Self-hosting
Browser environments
Choose where test browsers run — local Playwright or Browserbase cloud.
Every test run and authoring session needs a browser. BROWSER_ENV in apps/api/.env selects where it comes from.
BROWSER_ENV=LOCAL (default)
Browsers run via Playwright on the same machine as the API.
- Pros — zero extra cost, no external dependency, lowest latency.
- Cons — the API host needs Playwright browsers installed and enough CPU/RAM for concurrent sessions; headless browser load scales with your test volume.
Good for local development and small self-hosted deployments.
BROWSER_ENV=BROWSERBASE
Browsers run in Browserbase's cloud; the API connects to remote sessions.
BROWSER_ENV=BROWSERBASE
BROWSERBASE_API_KEY=bb_...
BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID=...- Pros — no browser infrastructure to manage, scales independently of the API host.
- Cons — requires a Browserbase account and network egress to their service.
Good for production deployments with significant test volume, or when the API runs on hosts where installing browsers is impractical.
The choice is invisible to test authors — steps, runs, and live streaming behave the same in both environments.