chore(cli): save screenshots to tmp dir when no path provided (#247)

* fix(cli): save screenshots to tmp dir when no path provided

Instead of outputting base64 to stdout (which is not useful for most CLI use cases),
screenshots without a path now save to ~/.agent-browser/tmp/screenshots/ with a
generated filename and return the path.

This makes the behavior more ergonomic for AI agents and CLI users alike.

* cleanup

* cleanup

* just revert the cargo.lock version for now

* refactor: extract getAppDir() from getSocketDir()

* docs: improve screenshot help text consistency

README.md

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ agent-browser scroll <dir> [px]       # Scroll (up/down/left/right)
 agent-browser scrollintoview <sel>    # Scroll element into view (alias: scrollinto)
 agent-browser drag <src> <tgt>        # Drag and drop
 agent-browser upload <sel> <files>    # Upload files
-agent-browser screenshot [path]       # Take screenshot (--full for full page, base64 png to stdout if no path)
+agent-browser screenshot [path]       # Take screenshot (--full for full page, saves to a temporary directory if no path)
 agent-browser pdf <path>              # Save as PDF
 agent-browser snapshot                # Accessibility tree with refs (best for AI)
 agent-browser eval <js>               # Run JavaScript

cli/src/output.rs

@@ -280,11 +280,6 @@ pub fn print_response(resp: &Response, json_mode: bool, action: Option<&str>) {
                 return;
             }
         }
-        // Screenshot base64
-        if let Some(base64) = data.get("base64").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
-            println!("{}", base64);
-            return;
-        }
         // Path-based operations (screenshot/pdf/trace/har/download/state/video)
         if let Some(path) = data.get("path").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
             match action.unwrap_or("") {
@@ -817,7 +812,7 @@ agent-browser screenshot - Take a screenshot
 Usage: agent-browser screenshot [path]
 
 Captures a screenshot of the current page. If no path is provided,
-outputs base64-encoded image data.
+saves to a temporary directory with a generated filename.
 
 Options:
   --full, -f           Capture full page (not just viewport)

docs/src/app/quick-start/page.tsx

@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ agent-browser snapshot                    # Get accessibility tree with refs
 agent-browser click @e2                   # Click by ref from snapshot
 agent-browser fill @e3 "test@example.com" # Fill by ref
 agent-browser get text @e1                # Get text by ref
-agent-browser screenshot                  # Base64 png to stdout
+agent-browser screenshot                  # Save to a temporary directory
-agent-browser screenshot page.png         # Save to file
+agent-browser screenshot page.png         # Save to a specific path
 agent-browser close`} />
 
         <h2>Traditional selectors</h2>

skills/agent-browser/SKILL.md

@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ agent-browser is checked @e1      # Check if checked
 ### Screenshots & PDF
 
 ```bash
-agent-browser screenshot          # Screenshot to stdout
+agent-browser screenshot          # Save to a temporary directory
-agent-browser screenshot path.png # Save to file
+agent-browser screenshot path.png # Save to a specific path
 agent-browser screenshot --full   # Full page
 agent-browser pdf output.pdf      # Save as PDF
 ```

src/actions.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import type { Page, Frame } from 'playwright-core';
+import { mkdirSync } from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
 import type { BrowserManager, ScreencastFrame } from './browser.js';
+import { getAppDir } from './daemon.js';
 import type {
   Command,
   Response,
@@ -561,13 +564,19 @@ async function handleScreenshot(
   }
 
   try {
-    if (command.path) {
+    let savePath = command.path;
-      await target.screenshot({ ...options, path: command.path });
+    if (!savePath) {
-      return successResponse(command.id, { path: command.path });
+      const ext = command.format === 'jpeg' ? 'jpg' : 'png';
-    } else {
+      const timestamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, '-');
-      const buffer = await target.screenshot(options);
+      const random = Math.random().toString(36).substring(2, 8);
-      return successResponse(command.id, { base64: buffer.toString('base64') });
+      const filename = `screenshot-${timestamp}-${random}.${ext}`;
+      const screenshotDir = path.join(getAppDir(), 'tmp', 'screenshots');
+      mkdirSync(screenshotDir, { recursive: true });
+      savePath = path.join(screenshotDir, filename);
     }
+
+    await target.screenshot({ ...options, path: savePath });
+    return successResponse(command.id, { path: savePath });
   } catch (error) {
     if (command.selector) {
       throw toAIFriendlyError(error, command.selector);

src/daemon.ts

@@ -51,27 +51,30 @@ function getPortForSession(session: string): number {
  * Get the base directory for socket/pid files.
  * Priority: AGENT_BROWSER_SOCKET_DIR > XDG_RUNTIME_DIR > ~/.agent-browser > tmpdir
  */
-export function getSocketDir(): string {
+export function getAppDir(): string {
-  // 1. Explicit override
+  // 1. XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (Linux standard)
-  if (process.env.AGENT_BROWSER_SOCKET_DIR) {
-    return process.env.AGENT_BROWSER_SOCKET_DIR;
-  }
-
-  // 2. XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (Linux standard)
   if (process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR) {
     return path.join(process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR, 'agent-browser');
   }
 
-  // 3. Home directory fallback (like Docker Desktop's ~/.docker/run/)
+  // 2. Home directory fallback (like Docker Desktop's ~/.docker/run/)
   const homeDir = os.homedir();
   if (homeDir) {
     return path.join(homeDir, '.agent-browser');
   }
 
-  // 4. Last resort: temp dir
+  // 3. Last resort: temp dir
   return path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'agent-browser');
 }
 
+export function getSocketDir(): string {
+  // Allow explicit override for socket directory
+  if (process.env.AGENT_BROWSER_SOCKET_DIR) {
+    return process.env.AGENT_BROWSER_SOCKET_DIR;
+  }
+  return getAppDir();
+}
+
 /**
  * Get the socket path for the current session (Unix) or port (Windows)
  */