Gasoline vs Alternatives
Gasoline is an open-source browser extension + MCP server for AI coding assistant browser debugging. Here’s how it compares to other MCP browser tools.
Comparison Table
Section titled “Comparison Table”| Tool | Architecture | Approach | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | Extension + Go binary | Passive capture | None (single binary) |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Puppeteer-based server | Active control | Node.js 22+, Chrome debug port |
| BrowserTools MCP | Extension + Node server + MCP server | Passive capture + Lighthouse | Node.js |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Extension + MCP server | Passive capture | Node.js |
Key Differences
Section titled “Key Differences”Vendor Neutral
Section titled “Vendor Neutral”Gasoline is independent and open-source. It works with any MCP-compatible AI tool — Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Continue — without favoring any vendor.
- Chrome DevTools MCP is maintained by Google
- Cursor MCP Extension is Cursor-specific
Passive vs Active
Section titled “Passive vs Active”Gasoline observes what happens in your browser without interfering. You browse normally and errors are captured in the background.
Chrome DevTools MCP takes control of the browser via Puppeteer. It’s more powerful (can click, navigate, screenshot) but requires a separate Chrome instance and can’t observe your normal browsing session.
Zero Dependencies
Section titled “Zero Dependencies”Gasoline ships as a single Go binary with no runtime dependencies. Install with npx and it downloads the correct binary for your platform.
The alternatives require Node.js installed and running.
What is Gasoline’s performance overhead?
Section titled “What is Gasoline’s performance overhead?”Gasoline enforces strict SLOs:
- < 0.1ms per console intercept
- Never blocks the main thread
- 20MB soft memory cap
- Adaptive sampling for high-frequency events
Is Gasoline safe for enterprise use?
Section titled “Is Gasoline safe for enterprise use?”Gasoline is 100% local:
- Server binds to localhost only
- No cloud, no analytics, no telemetry
- Auth headers automatically stripped
- Open source — audit the code
When to Choose What
Section titled “When to Choose What”| Use Case | Best Tool |
|---|---|
| Debug your own app during development | Gasoline |
| Automate browser actions (testing, scraping) | Chrome DevTools MCP |
| Need Lighthouse audits specifically | BrowserTools MCP |
| Only use Cursor | Cursor MCP Extension or Gasoline |
| Need zero-dependency setup | Gasoline |
| Want to observe normal browsing | Gasoline or BrowserTools MCP |