# charlotte — Token-Efficient Browser MCP Server

> Charlotte is a token-efficient browser MCP server: agents get a compact page summary by default, then query only the elements they need.

## Install

Merge the JSON below into your `.mcp.json`:

## Quick Use

```bash
npm install -g @ticktockbent/charlotte
charlotte --profile core
# Claude Code: add to .mcp.json (stdio via npx)
cat > .mcp.json <<'JSON'
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "charlotte": { "type": "stdio", "command": "npx", "args": ["@ticktockbent/charlotte"] }
  }
}
JSON
```

## Intro

Charlotte is a token-efficient browser MCP server: agents get a compact page summary by default, then query only the elements they need.

**Best for:** Agents that browse large pages and must keep tool-call payloads small

**Works with:** Node.js 20+, MCP clients, headless Chromium

**Setup time:** 5-15 minutes

### Key facts (verified)

- GitHub: 140 stars · 20 forks · pushed 2026-05-13.
- License: MIT · owner avatar + repo URL verified via GitHub API.
- README-verified entrypoint: `npm install -g @ticktockbent/charlotte`.

## Main

- Use Charlotte when a full accessibility-tree dump is too expensive: it’s designed to return a compact orientation on navigation and expand only on demand.

- Pick a tool profile to reduce definition overhead (README lists core/browse/full); start with `--profile core` for minimal tools.

- For production browsing, combine `navigate` + `find`/`observe` so your agent asks for exactly the region or element it needs, not the whole page.

### Source-backed notes

- README positions Charlotte as a structured browser MCP server and compares output size against Playwright MCP.
- README’s benchmark table includes the Hacker News example: 336 characters for Charlotte navigate vs 61k+ for Playwright’s navigate dump.
- README documents startup tool profiles and shows `charlotte --profile core|browse|full` as the entrypoint.

### FAQ

- **Do I need Docker?**: No — README shows npm global install; Docker is optional.
- **Will it work with my MCP client?**: If your client supports stdio MCP servers, the README shows example configs for Claude Code, Cursor, and others.
- **What’s the safest first test?**: Run `charlotte --profile core` and try navigating to example.com, then use `find` to locate a single link.

## Source & Thanks

> Source: https://github.com/TickTockBent/charlotte
> License: MIT
> GitHub stars: 140 · forks: 20

---

<!-- ZH -->

## Quick Use

```bash
npm install -g @ticktockbent/charlotte
charlotte --profile core
# Claude Code: add to .mcp.json (stdio via npx)
cat > .mcp.json <<'JSON'
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "charlotte": { "type": "stdio", "command": "npx", "args": ["@ticktockbent/charlotte"] }
  }
}
JSON
```

## Intro

Charlotte 是省 token 的浏览器 MCP：默认只返回精简页面摘要（README 例子 Hacker News 仅 336 字符），需要细节再按元素查询。基准对比 Playwright MCP 可减少 25–182× 输出，适合重度网页抓取。

**Best for:** 要浏览大页面、又必须把每次工具调用负载压到很小的 agent

**Works with:** Node.js 20+；MCP 客户端；无头 Chromium

**Setup time:** 5-15 minutes

### Key facts (verified)

- GitHub：140 stars · 20 forks；最近更新 2026-05-13。
- 许可证：MIT；作者头像与仓库链接均已通过 GitHub API 复核。
- README 中核对过的入口命令：`npm install -g @ticktockbent/charlotte`。

## Main

- 当完整无障碍树 dump 太费 token 时用 Charlotte：它在导航时先给“精简方位信息”，需要时再展开细节。

- 通过 profile 降低工具定义开销（README 有 core/browse/full）；建议先用 `--profile core` 起步。

- 在生产场景用 `navigate` + `find/observe` 组合：让 agent 精准请求某个区域/元素，而不是整页文本。

### Source-backed notes

- README 把 Charlotte 定位为结构化浏览器 MCP，并与 Playwright MCP 的输出大小做对比。
- README 的 benchmark 表包含 Hacker News 示例：Charlotte navigate 仅 336 字符，而 Playwright navigate 为 61k+。
- README 说明启动 profile，并用 `charlotte --profile core|browse|full` 作为入口命令。

### FAQ

- **必须用 Docker 吗？**：不必。README 给出 npm 全局安装；Docker 属于可选方案。
- **我的 MCP 客户端能用吗？**：只要支持 stdio 型 MCP server，一般都能接；README 给了 Claude Code、Cursor 等配置示例。
- **第一次怎么测最稳？**：先跑 `charlotte --profile core`，navigate 到 example.com，再用 `find` 定位一个链接/按钮。

## Source & Thanks

> Source: https://github.com/TickTockBent/charlotte
> License: MIT
> GitHub stars: 140 · forks: 20


---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/charlotte-token-efficient-browser-mcp-server
Author: MCP Hub