Browser modes and compatibility
Browser modes and compatibility.
Chromium and Moli
| Requirement | Choice |
|---|---|
| Full browser workflows, persistent contexts, extensions | Chromium (normal) |
| Lightweight content and agent tasks | Evaluate Moli (light) against your actual page |
| Persistent replay | Chromium; Moli always disables it |
| Stored downloads and context controls in the console | Chromium workflow |
Moli is a product name; light remains the SDK/API value. It is not a promise that every Chromium CDP method is implemented. A DevTools panel may issue unsupported commands even when basic navigation works. If your task needs screenshots, complex layout, browser extensions, or a particular CDP domain, validate it with the selected engine first.
Connection model
Create a session, wait for it to become active, then use its connectUrl (Python: connect_url). Playwright uses chromium.connectOverCDP; Puppeteer uses puppeteer.connect. These examples target Chromium. They do not launch a local browser or prove all framework features work on Moli.
Lexmount's documented remote interface here is CDP. Do not substitute a WebDriver or WebDriver BiDi endpoint. Lightpanda's local binary, PandaScript, benchmarks, and HTTP/MCP interfaces are not Lexmount API contracts. Use Web Fetch for extraction and Browser CLI for terminal/agent operations.
Diagnose compatibility
Reproduce with one page and the exact operation. Record the SDK version, engine, session ID, and failed method without credentials. Try the same page on Chromium to separate engine compatibility from authentication, network, and target-site failures. See troubleshooting.