[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1573},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own":3,"related-/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own":491},{"id":4,"title":5,"authorId":6,"body":7,"category":450,"created":451,"description":452,"extension":453,"faqs":454,"featurePriority":470,"head":471,"hideCta":472,"landingPath":471,"meta":473,"navigation":479,"ogImage":471,"path":481,"robots":471,"schemaOrg":471,"seo":482,"sitemap":483,"stem":484,"tags":485,"__hash__":490},"blog/blog/1053.5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own.md","5 Ways to Co-Browse a Website You Don't Own (2026)","salome-koshadze",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":440},"minimark",[10,14,17,20,52,55,64,69,72,75,78,104,116,119,126,130,133,136,148,151,157,160,163,169,173,176,183,187,198,201,204,208,211,214,217,237,241,244,248,251,255,262,265,279,290,294,297,301,304,309,312],[11,12,13],"p",{},"Yes, you can co-browse a website you don't own, and you need neither the site owner's permission nor a line of their code.",[11,15,16],{},"Someone calls, stuck on page three of a government benefits form. They read field labels aloud, you guess at what is on screen, and eight minutes later neither of you knows which box was wrong. Screen sharing solves the visibility problem and adds another: their inbox, open tabs and desktop notifications arrive on your monitor along with the form.",[11,18,19],{},"Co-browsing narrows what gets shared to the page itself. Older co-browsing needed a script embedded in the target site, which ruled out every site you don't control. These five methods do not, and they are ordered here by reach, from a single page up to the entire device:",[21,22,23,31,37,42,47],"ul",{},[24,25,26,30],"li",{},[27,28,29],"strong",{},"A shared session"," running the real site in the user's own browser",[24,32,33,36],{},[27,34,35],{},"An isolated cloud browser"," the agent drives",[24,38,39],{},[27,40,41],{},"A universal co-browse add-on",[24,43,44],{},[27,45,46],{},"Plain screen sharing",[24,48,49],{},[27,50,51],{},"Full remote access",[11,53,54],{},"Masking, control and cost change at every step down that list.",[56,57],"nuxt-picture",{":height":58,":width":59,"alt":60,"loading":61,"src":62,"provider":63},"836","900","The five co-browsing methods ordered by reach, from a shared session that touches only the page through to full remote access covering every file and OS setting, with published prices beside each","lazy","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/1.svg","none",[65,66,68],"h2",{"id":67},"_1-a-shared-session-in-the-users-own-browser-webfuse","1. A shared session in the user's own browser (Webfuse)",[11,70,71],{},"The user opens a link and lands on the real site, in their own browser, under their own login. A helper joins that same session and can both see the page and act on it. Nothing gets installed, and the target site is never touched.",[11,73,74],{},"Underneath, a proxy sits between site and browser, rewriting the application code in transit and injecting a layer the helper connects to. Cookies and credentials stay in the user's browser. The site owner is not involved and does not need to be.",[11,76,77],{},"What separates this from a pixel stream is what the helper's tooling can reach. The layer runs inside the page rather than outside it, so it sees the application the way the application sees itself:",[21,79,80,86,92,98],{},[24,81,82,85],{},[27,83,84],{},"Framework internals."," React Fiber and Angular Signals state, not just the rendered DOM, so clicks land where they are meant to on single-page apps.",[24,87,88,91],{},[27,89,90],{},"Closed Shadow DOM and iframes."," Salesforce Lightning Web Components block outside tools by design; an in-page layer traverses them.",[24,93,94,97],{},[27,95,96],{},"Element-level masking."," Fields can be hidden or obfuscated by CSS selector before anything reaches a human agent or a model.",[24,99,100,103],{},[27,101,102],{},"An audit log."," Every step in the session can be written to a record, which is the first thing compliance teams ask about.",[11,105,106,107,111,112,115],{},"Sandboxing rewrites the domain, so ",[108,109,110],"code",{},"domain.com"," gets served as ",[108,113,114],{},"domain-com.webfuse.com",", and session tokens tied to the original domain do not carry across without a migration step. The origin server sees the proxy's IP rather than the user's, which strict WAF rules may reject until that range is allowlisted. Starting a session also costs a moment while the layer is injected.",[11,117,118],{},"This fits regulated support work: banks, insurers and healthcare teams that need the audit trail and the redaction, plus anyone whose target site is a heavy single-page app that simpler tools mishandle.",[56,120],{":height":121,":width":122,"alt":123,"loading":61,"src":124,"format":125},"1508","2880","The Webfuse homepage, describing a proxy that connects an agent to the live web so it can see the DOM and act on the user's behalf with no install required","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/webfuse.png","webp",[65,127,129],{"id":128},"_2-an-isolated-cloud-browser-logmein-rescue-live-guide","2. An isolated cloud browser (LogMeIn Rescue Live Guide)",[11,131,132],{},"Live Guide connects the session to a disposable browser running in LogMeIn's cloud, and the agent drives that copy rather than the page on the user's device. The user's own machine stays out of reach for the entire session, which is the whole point of the design.",[11,134,135],{},"Getting started takes three steps and no download:",[137,138,139,142,145],"ol",{},[24,140,141],{},"The agent generates a PIN or a session URL.",[24,143,144],{},"The customer enters the PIN on a Rescue landing page, or opens the link.",[24,146,147],{},"Their browsing connects to the cloud instance, where the agent can see and drive it.",[11,149,150],{},"Control is deliberately narrow. Administrators can mask fields, block specific buttons so that an agent can never press \"Buy Now\", and stop agents typing into forms at all. When a problem turns out to be bigger than the webpage, the session escalates into full Rescue remote control, and that escalation path is why contact centers buy the suite rather than the module.",[56,152],{":height":153,":width":154,"alt":155,"loading":61,"src":156,"format":125},"577","1280","The LogMeIn Rescue Live Guide product page, offering real-time guidance inside the customer's own browser with no downloads required","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/rescue-live-guide.png",[11,158,159],{},"Cost is the sticking point. Rescue starts near $108 per technician per month billed annually, and LogMeIn publishes no separate price for Live Guide, so the module arrives attached to a suite costing more than most co-browsing tools do on their own. The second question is where trust sits: the session runs on the vendor's infrastructure rather than in the user's browser, which makes for a different compliance conversation than a model where page data never leaves the device.",[11,161,162],{},"Best suited to large support organizations already standardized on Rescue, or teams needing a zero-download route onto any third-party site with escalation waiting behind it.",[56,164],{":height":165,":width":166,"alt":167,"loading":61,"src":168,"provider":63},"620","940","Four architectures compared by where the page renders: in the user's own browser through a proxy, in a disposable browser in the vendor's cloud, on the device streamed as video, or on the device fully handed over","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/2.svg",[65,170,172],{"id":171},"_3-a-universal-co-browse-add-on-cobrowseio","3. A universal co-browse add-on (Cobrowse.io)",[11,174,175],{},"Cobrowse.io was built for a company's own web and mobile apps, added through an SDK. Universal co-browse is the mode that reaches past those boundaries, onto third-party sites, mobile apps and content such as PDF files, with nothing added to the site in question.",[11,177,178,179,182],{},"The difference sits in the default. ",[27,180,181],{},"Nothing leaves the user's device unless it has been explicitly allowlisted",", which inverts the usual arrangement where everything is shared and sensitive fields get masked afterwards. For a bank or a clinic, that inversion is the reason to look: a field nobody thought about stays private by accident instead of leaking by accident.",[56,184],{":height":121,":width":122,"alt":185,"loading":61,"src":186,"format":125},"The Cobrowse.io homepage, positioning co-browsing for human and AI agents across web and mobile","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/cobrowse.png",[11,188,189,190,193,194,197],{},"Pricing is public and unusually clear for this category. Web co-browse runs ",[27,191,192],{},"$18 per agent per month billed annually",", web plus mobile app co-browse runs ",[27,195,196],{},"$36",", and enterprise terms cover large agent counts, alternate licensing and self-hosting. Deployment can sit with a cloud provider and region you choose, or fully on-premise. The vendor lists ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA compliance.",[11,199,200],{},"What the public documentation does not spell out is how universal co-browse works on a site the SDK was never installed on. The capability is stated plainly; the mechanism is not. If your evaluation depends on knowing exactly where the page renders and what crosses the network, that goes to their sales engineers rather than being settled from the docs.",[11,202,203],{},"Best for teams that already want privacy-first co-browsing inside their own product, with third-party guidance as an occasional need rather than the main event.",[65,205,207],{"id":206},"_4-plain-screen-sharing-microsoft-teams-google-meet","4. Plain screen sharing (Microsoft Teams, Google Meet)",[11,209,210],{},"Most guidance happens this way, and for a five-minute question it does the job. The helper watches a video of the user's screen and talks them through it. No setup, no procurement, no new vendor to approve.",[11,212,213],{},"The catch is that a pixel stream carries no structure. Nothing on the page can be masked automatically, since the tool has no idea a password field is a password field; the user has to remember to hide things themselves, mid-call, while already confused by the form in front of them. Share a full desktop and notifications, open tabs and file names arrive on the helper's monitor too.",[11,215,216],{},"Handing over control has sharper limits than most people expect:",[21,218,219,225,231],{},[24,220,221,224],{},[27,222,223],{},"Control follows what you shared."," Share one window and control stops at that window. Share the whole screen and the other person has the whole screen.",[24,226,227,230],{},[27,228,229],{},"Desktop app on both sides."," Microsoft documents that giving and taking control does not work when either party is running Teams in a browser.",[24,232,233,236],{},[27,234,235],{},"A GPU requirement."," The Give Control menu depends on hardware acceleration being available, which is why the option sometimes greys out with no explanation.",[56,238],{":height":153,":width":154,"alt":239,"loading":61,"src":240,"format":125},"Microsoft's troubleshooting page stating that the Give Control drop-down does not work unless GPU hardware acceleration is supported on the system","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/teams-give-control.png",[11,242,243],{},"Good for quick, low-stakes help where nothing sensitive is on screen and the helper is someone the user already trusts. It becomes the wrong tool the moment a form asks for a bank account number.",[65,245,247],{"id":246},"_5-full-remote-access-chrome-remote-desktop-teamviewer","5. Full remote access (Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer)",[11,249,250],{},"Remote access gives the helper the entire machine: keyboard, mouse, files, settings, everything the user could do themselves. A browser tab is just one of the things now within reach.",[56,252],{":height":121,":width":122,"alt":253,"loading":61,"src":254,"format":125},"The Chrome Remote Desktop homepage, offering remote connection to a home or work computer and screen sharing with others","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/chrome-remote-desktop.png",[11,256,257,258,261],{},"The user installs a host application or runs a temporary support module, reads out an access code, and control passes over. Chrome Remote Desktop is free and fine for helping a parent with a printer. TeamViewer's single-user Remote Access plan starts at ",[27,259,260],{},"$24.90 per month billed annually"," and covers up to three managed devices, with unattended access to machines nobody is sitting at.",[11,263,264],{},"Scope is the problem. Granting device control hands over:",[21,266,267,270,273,276],{},[24,268,269],{},"Every file, not the page in the browser.",[24,271,272],{},"Every application, including anything already logged in.",[24,274,275],{},"OS settings, drivers and installed software.",[24,277,278],{},"No field masking or button blocking, since neither concept exists at this layer.",[11,280,281,282,285,286,289],{},"Patching is part of the deal. TeamViewer's bulletin ",[27,283,284],{},"TV-2026-1008",", published 26 August 2026, describes ",[27,287,288],{},"CVE-2026-16444",": a participant in a remote session could send a filename containing path traversal sequences through file transfer or the virtual file clipboard, writing files outside the intended download folder, with code execution possible at the user's privileges. The fix is version 15.81.5, and TeamViewer reports no evidence of exploitation in the wild.",[56,291],{":height":153,":width":154,"alt":292,"loading":61,"src":293,"format":125},"TeamViewer's security bulletin for CVE-2026-16444, listing a CVSS base score of 7.5 High and describing path traversal through file transfer or the virtual file clipboard","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/teamviewer-cve.png",[11,295,296],{},"Right for IT support where the fault sits in the device rather than the webpage. Wrong for guiding a customer through a form, and the distance between those two jobs is where most of this category's risk lives.",[65,298,300],{"id":299},"choosing-between-them","Choosing between them",[11,302,303],{},"Pick by reach: how much of the user's world the helper has to touch to fix the problem. Two of the five keep the helper scoped to the page and mask fields without the user having to remember anything mid-call; the difference between them is whether the page renders in the user's own browser or on the vendor's infrastructure.",[56,305],{":height":306,":width":59,"alt":307,"loading":61,"src":308,"provider":63},"560","A decision tree for picking a method: sensitive data on one page leads to a shared session or isolated cloud browser, nothing sensitive on one page leads to screen sharing, and a problem outside the browser leads to full remote access","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own/3.svg",[11,310,311],{},"Price tracks reach almost exactly. The tools that see the least cost the least.",[313,314,315,338],"table",{},[316,317,318],"thead",{},[319,320,321,326,329,332,335],"tr",{},[322,323,325],"th",{"align":324},"left","Method",[322,327,328],{"align":324},"Customer installs",[322,330,331],{"align":324},"Helper can reach",[322,333,334],{"align":324},"Price from",[322,336,337],{"align":324},"Best for",[339,340,341,362,382,401,421],"tbody",{},[319,342,343,350,353,356,359],{},[344,345,346,349],"td",{"align":324},[27,347,348],{},"Shared session in the browser"," (Webfuse)",[344,351,352],{"align":324},"Nothing, just a link",[344,354,355],{"align":324},"The page",[344,357,358],{"align":324},"$20/mo",[344,360,361],{"align":324},"Governed support on complex web apps",[319,363,364,370,373,376,379],{},[344,365,366,369],{"align":324},[27,367,368],{},"Isolated cloud browser"," (Rescue Live Guide)",[344,371,372],{"align":324},"Nothing, a PIN or link",[344,374,375],{"align":324},"The page, can escalate to the device",[344,377,378],{"align":324},"~$108/tech/mo",[344,380,381],{"align":324},"Contact centres needing an escalation path",[319,383,384,390,393,395,398],{},[344,385,386,389],{"align":324},[27,387,388],{},"Universal co-browse"," (Cobrowse.io)",[344,391,392],{"align":324},"Nothing on the third-party site",[344,394,355],{"align":324},[344,396,397],{"align":324},"$18/agent/mo",[344,399,400],{"align":324},"Privacy-first support teams",[319,402,403,409,412,415,418],{},[344,404,405,408],{"align":324},[27,406,407],{},"Screen sharing"," (Teams / Meet)",[344,410,411],{"align":324},"Nothing",[344,413,414],{"align":324},"Whatever was shared",[344,416,417],{"align":324},"Free tier",[344,419,420],{"align":324},"Casual, low-stakes help",[319,422,423,428,431,434,437],{},[344,424,425,427],{"align":324},[27,426,51],{}," (TeamViewer / CRD)",[344,429,430],{"align":324},"A host app",[344,432,433],{"align":324},"The whole device",[344,435,436],{"align":324},"Free (CRD)",[344,438,439],{"align":324},"Device-level IT support",{"title":441,"searchDepth":442,"depth":442,"links":443},"",2,[444,445,446,447,448,449],{"id":67,"depth":442,"text":68},{"id":128,"depth":442,"text":129},{"id":171,"depth":442,"text":172},{"id":206,"depth":442,"text":207},{"id":246,"depth":442,"text":247},{"id":299,"depth":442,"text":300},"web-augmentation","2026-08-28","Five methods for co-browsing a site you don't control, without the owner's permission or any code on their page. Architecture, masking, published prices and where each one breaks.","md",[455,458,461,464,467],{"question":456,"answer":457},"Can you co-browse a website you don't own?","Yes. Five methods work without the site owner's permission or any code on their site: a shared session running the real page in the user's own browser through a proxy, an isolated cloud browser the agent drives, a universal co-browse add-on, plain screen sharing, and full remote access. They differ mainly in how much of the user's machine the helper can reach, from a single page to the entire device.",{"question":459,"answer":460},"Do you need to add code to a website to co-browse it?","Not any more. Older co-browsing required a JavaScript snippet embedded in the target site, which ruled out any site you do not control. Proxy-based sessions, cloud browsers and universal co-browse modes all start from a link or a PIN and leave the target site untouched, so they work on payment portals, government forms and vendor dashboards.",{"question":462,"answer":463},"Is screen sharing the same as co-browsing?","No. Screen sharing sends a video of the screen, so the tool cannot tell a password field from any other pixels and nothing can be masked automatically. Co-browsing works on the page's structure instead, which is what makes field-level redaction and button blocking possible. In Microsoft Teams, giving control also requires the desktop client on both sides and depends on GPU hardware acceleration.",{"question":465,"answer":466},"Can a support agent see my password during a co-browsing session?","That depends on the tool's configuration rather than on co-browsing itself. Rescue Live Guide masks credentials, bank details and similar fields from the agent's view through a visual setup tool. Cobrowse.io shares nothing unless a field is explicitly allowlisted. Webfuse masks elements by CSS selector. Screen sharing and remote access have no masking at all, so anything on screen is visible.",{"question":468,"answer":469},"How much does co-browsing software cost in 2026?","Published prices span a wide range. Cobrowse.io starts at $18 per agent per month for web co-browse and $36 for web plus mobile, billed annually. Webfuse lists $20 per month for Spark and $550 for Forge, with enterprise billed per successful interaction. LogMeIn Rescue starts near $108 per technician per month annually, with Live Guide bundled rather than priced separately. Screen sharing is free or included with existing accounts.",0,null,false,{"shortTitle":474,"relatedLinks":475},"Co-browse a site you don't own",[476],{"text":477,"href":478,"external":479,"description":480},"Webfuse Session Sharing","https://dev.webfuse.com/",true,"The developer documentation for shared live sessions.","/blog/5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own",{"title":5,"description":452},{"loc":481},"blog/1053.5-ways-to-co-browse-a-website-you-dont-own",[486,487,450,488,489],"co-browsing","remote-support","screen-sharing","customer-support","_Mc7C-5_B0RHbnQWBFJPSYhNvcgkvNNmele6UZw4cxc",[492,1260],{"id":493,"title":494,"authorId":6,"body":495,"category":450,"created":1220,"description":1221,"extension":453,"faqs":1222,"featurePriority":470,"head":471,"hideCta":472,"landingPath":471,"meta":1250,"navigation":479,"ogImage":471,"path":1251,"robots":471,"schemaOrg":471,"seo":1252,"sitemap":1253,"stem":1254,"tags":1255,"__hash__":1259},"blog/blog/1007.web-augmentation-comprehensive-guide.md","Web Augmentation: The Comprehensive Guide",{"type":8,"value":496,"toc":1197},[497,500,503,507,510,513,516,548,561,572,576,579,582,602,605,608,612,615,691,694,699,724,728,750,754,773,777,780,806,809,813,820,830,834,841,844,877,880,887,890,910,913,924,928,935,938,941,955,958,961,969,973,976,979,983,1016,1020,1047,1051,1082,1086,1113,1117,1144,1147,1151,1154,1187],[11,498,499],{},"We interact with countless websites every day and the way we use them is evolving beyond passive consumption. For a long time, we've accepted web applications as they were given to us. But what if the next development allowed you to layer your own specific requirements onto any website and share it with others?",[11,501,502],{},"Web augmentation makes this possible. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through its key aspects and how you can apply them to your own web interactions.",[65,504,506],{"id":505},"what-is-web-augmentation","What is Web Augmentation?",[11,508,509],{},"Web augmentation in simple terms means changing or adding to existing websites and web applications.",[11,511,512],{},"Think of it as giving any site a tune-up or some new features, rather than building a whole new one from the ground up. The idea is to make these online tools work better for the people using them.",[11,514,515],{},"Modification can take many forms, from small visual adjustments to adding major new capabilities. Here are a few examples of what web augmentation can do:",[21,517,518,524,530,536,542],{},[24,519,520,523],{},[27,521,522],{},"Visual Tweaks:"," Changing how a site looks, such as text sizes, colors or the layout of items.",[24,525,526,529],{},[27,527,528],{},"Adding Features:"," Introducing a video chat window, a notes panel or an automated process directly onto a website.",[24,531,532,535],{},[27,533,534],{},"Task Automation:"," Setting up scripts or tools to do repetitive tasks, like filling in forms or clicking through a series of pages for you.",[24,537,538,541],{},[27,539,540],{},"Showing Extra Information:"," Displaying helpful tips, internal company notes or relevant data on top of the web page you’re looking at.",[24,543,544,547],{},[27,545,546],{},"Connecting Two Services:"," Making two separate web tools work more smoothly, perhaps by allowing them to share information or be viewed side by side more easily.",[549,550,554,555,560],"video",{"style":551,"className":552,"autoPlay":479,"muted":479,"controls":479},"width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;",[553],"rounded-md","\n  ",[556,557],"source",{"src":558,"type":559},"https://surfly-public.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/blog/augmentation-demo.mp4","video/mp4","\n  Your browser does not support the video tag.\n",[11,562,563,564,571],{},"For a practical example of web augmentation in action, check out ",[565,566,570],"a",{"href":567,"rel":568},"https://annotateweb.com",[569],"dofollow","AnnotateWeb.com",", which demonstrates how you can add annotations and modifications to any website.",[65,573,575],{"id":574},"why-augment-the-web","Why Augment the Web?",[11,577,578],{},"Standard websites and SaaS tools provide a set experience, but what happens when that experience doesn't quite align with our evolving needs or internal processes? This is where the real value of web augmentation begins to show.",[11,580,581],{},"Web augmentation offers a way to take back control and reshape these digital environments. Imagine being able to:",[21,583,584,590,596],{},[24,585,586,589],{},[27,587,588],{},"Instantly tailor any website or SaaS application"," you use. You could modify its functions or adjust workflows to perfectly match your specific requirements, all without needing to dive into its original code or ask the vendor for changes.",[24,591,592,595],{},[27,593,594],{},"Bypass vendor limitations and slow development cycles."," Instead of waiting for official updates, you can add important missing features, UI improvements, or custom integrations to third-party SaaS or even older legacy applications right when you need them.",[24,597,598,601],{},[27,599,600],{},"Deploy powerful, 'browser extension-like' functionality centrally."," This means providing custom tools, data overlays, or UI enhancements directly within any website. Your team or users access these via a simple link, with zero software for them to install, removing IT headaches and user friction.",[11,603,604],{},"Beyond these, augmentation techniques also make it possible to integrate applications that were previously difficult to combine, such as embedding a specific CRM view into your support portal, or provide secure, interactive guidance on any site.",[11,606,607],{},"It's about making the web work for you, not the other way around.",[65,609,611],{"id":610},"conventional-methods","Conventional Methods",[11,613,614],{},"Website customization isn't a new idea. Various methods have been developed over time, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. But, the main challenges remain the same: creating modifications that are shareable, universally compatible, and scalable.",[313,616,617,634],{},[316,618,619],{},[319,620,621,624,629],{},[322,622,623],{"align":324},"Feature",[322,625,626],{"align":324},[27,627,628],{},"Web Augmentation",[322,630,631],{"align":324},[27,632,633],{},"Custom Development",[339,635,636,647,658,669,680],{},[319,637,638,641,644],{},[344,639,640],{"align":324},"Implementation Speed",[344,642,643],{"align":324},"Days to Hours",[344,645,646],{"align":324},"Years to Months",[319,648,649,652,655],{},[344,650,651],{"align":324},"Costs",[344,653,654],{"align":324},"Low(er)",[344,656,657],{"align":324},"High(er)",[319,659,660,663,666],{},[344,661,662],{"align":324},"App Control",[344,664,665],{"align":324},"Frontend / UI",[344,667,668],{"align":324},"Fullstack",[319,670,671,674,677],{},[344,672,673],{"align":324},"3rd-Party App Control",[344,675,676],{"align":324},"Yes",[344,678,679],{"align":324},"No",[319,681,682,685,688],{},[344,683,684],{"align":324},"Long-Term Strategy",[344,686,687],{"align":324},"Adaptive",[344,689,690],{"align":324},"Gradual",[11,692,693],{},"Let's look at some of these common approaches and where they tend to fall short.",[695,696,698],"h3",{"id":697},"_1-direct-source-code-modification","1. Direct Source Code Modification",[21,700,701,707,713],{},[24,702,703,706],{},[27,704,705],{},"What it is:"," Direct source modification means getting into the actual code of a website – the HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or backend programming – and changing it.",[24,708,709,712],{},[27,710,711],{},"The Upside:"," You have complete control. You can change anything and everything about how the website looks and works.",[24,714,715,718,719,723],{},[27,716,717],{},"The Downside:"," You can only do this if you ",[720,721,722],"em",{},"own"," the website or have explicit permission and access to its code. For any site you don't own, this method is off the table.",[695,725,727],{"id":726},"_2-browser-extensions-userscripts","2. Browser Extensions & Userscripts",[21,729,730,736,741],{},[24,731,732,735],{},[27,733,734],{},"What they are:"," These are small programs or scripts (like Chrome Extensions, Firefox Add-ons, or scripts run with tools like Tampermonkey) that you install in your own web browser. They then make changes to websites as you view them on your computer.",[24,737,738,740],{},[27,739,711],{}," They can be great for personalizing your own browsing. There's a huge library of existing extensions, and it's relatively easy for developers to create simple ones.",[24,742,743,745,746,749],{},[27,744,717],{}," The main problem is that ",[720,747,748],{},"every single person"," who wants the augmented experience needs to find, install, and manage the extension or script themselves. This is a huge barrier for sharing it with others.",[695,751,753],{"id":752},"_3-apis-official-integrations","3. APIs & Official Integrations",[21,755,756,761,767],{},[24,757,758,760],{},[27,759,734],{}," APIs are official ways provided by a web service owner for other applications to interact with their service, often used for data exchange or triggering specific actions.",[24,762,763,766],{},[27,764,765],{},"Pros:"," Generally stable, secure, and supported by the service provider; designed for reliable interaction.",[24,768,769,772],{},[27,770,771],{},"Cons:"," You are limited to only what the API developer chooses to expose. APIs often don't allow for modifying the user interface or augmenting aspects outside the specific functions they cover. Implementing API integrations can still be complex and require development resources.",[695,774,776],{"id":775},"challenges-of-conventional-methods","Challenges of Conventional Methods",[11,778,779],{},"Looking at these methods, a few common problems emerge when we think about truly effective and shareable web augmentation:",[21,781,782,788,794,800],{},[24,783,784,787],{},[27,785,786],{},"Friction for End-Users:"," Asking people to install software (like browser extensions) is often a deal-breaker.",[24,789,790,793],{},[27,791,792],{},"Inconsistent Experiences:"," If everyone has a different setup, the augmented experience won't be reliable.",[24,795,796,799],{},[27,797,798],{},"Scalability and Management Problems:"," Deploying and managing augmentations for many users is tough.",[24,801,802,805],{},[27,803,804],{},"Embedding Difficulties:"," None of these older methods easily solve the common issue of trying to embed one website inside another when security settings prevent it.",[11,807,808],{},"These challenges highlight why there's a need for a more advanced approach – one that can provide powerful, consistent, and easily shared augmentations without burdening the end-user or requiring access to the original website's code.",[65,810,812],{"id":811},"how-web-augmentation-works","How Web Augmentation Works",[11,814,815,816,819],{},"So, how do we get past these limitations and really tap into what web augmentation can do? That's where ",[27,817,818],{},"web augmentation platforms"," like Webfuse come in.",[11,821,822,823,826,827],{},"Webfuse is built on two core technologies: the ",[27,824,825],{},"Augmented Web Proxy (AWP)"," and ",[27,828,829],{},"Virtual Web Sessions (VWS)",[65,831,833],{"id":832},"the-augmented-web-proxy-awp","The Augmented Web Proxy (AWP)",[11,835,836,837,840],{},"You can think of the ",[27,838,839],{},"Augmented Web Proxy",", or AWP as the primary engine that makes web augmentation possible.  It is a proxy engine within the Webfuse platform that acts as an intermediary between an end-user's browser and the target web application's servers.",[11,842,843],{},"AWP performs several actions in real-time before content reaches the user:",[21,845,846,863,871],{},[24,847,848,851,852,855,856,859,860],{},[27,849,850],{},"Dynamic URL Rewriting:"," It maps original application domains to Webfuse-controlled domains. For example, ",[108,853,854],{},"targetapp.com"," becomes ",[108,857,858],{},"targetapp.webfuse.com"," or a custom domain you've configured.",[27,861,862],{},"‍",[24,864,865,868,869],{},[27,866,867],{},"Content Transformation:"," The AWP actively modifies resource paths for elements like scripts, images, links, and CSS files. This rewriting routes them correctly through the Webfuse proxy.",[27,870,862],{},[24,872,873,876],{},[27,874,875],{},"Header Adjustments:"," It changes HTTP headers, such as Content-Security-Policy (CSP), X-Frame-Options, and Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) headers. These adjustments are often what allow for embedding or modifying websites that would otherwise restrict such actions.",[65,878,829],{"id":879},"virtual-web-sessions-vws",[11,881,882,883,886],{},"A ",[27,884,885],{},"Virtual Web Session",", or VWS, is the actual interactive instance of a proxied and augmented web application that a user experiences. When you use a Webfuse link to access a site, the VWS is the environment where this modified version of the site is loaded and displayed.",[11,888,889],{},"Several things characterize a Virtual Web Session:",[21,891,892,898,904],{},[24,893,894,897],{},[27,895,896],{},"Augmented Content Delivery:"," The VWS presents the web content after the AWP has rewritten it. This means users see the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with all intended modifications and augmentations applied.",[24,899,900,903],{},[27,901,902],{},"Isolated State Management:"," Each VWS maintains its own separate context for cookies, local storage, and session storage. This isolation ensures that data from one VWS does not affect other browser tabs or Webfuse sessions, even for the same website.",[24,905,906,909],{},[27,907,908],{},"Secure JavaScript Execution:"," The original JavaScript from the target website, as well as any custom JavaScript introduced by Webfuse Session Extensions or Apps, runs within a sandboxed environment inside the VWS. This controlled execution helps manage how scripts interact with the page and each other.",[11,911,912],{},"Webfuse uses a stateless proxying approach for these sessions. This means it transparently forwards requests, helping to maintain user authentication and context with the original web application while the VWS itself remains a distinct, virtualized environment.",[11,914,915,916,919,920,923],{},"Those technologies together unlock advanced web capabilities. For example, because the platform has such deep insight into the session, it can generate detailed ",[27,917,918],{},"audit logs"," of user interactions (like form changes or clicks) and even create ",[27,921,922],{},"full video recordings"," of sessions for review or compliance, often without needing any changes to the original application.",[65,925,927],{"id":926},"the-live-session-where-ai-agents-act-on-the-web","The Live Session: Where AI Agents Act on the Web",[11,929,930,931,934],{},"A Virtual Web Session is more than a place to view a modified site. It is a ",[27,932,933],{},"live session"," an AI agent can read and act on at the same moment as the user. The agent works inside the session the person already has open, with their login and page state intact.",[11,936,937],{},"An AI model can plan a task, yet it still needs a way to see the page and take action on it. The live session gives it both. The agent reads a compressed snapshot of the DOM to work out what is on screen, then clicks, types, and scrolls through the same session the user sees.",[11,939,940],{},"Two capabilities sit behind this:",[21,942,943,949],{},[24,944,945,948],{},[27,946,947],{},"Perception:"," The agent reads the live DOM and accessibility tree from the current page, not a static copy, so it knows what changed after each action.",[24,950,951,954],{},[27,952,953],{},"Actuation:"," The agent fires the same events a person would - clicks, keystrokes, scrolls - and the site responds as if a human acted.",[11,956,957],{},"A common alternative runs the agent in a remote browser on a server far from the user. That setup copies session cookies out of the local browser and streams screenshots back, which adds delay and moves credentials outside the user's security perimeter. A live session drops both costs. The agent acts where the user is already signed in, and the screen updates on the spot.",[11,959,960],{},"The session stays shared the whole time. A person watches each action and can take control the moment the agent meets an edge case it was not built for. Every click and form change flows through the same audit trail the platform already records, which keeps the agent's work reviewable.",[11,962,963,964,968],{},"The Augmented Web Proxy and Virtual Web Sessions were built to modify and share websites. The same two layers now give AI agents a low-latency place to act on the live web. For how this model compares with remote browsers, see ",[565,965,967],{"href":966},"/blog/headless-browsers-vs-live-sessions-for-customer-facing-ai-agents","Headless Browsers vs Live Sessions",".",[65,970,972],{"id":971},"real-world-applications","Real-World Applications",[11,974,975],{},"Overcoming traditional web augmentation limitations, Webfuse opens up possibilities that weren't feasible before. Companies can add compliance tracking to any web app, teams can customize third-party tools without breaking them, and anyone can make websites work exactly how they need them to.",[11,977,978],{},"Here are some specific examples of these use cases:",[695,980,982],{"id":981},"enterprise-compliance-security-overlays","Enterprise Compliance & Security Overlays",[21,984,985,991,1010],{},[24,986,987,990],{},[27,988,989],{},"The Challenge:"," Businesses need to ensure their teams follow strict data handling procedures, security protocols, and industry regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS) when using various web-based tools. This is especially tricky with third-party applications where the company doesn't control the source code.",[24,992,993,996],{},[27,994,995],{},"The Augmentation Solution:",[21,997,998,1001,1004,1007],{},[24,999,1000],{},"Injecting real-time data validation rules directly into web forms to prevent incorrect or non-compliant data entry.",[24,1002,1003],{},"Using element masking features to automatically hide or redact Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or other sensitive data from view or from being logged, even if the original site displays it.",[24,1005,1006],{},"Implementing detailed audit logging for specific user actions (e.g., viewing a customer record, exporting data) within any web application.",[24,1008,1009],{},"Displaying mandatory security warnings, disclaimers, or internal policy reminders contextually within relevant web applications.",[24,1011,1012,1015],{},[27,1013,1014],{},"The Advantage:"," Consistent policy enforcement across different applications without needing to modify their core systems. The zero end-user install nature ensures all relevant users automatically get the compliant, augmented version. This can drastically reduce risk and simplify compliance audits.",[695,1017,1019],{"id":1018},"automated-website-workflows-ai-powered-assistance","Automated Website Workflows & AI-Powered Assistance",[21,1021,1022,1027,1042],{},[24,1023,1024,1026],{},[27,1025,989],{}," Users often struggle with complex, multi-step processes on websites, or teams spend time on repetitive data entry, navigation, or information retrieval tasks.",[24,1028,1029,1031],{},[27,1030,995],{},[21,1032,1033,1036,1039],{},[24,1034,1035],{},"Deploying scripts that automate form filling, button clicking, or navigation through a sequence of pages based on predefined logic or user triggers.",[24,1037,1038],{},"Enabling \"virtual participants\" or bots to perform routine tasks 24/7 within an augmented session, such as checking for updates, extracting data, or monitoring information.",[24,1040,1041],{},"Embedding AI-powered agents directly into the session. These agents could provide real-time guidance, answer user questions contextually by understanding the content of the page, summarize information, or even assist in completing complex tasks.",[24,1043,1044,1046],{},[27,1045,1014],{}," Simplifies complex user journeys, significantly reduces manual effort and the potential for human error, and provides intelligent, in-context assistance, all delivered seamlessly via a shared link.",[695,1048,1050],{"id":1049},"secure-real-time-support-co-browsing","Secure Real-Time Support & Co-browsing",[21,1052,1053,1058,1077],{},[24,1054,1055,1057],{},[27,1056,989],{}," Providing effective, hands-on support for customers or employees navigating web applications. Traditional screen sharing tools can be invasive, raise privacy concerns, require software installations, and might not work well in restricted environments.",[24,1059,1060,1062],{},[27,1061,995],{},[21,1063,1064,1071,1074],{},[24,1065,1066,1067,1070],{},"Secure \"co-browsing\" sessions where a support agent and a user interact with the ",[720,1068,1069],{},"same"," virtual web session through a shared platform link.",[24,1072,1073],{},"Using built-in data masking to hide sensitive user information (like account balances or personal details) from the support agent's view, even while co-browsing.",[24,1075,1076],{},"Logging all actions during the support session for security, training, and audit purposes.",[24,1078,1079,1081],{},[27,1080,1014],{}," A much smoother, more secure, and context-aware support experience. Issues are resolved faster, improving customer/employee satisfaction. No software installation is required for the person needing help, making it highly accessible.",[695,1083,1085],{"id":1084},"integrating-apps-for-unified-dashboards","Integrating Apps for Unified Dashboards",[21,1087,1088,1093,1108],{},[24,1089,1090,1092],{},[27,1091,989],{}," Many organizations want to create unified digital workplaces or custom dashboards that bring together various essential web applications (e.g., CRM, support ticketing, project management, financial tools). However, they are often blocked because these applications use security headers (like X-Frame-Options or Content-Security-Policy) that prevent them from being embedded in an iframe on another site.",[24,1094,1095,1097],{},[27,1096,995],{},[21,1098,1099,1105],{},[24,1100,1101,1102,968],{},"The augmentation platform wraps the target web application (e.g., Salesforce, Zendesk, Jira) within its virtual session technology. This process can effectively manage the problematic embedding-prevention headers ",[720,1103,1104],{},"within the context of that session",[24,1106,1107],{},"The resulting augmented session, now containing the fully functional target application, can then be embedded using a standard iframe into a central portal, intranet, or another web application.",[24,1109,1110,1112],{},[27,1111,1014],{}," Enables the creation of truly integrated workspaces. Users can access and interact with multiple, full-featured web applications from a single interface, streamlining workflows and reducing the need to constantly switch tabs.",[695,1114,1116],{"id":1115},"upgrading-legacy-systems-without-rewrites","Upgrading Legacy Systems Without Rewrites",[21,1118,1119,1124,1139],{},[24,1120,1121,1123],{},[27,1122,989],{}," Many organizations rely on older, internal web-based systems that are critical to their operations but have outdated user interfaces, clunky navigation, or lack modern functionalities. Rewriting or replacing these legacy systems can be prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, and risky.",[24,1125,1126,1128],{},[27,1127,995],{},[21,1129,1130,1133,1136],{},[24,1131,1132],{},"Creating an augmentation layer that overlays a more modern, intuitive UI on top of the legacy system.",[24,1134,1135],{},"Simplifying navigation by hiding unused elements, rearranging fields for better workflow, or adding helpful tooltips and guides.",[24,1137,1138],{},"Injecting new functionalities using custom scripts – such as data lookups from other systems, quick links to related resources, or integrations with modern messaging tools – all without touching the legacy system's underlying code.",[24,1140,1141,1143],{},[27,1142,1014],{}," Extends the useful life of critical legacy systems, dramatically improves user experience and efficiency, and reduces training time for new employees. It offers a cost-effective alternative to a full rewrite, allowing organizations to get more value from their existing investments.",[11,1145,1146],{},"These examples are just a starting point. The core idea is that advanced web augmentation technology enables users and organizations to overcome common barriers related to access, control, usability, and integration, fundamentally changing how we can shape and interact with virtually any web application or website.",[65,1148,1150],{"id":1149},"final-take-aways","Final Take Aways",[11,1152,1153],{},"Throughout this guide, we've explored the concept of web augmentation and how it allows for the modification and enhancement of existing web platforms. Here’s a quick look back at the main points:",[21,1155,1156,1161,1167,1173,1181],{},[24,1157,1158,1160],{},[27,1159,705],{}," Web augmentation involves changing or adding functionalities to websites and web applications to improve their utility or fit specific needs, without altering the original source code.",[24,1162,1163,1166],{},[27,1164,1165],{},"Why it's needed:"," Many standard web tools offer a \"one-size-fits-all\" experience. Augmentation allows users and organizations to customize these tools, adapt to new requirements quickly, and gain more control over their digital environment.",[24,1168,1169,1172],{},[27,1170,1171],{},"Conventional methods:"," Earlier approaches like direct source code modification, browser extensions, and APIs have their uses but often come with limitations in shareability, scalability, and end-user friction.",[24,1174,1175,1178,1179],{},[27,1176,1177],{},"Next-gen solutions:"," Modern web augmentation platforms utilize technologies like the Augmented Web Proxy (AWP) and Virtual Web Sessions (VWS). These allow for changes to be applied centrally and experienced seamlessly by users through a simple link, without any installation.",[27,1180,862],{},[24,1182,1183,1186],{},[27,1184,1185],{},"Real-world value:"," We saw several practical applications, including enforcing enterprise compliance, automating workflows, providing secure co-browsing support, integrating disparate applications into unified dashboards, and upgrading legacy systems.",[11,1188,1189,1190,1196],{},"Ready to customize your web applications? ",[565,1191,1195],{"href":1192,"rel":1193},"https://webfuse.com/studio/auth/signup",[1194],"nofollow","Sign up"," and begin adapting web tools to your needs.",{"title":441,"searchDepth":442,"depth":442,"links":1198},[1199,1200,1201,1208,1209,1210,1211,1212,1219],{"id":505,"depth":442,"text":506},{"id":574,"depth":442,"text":575},{"id":610,"depth":442,"text":611,"children":1202},[1203,1205,1206,1207],{"id":697,"depth":1204,"text":698},3,{"id":726,"depth":1204,"text":727},{"id":752,"depth":1204,"text":753},{"id":775,"depth":1204,"text":776},{"id":811,"depth":442,"text":812},{"id":832,"depth":442,"text":833},{"id":879,"depth":442,"text":829},{"id":926,"depth":442,"text":927},{"id":971,"depth":442,"text":972,"children":1213},[1214,1215,1216,1217,1218],{"id":981,"depth":1204,"text":982},{"id":1018,"depth":1204,"text":1019},{"id":1049,"depth":1204,"text":1050},{"id":1084,"depth":1204,"text":1085},{"id":1115,"depth":1204,"text":1116},{"id":1149,"depth":442,"text":1150},"2025-05-26","How Augmented Web Proxies and Virtual Web Sessions modify any website and give AI agents a live session to act in, plus secure co-browsing, automation, and compliance overlays.",[1223,1226,1229,1232,1235,1238,1241,1244,1247],{"question":1224,"answer":1225},"What is web augmentation in simple terms?","Web augmentation means making changes or adding new capabilities to existing websites and web applications. You can think of it as giving a website a custom tune-up to better suit specific user or business requirements, without needing to build a new site from scratch.",{"question":1227,"answer":1228},"How is web augmentation different from directly changing a website's source code?","Direct source code modification requires you to own the website or have access to its original code. Web augmentation, on the other hand, allows you to apply changes to websites, even those you don't own, by layering modifications on top of the existing site as it's viewed.",{"question":1230,"answer":1231},"What are the main advantages of web augmentation platforms compared to browser extensions?","Browser extensions typically require each user to install them individually, which can be a barrier for widespread use. Web augmentation platforms can deliver a modified experience to many users through a simple link, with no software installation needed by the end-users, making sharing and management much simpler.",{"question":1233,"answer":1234},"How do modern web augmentation systems deliver changes without users installing software?","These systems often use a type of intermediary server. When you access a website through a link provided by the augmentation platform, this server modifies the website's content in real time before it reaches your browser. This way, you see the changed version without needing any special software on your device.",{"question":1236,"answer":1237},"Can web augmentation help businesses apply compliance rules to third-party web tools?","Yes, web augmentation can be very useful here. For instance, companies can add real-time data checks to forms on any web application, mask sensitive information from view, or create detailed logs of user actions. This helps enforce company policies and industry regulations across various web tools without altering the original applications.",{"question":1239,"answer":1240},"Is it possible to improve old or outdated web systems using web augmentation?","Absolutely. Web augmentation can provide a much-needed update to legacy web systems without costly rewrites. You could overlay a more modern user interface, simplify complex navigation, or inject new functionalities like connections to other services, all while the original underlying system remains untouched.",{"question":1242,"answer":1243},"What are some major benefits of using web augmentation for organizations?","Organizations benefit by customizing third-party apps to fit their workflows, adding features without vendor delays, deploying tools centrally via links, enhancing security compliance, and extending the lifespan of older systems with modern interfaces.",{"question":1245,"answer":1246},"Can AI agents act inside a web augmentation session?","Yes. A Virtual Web Session is a live session an AI agent can read and act on at the same time as the user. The agent reads a compressed DOM snapshot to see the page, then clicks, types, and scrolls in the same session, so it acts where the user is already signed in rather than in a remote browser.",{"question":1248,"answer":1249},"How does a live session differ from a remote browser for AI agents?","A live session runs the agent inside the user's own browser through a Virtual Web Session, so cookies and login stay local and the screen updates on the spot. A remote browser runs on a separate server, copies session cookies out of the user's browser, and streams screenshots back, which adds latency and moves credentials outside the local security perimeter.",{"homepage":479},"/blog/web-augmentation-comprehensive-guide",{"title":494,"description":1221},{"loc":1251},"blog/1007.web-augmentation-comprehensive-guide",[450,1256,1257,486,1258],"augmented-web-proxies","virtual-web-sessions","compliance-overlays","j6MEYSLRGQXeK0nCVougp7bz231HDynQk7ymgu3Fvuk",{"id":1261,"title":1262,"authorId":1263,"body":1264,"category":450,"created":1548,"description":1549,"extension":453,"faqs":1550,"featurePriority":471,"head":471,"hideCta":472,"landingPath":471,"meta":1563,"navigation":479,"ogImage":471,"path":1564,"robots":471,"schemaOrg":471,"seo":1565,"sitemap":1566,"stem":1567,"tags":1568,"__hash__":1572},"blog/blog/1000.web-augmentation.md","Introducing: Web Augmentation","nicholas-piel",{"type":8,"value":1265,"toc":1542},[1266,1270,1279,1289,1292,1314,1321,1325,1334,1356,1360,1367,1370,1390,1399,1505,1509,1512,1515,1530,1538],[65,1267,1269],{"id":1268},"introducing-web-augmentation","Introducing Web Augmentation",[11,1271,1272,1274,1275,1278],{},[720,1273,628],{}," is the ability to modify, automate, and share ",[27,1276,1277],{},"any"," web application - instantly and safely - without needing code access. It turns the browser into a programmable layer.",[11,1280,1281,1282,1285,1286,1288],{},"Unlike extensions, they do not need to be installed.",[1283,1284],"br",{},"\nUnlike middleware, it works without infrastructure changes.",[1283,1287],{},"\nUnlike remote browsers, everything is rendered locally.",[11,1290,1291],{},"Web Augmentation gives you the power to:",[21,1293,1294,1301,1304,1307],{},[24,1295,1296,1297,1300],{},"Change any ",[720,1298,1299],{},"ANY"," web app",[24,1302,1303],{},"Automate any online journey",[24,1305,1306],{},"Record, audit, and observe sessions",[24,1308,1309,1310,1313],{},"Share web sessions with humans ",[720,1311,1312],{},"or"," AI agents",[11,1315,1316,1317,1320],{},"The core idea: Treat the web as a ",[720,1318,1319],{},"canvas",", not a fixed product.",[65,1322,1324],{"id":1323},"how-it-works","How It Works",[11,1326,1327,1328,1333],{},"Web Augmentation is powered by a tech stack called ",[565,1329,1332],{"href":1330,"rel":1331},"https://dev.webfuse.com/introduction/",[1194],"Virtual Web Sessions",", as implemented by Webfuse it has the following ingredients:",[21,1335,1336,1339,1342,1345,1348],{},[24,1337,1338],{},"Proxy-based virtualization layer",[24,1340,1341],{},"Secure DOM rewriting and request handling",[24,1343,1344],{},"Full JS sandbox",[24,1346,1347],{},"REST and JS APIs to control tabs, sessions, roles, events",[24,1349,1350,1355],{},[565,1351,1354],{"href":1352,"rel":1353},"https://dev.webfuse.com/extension-api",[1194],"Extensions API"," which closely resemble the Browser Extension API - without needing a user to actually install anything.",[65,1357,1359],{"id":1358},"why-now","Why Now",[11,1361,1362,1363,1366],{},"Agentic AI and MCP clients all will need \"functions to call\" in order to interact with the external world. When we want an agent that can help users navigate their website, or maybe even navigate by themselves, almost in all cases these rely on fully virtual machines or remote browsers. We believe that there is a better way to do this, and that we can have these LLMs interact directly with your browser through our augmentation layer - no installation needed! For our clients, this means full control over the interface - have these interactions happen directly on ",[720,1364,1365],{},"YOUR"," web application, where you have full control over the experience.",[11,1368,1369],{},"Web Augmentation turns any web app into a programmable surface, where agents will be able to:",[21,1371,1372,1375,1378,1381,1384,1387],{},[24,1373,1374],{},"Capture screenshots of your current browser session",[24,1376,1377],{},"Read the DOM of your current website",[24,1379,1380],{},"Switch tabs, click buttons",[24,1382,1383],{},"Fill in FORMS",[24,1385,1386],{},"Share sessions with humans for hand-off",[24,1388,1389],{},"Or, maybe even execute JS code to run on your behalf",[11,1391,1392,1393,1398],{},"For example, with the ",[565,1394,1397],{"href":1395,"rel":1396},"https://dev.webfuse.com/automation-api/",[1194],"Automation API"," we expose a very simple API",[1400,1401,1405],"pre",{"className":1402,"code":1403,"language":1404,"meta":441,"style":441},"language-javascript shiki shiki-themes github-dark github-dark","// Open a virtual session with tabs\nsession.openTab(\"https://example.com\");\nsession.openTab(\"https://github.com\");\n\n// Automate user behavior\nawait automation.moveMouse(200, 300);\nawait automation.click(\"#submit-button\");\n","javascript",[108,1406,1407,1416,1436,1449,1455,1461,1488],{"__ignoreMap":441},[1408,1409,1412],"span",{"class":1410,"line":1411},"line",1,[1408,1413,1415],{"class":1414},"sJ8bj","// Open a virtual session with tabs\n",[1408,1417,1418,1422,1426,1429,1433],{"class":1410,"line":442},[1408,1419,1421],{"class":1420},"suv1-","session.",[1408,1423,1425],{"class":1424},"sFR8T","openTab",[1408,1427,1428],{"class":1420},"(",[1408,1430,1432],{"class":1431},"s4wv1","\"https://example.com\"",[1408,1434,1435],{"class":1420},");\n",[1408,1437,1438,1440,1442,1444,1447],{"class":1410,"line":1204},[1408,1439,1421],{"class":1420},[1408,1441,1425],{"class":1424},[1408,1443,1428],{"class":1420},[1408,1445,1446],{"class":1431},"\"https://github.com\"",[1408,1448,1435],{"class":1420},[1408,1450,1452],{"class":1410,"line":1451},4,[1408,1453,1454],{"emptyLinePlaceholder":479},"\n",[1408,1456,1458],{"class":1410,"line":1457},5,[1408,1459,1460],{"class":1414},"// Automate user behavior\n",[1408,1462,1464,1468,1471,1474,1476,1480,1483,1486],{"class":1410,"line":1463},6,[1408,1465,1467],{"class":1466},"sOPea","await",[1408,1469,1470],{"class":1420}," automation.",[1408,1472,1473],{"class":1424},"moveMouse",[1408,1475,1428],{"class":1420},[1408,1477,1479],{"class":1478},"s8ozJ","200",[1408,1481,1482],{"class":1420},", ",[1408,1484,1485],{"class":1478},"300",[1408,1487,1435],{"class":1420},[1408,1489,1491,1493,1495,1498,1500,1503],{"class":1410,"line":1490},7,[1408,1492,1467],{"class":1466},[1408,1494,1470],{"class":1420},[1408,1496,1497],{"class":1424},"click",[1408,1499,1428],{"class":1420},[1408,1501,1502],{"class":1431},"\"#submit-button\"",[1408,1504,1435],{"class":1420},[65,1506,1508],{"id":1507},"call-to-action","Call to Action",[11,1510,1511],{},"Web Augmentation gives developers and users a way to remix the web without waiting for permission.",[11,1513,1514],{},"Curious? Skeptical? Inspired?",[11,1516,1517,1518,1523,1525,1526],{},"🧠 ",[565,1519,1522],{"href":1520,"rel":1521},"https://dev.webfuse.com/introduction/#tldr",[1194],"Read the Webfuse Quickstart Guide",[1283,1524],{},"\n🚀 Or ",[565,1527,1529],{"href":1192,"rel":1528},[1194],"signup here",[11,1531,1532,1533,1537],{},"Or reach out to me at ",[565,1534,1536],{"href":1535},"mailto:nicholas@surfly.com","nicholas@surfly.com"," - I'm happy to guide you further!",[1539,1540,1541],"style",{},"html pre.shiki code .sJ8bj, html code.shiki .sJ8bj{--shiki-default:#6A737D;--shiki-dark:#6A737D}html pre.shiki code .suv1-, html code.shiki .suv1-{--shiki-default:#E1E4E8;--shiki-dark:#E1E4E8}html pre.shiki code .sFR8T, html code.shiki .sFR8T{--shiki-default:#B392F0;--shiki-dark:#B392F0}html pre.shiki code .s4wv1, html code.shiki .s4wv1{--shiki-default:#9ECBFF;--shiki-dark:#9ECBFF}html pre.shiki code .sOPea, html code.shiki .sOPea{--shiki-default:#F97583;--shiki-dark:#F97583}html pre.shiki code .s8ozJ, html code.shiki .s8ozJ{--shiki-default:#79B8FF;--shiki-dark:#79B8FF}html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}",{"title":441,"searchDepth":442,"depth":442,"links":1543},[1544,1545,1546,1547],{"id":1268,"depth":442,"text":1269},{"id":1323,"depth":442,"text":1324},{"id":1358,"depth":442,"text":1359},{"id":1507,"depth":442,"text":1508},"2025-04-01","Web Augmentation is a new paradigm that lets developers modify, automate, and share any web application - without access to its code. It creates a programmable overlay on top of the existing web. In this post, we explore how the web became closed, how Web Augmentation re-opens it, and why it's vital for the age of agentic AI.",[1551,1554,1557,1560],{"question":1552,"answer":1553},"What is web augmentation?","Web augmentation is the ability to modify, automate, and share any web application without needing access to its code. It turns the browser into a programmable layer, treating the web as a canvas rather than a fixed product. It lets you change any web app, automate online journeys, record and audit sessions, and share sessions with humans or AI agents.",{"question":1555,"answer":1556},"How is web augmentation different from browser extensions or remote browsers?","Unlike extensions, web augmentation does not need to be installed. Unlike middleware, it works without infrastructure changes, and unlike remote browsers, everything is rendered locally. This lets interactions happen directly on your own web application where you retain full control over the experience.",{"question":1558,"answer":1559},"How does web augmentation work?","Web augmentation is powered by a tech stack called Virtual Web Sessions. As implemented by Webfuse, it uses a proxy-based virtualization layer, secure DOM rewriting and request handling, a full JS sandbox, REST and JS APIs to control tabs, sessions, roles, and events, and an Extensions API that resembles the Browser Extension API without requiring installation.",{"question":1561,"answer":1562},"Why does web augmentation matter for AI agents?","Agentic AI and MCP clients need functions to call in order to interact with the external world, and most current approaches rely on virtual machines or remote browsers. Web augmentation lets LLMs interact directly with your browser through an augmentation layer with no installation needed. Agents can capture screenshots, read the DOM, switch tabs, click buttons, fill in forms, hand off sessions to humans, and execute JS code.",{"homepage":479},"/blog/web-augmentation",{"title":1262,"description":1549},{"loc":1564},"blog/1000.web-augmentation",[450,1569,1570,1571],"programmable-web","agentic-ai","web-development","cyhm1yCAi4CTKNs07f5h_ACp26pYCQwXeLjHrcZ3ABw",1788261834544]