playwright on Browser Cloud.
Kane CLI uses natural language with no selectors, a managed model with no setup, autoheal on UI changes, a verified pass or fail with video, clean CI exit codes, and one-command Playwright export. The Playwright CLI is a code-based runner where you own selectors, maintenance, and reporting. Kane CLI also pushes through up to 50 steps per flow by default (tunable with --max-steps) instead of stopping at the first cookie banner or redirect — see the Kane CLI documentation for the full flag reference.
Yes. Browser Cloud is cloud browser infrastructure for AI agents and tests, with a Playwright adapter, a built-in tunnel, full session transparency, and parallel sessions, so your existing Playwright runs at cloud scale with a connection change. See the Browser Cloud page for session, tunnel, and pricing details.
Yes. The Starter tier is $0, free forever, with 100 credits, local Chrome, full natural-language objectives, full agent mode, and full code export — not a limited demo. Paid tiers start at $19 per user per month for unlimited flows and remote browsers, and scale up only when you need geo proxy, a tunnel, or Test Manager scheduling.
Yes, CI/CD is native to Kane CLI: the same binary that runs headed on a laptop runs headless in any pipeline. Pass --headless and --timeout, authenticate with --username and --access-key from CI secrets, and gate the pipeline on the exit code: 0 when the objective passes, 1 on a failed assertion, 2 on a setup or auth error, and 3 on timeout or cancellation.
Yes. Kane CLI supports two-way migration: import an existing Playwright or Selenium script and convert it into an intent-driven natural-language flow, or author natively and export any validated run back to native Python Playwright code with one command. Exported code uses the testmu NPM library, which keeps the original intent-driven step alongside the generated code, so autoheal keeps working even after export. See the Kane CLI vs Playwright comparison for the full picture.
Teach your agent the right skills
Point your AI coding agent at the Kane CLI guide and it will install, authenticate, and run verified browser flows on its own, no SDK or API keys required.
Point your agent to: testmuai.com/kane-cli/agents.md