This topic describes how to deploy a Browser Session application with a few clicks by using the Application Center of Volcano Engine Function as a Service (veFaaS).

Background information

Application introduction

veFaaS provides browser session capabilities. As a Browser-as-a-Service (BaaS) service, Browser Session directly provides browser instances for both internal and external users.

You can obtain browser resources by using SDKs that support multiple programming languages, and then access the resources by using browser-related tools such as Playwright or Puppeteer, or upper-level services such as browser-use.

Runtime

Native runtime

Associated cloud services

browser-session-manager

veFaaS: provides you with APIs for lifecycle management of browser instances.

API Gateway (APIG): exposes APIs.

browser-pool

veFaaS: runs browser instances.

APIG: helps browser-session-manager manage browser instances.

Prerequisites

All the cloud services associated with the application have been activated.

The VeFaaSFullAccess, APIGFullAccess, and STSAssumeRoleAccess policies have been attached to Identity and Access Management (IAM) users. If one of the preceding policies is not attached, contact the root user or the administrator for authorization. For specific operations, see Creating and authorizing users.

An APIG instance of the serverless gateway type has been created. For detailed operations, please refer to Creating instances.

If you use veFaaS for the first time, make sure that the cross-service authorization is complete. If the authorization is not complete, the cross-service authorization page will appear, which provides guidance on authorization.

Procedure

Log in to the veFaaS console.

In the top navigation bar, select the target region.

In the left navigation bar, click App > My app.

On the My app page, click Create app.

On the Create application page, find the Browser Session template and click Create.

On the Create application page, specify the parameters of the application.

Basic information

Parameter	Description
Selected template	Displays the selected template. In this scenario, the template is Browser Session.
Name	Specify a custom name for the application based on the naming rule prompted by the system. You can also directly use the application name automatically generated by the system.
Description	Enter the description of the application. This parameter can be left empty.
IAM role	The Application Center provides the system default role ServerlessApplicationRole, which is granted permissions on some cloud resources that the Application Center needs to access. If your user roles do not contain this role, this role will be automatically added. If your user roles contain this role, the system will automatically detect whether all the policies required for the application are attached to this role. If a required policy is not attached, the console will display the name of the policy. You can click Add policy to add the policy. warning Make sure that the IAMReadOnlyAccess policy is attached to IAM users. Otherwise, they will not be authorized to obtain information about the ServerlessApplicationRole role. If IAM users need to attach policies to the ServerlessApplicationRole role, make sure that the IAMFullAccess policy is attached to the IAM users. For more role-related operations for IAM users, see IAM documentation.
Associated cloud services	Displays the names, activation status, and activation purposes of all the cloud services that the current application needs to use. warning For more information about possibly incurred fees and account balance requirements when you use the associated cloud services, see veFaaS billing and APIG billing.

Resource allocation

Parameter	Description
Browser resource pool configuration
Region	The region where the application and its associated cloud resources are located.
Function name	Specify a custom name for the function based on the naming rules prompted by the system. You can also directly use the function name automatically generated by the system.
Access configuration
API Gateway instance	Select the prepared APIG instance of the serverless type. APIG trigger-related resources will be automatically created for the APIG instance, including services, Upstreams, and routes.
API Access Key	Enter Volcano Engine access key information, which includes Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. For the obtaining method, see Access key management.

Click Confirm to create and deploy the application.

You will be automatically redirected to the application details page. On the page, you can view the application deployment status and logs in real time.

After the application is deployed, click the access address below Access entrance details on the Application details tab to go to the interactive interface of your application.

Use a browser

You can obtain a browser instance by performing the preceding procedure. The following content describes how to use a browser.

Browser operation tools

Use a browser by using a browser operation tool such as Playwright and Puppeteer:

Playwright

from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
import websocket
import json
import requests
import time

def test_with_cdp():
# cdp_url = "ws://******.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v1/browsers/c400ec0c-37f3-4c01-a796-e406081b9678/devtools/browser/936c2835-3bf7-4a4b-99f5-7679088fed8e"
cdp_url = "https://******.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v1/browsers/9ebdaa2a-f075-48de-a92d-6cf23b1a0ded"

with sync_playwright() as playwright:
browser = playwright.chromium.connect_over_cdp(cdp_url)
print("Connected to browser via CDP")

context = browser.new_context()
page = context.new_page()
page.goto("https://toutiao.com")
print(page.url)
browser.close()

if __name__ == "__main__":
test_with_cdp()

Output result:

Connected to browser via CDP
https://www.toutiao.com/

Puppeteer

import asyncio
from pyppeteer import connect

async def test_with_cdp():
cdp_url = 'ws://******.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v1/browsers/02a2ce20-f8b7-46e3-9caa-f2023bd00c28/devtools/browser/f3f017c4-8e57-499d-8903-3e37b14e6c01'

try:
# Connect to the remote browser using CDP
browser = await connect({
'browserWSEndpoint': cdp_url,
'defaultViewport': None
})
print('Connected to browser via CDP')

# Create a new page
page = await browser.newPage()

# Navigate to toutiao.com
await page.goto('https://toutiao.com')
print(page.url)

# Close the browser connection
await browser.close()
except Exception as error:
print('Error:', str(error))

if __name__ == "__main__":
# Run the async function using asyncio.run()
asyncio.run(test_with_cdp())

browser-use

Use a browser instance provided by veFaaS in browser-use.

Output result:

Swagger

For the visualized APIs of Swagger, refer to veFaaS Browser Session Manager API.

API list

Obtain the list of browser instances

Create a browser

Obtain browser information

Delete a browser

Obtain the JSON version of a browser

GET /browsers

Return all browser instances grouped by pod.

Response parameters

200 OK: The browser metadata of a pod in JSON format is returned.

500 Internal Server Error: A service error has occurred. Try again or contact your account manager of Volcano Engine to obtain technical support.

Sample responses

Multilingual SDKs

Python

Node.js

URL: https://pypi.org/project/vefaas-browser-session/

Installation command:

pip install vefaas-browser-session

Sample SDK:

from vefaas_browser_session import Configuration, ApiClient, BrowsersApi

def create_browser():
browser_session_endpoint = 'https://sd1mt1m354gpj4to2lgh0.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v1'

try:
configuration = Configuration(host=browser_session_endpoint)
client = ApiClient(configuration=configuration)
api = BrowsersApi(client)
response = api.create_browser()

browser_id = response.id
cdp_url = response.cdp_url
ws_url = response.ws_url

print(f"✅ Browser created: {browser_id}")
print(f"🔗 CDP URL: {cdp_url}")
print(f"🌐 WebSocket: {ws_url}")

return cdp_url
except Exception as e:
print(f"❌ Error: {str(e)}")
return None

if __name__ == "__main__":
create_browser()

The following sample code shows the expected response result:

➜ cdp git:(master) ✗ python python.py
✅ Browser created: c5f7362d-055a-4905-934d-ff17d179cb59
🔗 CDP URL: https://sd1mt1m354gpj4to2lgh0.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v1/browsers/c5f7362d-055a-4905-934d-ff17d179cb59
🌐 WebSocket: ws://sd1mt1m354gpj4to2lgh0.apigateway-cn-beijing.volceapi.com/v0.1/browsers/c5f7362d-055a-4905-934d-ff17d179cb59/devtools/browser/cb87c79d-5371-4247-8145-be8eac5c0205?faasInstanceName=vefaas-2u02weu6-9e8t31v73p-d1uhb86366fga65vi7m0-sandbox