Automate the same persistent profile your team uses.

Set up Playwright

1. 1

   Enable the Local API

   Enable the Local API in AliasMode and keep the desktop app running while the profile is active.

2. 2

   Start the profile with its user_id

   Call the browser start route with the profile's user_id, found with GET /api/v1/user/list.

   Step 2

   import { chromium } from 'playwright';
   
   const origin = 'http://127.0.0.1:50400';
   // Find this ID with GET /api/v1/user/list.
   const profileId = process.env.ALIASMODE_PROFILE_ID;
   if (!profileId) throw new Error('Set ALIASMODE_PROFILE_ID');
   
   const startUrl = new URL('/api/v1/browser/start', origin);
   startUrl.searchParams.set('user_id', profileId);
   
   let browser;
   let started = false;
   try {
     const startResponse = await fetch(startUrl);
     if (!startResponse.ok) {
       throw new Error(`AliasMode returned HTTP ${startResponse.status}`);
     }
   
     const payload = await startResponse.json();
     const cdpUrl = payload?.data?.ws?.puppeteer;
     if (payload?.code !== 0 || typeof cdpUrl !== 'string') {
       throw new Error(payload?.msg || 'AliasMode did not return a CDP URL');
     }
   
     started = true;
     browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(cdpUrl);
     // Run automation with the connected browser.
   } finally {
     try {
       await browser?.close();
     } finally {
       if (started) {
         const stopUrl = new URL('/api/v1/browser/stop', origin);
         stopUrl.searchParams.set('user_id', profileId);
         await fetch(stopUrl);
       }
     }
   }

3. 3

   Read the CDP endpoint

   Read response.data.ws.puppeteer from the start response.

4. 4

   Connect Playwright over CDP

   Call chromium.connectOverCDP with the returned WebSocket URL to attach to the active profile.

5. 5

   Give one owner to the active profile

   Give one operator or automation job ownership of an active profile so work does not overlap.

Verify the connection

• The start route returns HTTP 200 with code 0 in the JSON envelope.
• response.data.ws.puppeteer is a valid CDP WebSocket URL.
• chromium.connectOverCDP attaches without creating a new temporary context.
• The profile stops cleanly after Playwright disconnects.

Troubleshooting