Quick Start Guide
FreshSource: Steel.dev Official Docs
What is Steel?
Steel is a headless browser API that lets AI engineers control fleets of browser sessions in the cloud. It handles JavaScript rendering, auth, proxies, CAPTCHAs, and browser infrastructure.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+ installed
- A Steel account (sign up free)
- Your Steel API key (Settings > API Keys)
Step 1: Install Dependencies
bash
npm install steel-sdk playwrightStep 2: Set Environment Variables
Create a .env file:
env
STEEL_API_KEY=your_steel_api_key_hereStep 3: Create Your First Session
typescript
import Steel from 'steel-sdk';
import dotenv from 'dotenv';
dotenv.config();
const client = new Steel({
steelAPIKey: process.env.STEEL_API_KEY,
});
async function main() {
const session = await client.sessions.create();
console.log('Session created:', session.id);
console.log(`View live: ${session.sessionViewerUrl}`);
// Your automation code here...
await client.sessions.release(session.id);
console.log('Session released');
}
main().catch(console.error);Step 4: Connect Playwright
typescript
import { chromium } from 'playwright';
const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(
`wss://connect.steel.dev?apiKey=${process.env.STEEL_API_KEY}&sessionId=${session.id}`
);
const page = browser.contexts()[0].pages()[0];
await page.goto('https://example.com');Step 5: Add Features
typescript
const session = await client.sessions.create({
useProxy: true, // Residential proxy network
solveCaptcha: true, // Auto CAPTCHA solving
timeout: 1800000, // 30-minute timeout
});