Opentabs

What opentabs-dev/opentabs MCP server does

opentabs-dev/opentabs MCP server gives MCP-compatible AI clients access to web applications through a user's logged-in Chrome session. It combines a local MCP server, a Chrome extension, and installable plugins. Plugins expose service-specific tools, while built-in browser tools can work with any open tab.

The repository lists more than 100 plugins and approximately 2,000 tools. Examples include integrations for Slack, Discord, GitHub, Jira, Notion, Figma, AWS, and Stripe. The material describes these as real web API calls made through the browser session, rather than screenshot-based interaction or DOM scraping.

How it works

The CLI runs a local server, and the Chrome extension bridges that server to the browser. After the extension is connected, an MCP client can invoke tools through the authenticated session. The README states that no API key or OAuth configuration is needed: access follows the services where the user is already signed in.

A plugin can be installed from the CLI and used without restarting. The project also includes a plugin SDK and a one-command scaffolding workflow for developers who want to create and publish additional plugins. CLI mode is available for use cases that do not require MCP.

Setup and configuration

Running the opentabs-dev/opentabs MCP server requires Node.js 22 or newer and Chrome. The documented setup installs the CLI globally:

npm install -g @opentabs-dev/cli
opentabs start

The extension is then loaded as an unpacked extension from ~/.opentabs/extension using Chrome's extensions page with Developer mode enabled. Plugins are installed with the CLI command below, replacing the example name with an actual plugin name:

opentabs plugin install <plugin-name>

The provided material does not specify MCP-client-specific configuration files or environment variables.

Tools and capabilities

• Install plugins for supported web applications.
• Call service-specific tools through the user's authenticated browser session.
• Use browser-level functions such as screenshots, clicking, typing, and network capture.
• Create new plugins with the plugin SDK and publish them to npm.
• Run the local server with MCP clients or use the separate CLI mode.
• Apply permissions per plugin or per tool using Off, Ask, or Auto settings.

Limitations and notes

The browser must be running Chrome, and the setup requires Node.js 22 or later. The README does not promise access to arbitrary services without a suitable plugin, although it describes browser tools that can operate on any tab. Tools do not execute until explicitly enabled. Plugin permissions reset after a plugin update, and the local installation keeps an audit log while sending anonymous telemetry unless the user opts out.

opentabs-dev/opentabs MCP server is local rather than cloud-hosted. It is licensed under MIT, and the project states that it is not affiliated with or endorsed by third-party services represented by its plugins.