Read a web page as markdown or HTML through a real browser, so JavaScript-rendered pages and sites that block plain HTTP fetches still work. Starts no browser session, so there is nothing to release afterwards. Always returns the page links and metadata alongside the content. Use this first for anything you only need to read; reach for steel_session_create only when you need to click, type or move through several pages.

Capture a page image. URL captures are user-facing PNG artifacts; session captures are model-visible JPEG evidence. Pixels are not action targets, so use steel_snapshot to click or type.

Render a page to PDF and return a link to the file. Starts no browser session. Use steel_scrape if you want to read the text — the PDF link is for handing a document to a person.

Billed; profiles/credentials via session_options; release.

Shut down the current browser and stop the meter. Safe to call twice. Its current URL and session-only page state are gone afterwards. A profile is saved only when persistence was requested. Read what you need first; this reports the final URL and title.

Navigate a live session and wait for it to settle. Reports the final URL and changes; set include_snapshot to also read the page.

Return the page as a compact accessibility tree with a @eN reference on every element you can click or type into. This is the read to use before acting. Elements with no reference cannot be targeted. If you already know what you are looking for, steel_find is much cheaper.

Find labelled elements by text, safe regex or role and return their @eN refs.

Click, type, fill a form, select an option, hover, scroll, press a key, go back, or dismiss a cookie or consent overlay. Target elements by the @eN reference from steel_snapshot or steel_find, or by a CSS selector. Always reports what actually changed, and says so plainly when nothing did.

Wait for named text, a CSS selector or URL substring; pass at least one.

Read live/released activity or list live handles; never starts a browser.

Pause for a person to take exclusive control of this same live browser, then resume only after hand-back. Use for sensitive input, local files, review, or any manual step.

Call only when the user explicitly asks to watch or replay a finished session. Returns its Steel dashboard link without starting a browser; use steel_session_diagnostics to inspect or explain activity.

Run known reversible steps whose later targets need no fresh read. Stops on failure or login/challenge; hand off the same session and resume only unrun steps. Stop before payment/final confirmation.

Find profiles/credentials; plan setup.

App-only viewer and control lease; no page content.