Desktop App
Shiplight Desktop is a native macOS app that loads the Shiplight web UI (app.shiplight.ai) while running the browser sandbox and AI agent worker locally on your machine. You get the full web experience for creating and editing tests, with local browser execution for fast debugging — no cloud browser sessions needed.
Key Features
Browser Login
Sign in through your regular browser — the same Google or email login you use on the web. The app captures the login cookies to access cloud services. No API tokens to copy-paste or manage.
Bring Your Own API Keys
The desktop app uses your own AI provider keys for the web agent. Keys are stored securely in your macOS Keychain via the app's settings page. Supported providers:
| Provider | Key | Supported Models |
|---|---|---|
GOOGLE_API_KEY | gemini-2.5-pro, gemini-3-pro-preview | |
| Anthropic | ANTHROPIC_API_KEY | claude-haiku-4-5, claude-sonnet-4-5, claude-opus-4-5 |
Google Vertex AI is also supported — configure your project, location, and service account credentials in the settings page.
Test Creation & Editing
The desktop app loads the full Shiplight web UI. Everything you can do on app.shiplight.ai works locally:
- Create tests with natural language goals or step-by-step instructions
- Edit test flows in the visual editor with drag-and-drop reordering
- Use AI features to generate, refine, and maintain test steps
- Organize tests into folders and suites
Local Debugging
Debug tests with a headed browser running on your machine. You see exactly what the agent sees:
- Step through test execution one step at a time
- Watch the browser live as actions execute
- Inspect console logs and network requests
- Record new steps by interacting with the browser directly
No network latency, no flaky cloud browser sessions — the browser runs right next to you.
Bundled MCP Server
The desktop app includes a built-in MCP server that your IDE can connect to. Your coding agent (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) gets browser automation, test management, and cloud execution capabilities without installing the npm MCP package separately.
See Installation for MCP setup instructions.
Desktop App vs Cloud
The desktop app and the npm CLI package provide the same MCP server and capabilities — if you have the desktop app installed, you don't need to install the npm package separately.
| Desktop App | Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Browser | Local, headed | Cloud |
| AI keys | Your own (Keychain) | Shiplight-managed |
| Login | Browser-based (no API token needed) | Browser-based |
| Test editor | Full UI | Full UI |
| Debugging | Local headed browser | Cloud browser |
| MCP server | Bundled, auto-starts | — |
| Platform | macOS (Apple Silicon) | Any (browser) |
System Requirements
- macOS on Apple Silicon (M1 or later)
- A Shiplight account
- An API key from Google or Anthropic (for the web agent)
Next Steps
- Installation — Download, install, and configure the desktop app
- Setup Guide — Install and configure the MCP server
- Test Editor — Full guide to the visual test editor