# Cloud Providers

The WebdriverIO MCP server has native support for running browser and mobile automation sessions on cloud device farms. No local drivers, emulators, or simulators required. Four providers are supported:

* **BrowserStack** — [Automate](https://www.browserstack.com/automate) (browsers) and [App Automate](https://www.browserstack.com/app-automate) (mobile apps)
* **Sauce Labs** — [Sauce Labs](https://saucelabs.com) real device cloud and virtual browsers
* **TestMu (formerly LambdaTest)** — [TestMu](https://www.lambdatest.com) real device and browser cloud
* **TestingBot** — [TestingBot](https://testingbot.com) real device cloud and browser grid

All four providers share the same workflow: set credentials, optionally upload a mobile app, then call `start_session` with the provider name. Reporting labels, tunnel configuration, and mobile app lifecycle are identical across providers.

## Prerequisites[​](#prerequisites "Direct link to Prerequisites")

Set your credentials as environment variables before starting the MCP server:

```
# BrowserStack
export BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME="your_username"
export BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY="your_access_key"

# Sauce Labs
export SAUCE_USERNAME="your_username"
export SAUCE_ACCESS_KEY="your_access_key"

# TestMu
export TESTMU_USERNAME="your_username"
export TESTMU_ACCESS_KEY="your_access_key"

# TestingBot
export TESTINGBOT_KEY="your_key"
export TESTINGBOT_SECRET="your_secret"
```

| Provider     | Username Variable       | Access Key Variable       | Where to find                                                      |
| ------------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| BrowserStack | `BROWSERSTACK_USERNAME` | `BROWSERSTACK_ACCESS_KEY` | [Account settings](https://www.browserstack.com/accounts/settings) |
| Sauce Labs   | `SAUCE_USERNAME`        | `SAUCE_ACCESS_KEY`        | [User settings](https://app.saucelabs.com/user-settings)           |
| TestMu       | `TESTMU_USERNAME`       | `TESTMU_ACCESS_KEY`       | [Account settings](https://accounts.lambdatest.com/detail/profile) |
| TestingBot   | `TESTINGBOT_KEY`        | `TESTINGBOT_SECRET`       | [Account settings](https://testingbot.com/membership)              |

***

## Browser Automation[​](#browser-automation "Direct link to Browser Automation")

Run a browser session on any cloud provider by setting `provider` in `start_session`:

```
// BrowserStack — Windows + Chrome
start_session({
  provider: "browserstack",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  browserVersion: "latest",
  os: "Windows",
  osVersion: "11"
})

// Sauce Labs — macOS + Safari
start_session({
  provider: "saucelabs",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "safari",
  browserVersion: "latest",
  os: "macOS",
  osVersion: "Sequoia"
})

// TestMu — Linux + Firefox
start_session({
  provider: "testmu",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "firefox",
  browserVersion: "latest",
  os: "Linux"
})

// TestingBot — Windows + Chrome
start_session({
  provider: "testingbot",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  browserVersion: "latest",
  os: "Windows",
  osVersion: "11"
})
```

All providers support `browser`: `"chrome"`, `"firefox"`, `"edge"`, `"safari"`. If you omit `os` / `osVersion`, the provider uses sensible defaults (typically latest Linux for browser sessions).

### Sauce Labs Regions[​](#sauce-labs-regions "Direct link to Sauce Labs Regions")

Sauce Labs supports multiple data center regions. Set the `region` parameter in `start_session`:

```
start_session({
  provider: "saucelabs",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  region: "us-west-1"
})
```

Supported values: `"us-west-1"`, `"eu-central-1"` (default), `"apac-southeast-1"`.

***

## Mobile App Automation[​](#mobile-app-automation "Direct link to Mobile App Automation")

The mobile workflow has three steps, identical across all providers:

### Step 1: Upload your app[​](#step-1-upload-your-app "Direct link to Step 1: Upload your app")

```
upload_app({ provider: "browserstack", path: "/absolute/path/to/app.apk" })
upload_app({ provider: "saucelabs", path: "/path/to/app.ipa" })
upload_app({ provider: "testmu", path: "/path/to/app.apk" })
upload_app({ provider: "testingbot", path: "/path/to/app.apk" })
```

Each returns an app reference you'll use in `start_session`:

* BrowserStack: `bs://abc123...`
* Sauce Labs: `storage:filename=MyApp.ipa`
* TestMu: `lt://abc123...`
* TestingBot: `https://api.testingbot.com/v1/storage/<app_url>`

You can optionally set a `customId` for stable references across uploads:

```
upload_app({ provider: "saucelabs", path: "/path/to/app.ipa", customId: "MyApp-v2.1" })
```

For Sauce Labs, add `region` to match your storage region (default `"eu-central-1"`).

### Step 2: List available apps[​](#step-2-list-available-apps "Direct link to Step 2: List available apps")

```
list_apps({ provider: "browserstack" })
list_apps({ provider: "saucelabs" })
list_apps({ provider: "testmu" })
list_apps({ provider: "testingbot" })
```

Optional parameters for all providers:

* `sortBy`: `"app_name"` or `"uploaded_at"` (default)
* `limit`: max results (default 20)

BrowserStack also supports `organizationWide: true` to list all org uploads. Sauce Labs accepts `region`.

### Step 3: Start the session[​](#step-3-start-the-session "Direct link to Step 3: Start the session")

Use the app reference from `upload_app`, or a `customId`:

```
// BrowserStack — Android
start_session({
  provider: "browserstack",
  platform: "android",
  deviceName: "Samsung Galaxy S24",
  platformVersion: "14.0",
  app: "bs://abc123..."
})

// Sauce Labs — iOS
start_session({
  provider: "saucelabs",
  platform: "ios",
  deviceName: "iPhone 15",
  platformVersion: "17.0",
  app: "storage:filename=MyApp.ipa"
})

// TestMu — Android
start_session({
  provider: "testmu",
  platform: "android",
  deviceName: "Samsung Galaxy S24",
  platformVersion: "14.0",
  app: "lt://abc123..."
})

// TestingBot — Android
start_session({
  provider: "testingbot",
  platform: "android",
  deviceName: "Samsung Galaxy S24",
  platformVersion: "14.0",
  app: "<app_url from upload_app>"
})
```

***

## Local Tunnel[​](#local-tunnel "Direct link to Local Tunnel")

All three providers support a local tunnel so cloud sessions can reach servers on your machine (localhost, staging environments, internal services).

The MCP server uses a **unified `tunnel` parameter** that works identically across providers:

### Auto-managed tunnel (recommended)[​](#auto-managed-tunnel-recommended "Direct link to Auto-managed tunnel (recommended)")

The MCP server starts and stops the tunnel automatically:

```
start_session({
  provider: "browserstack",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  tunnel: true
})
```

Before your first session with `tunnel: true`, the MCP server handles downloading and starting the tunnel binary. If you want to verify setup manually, read the provider's local-binary resource:

* `wdio://browserstack/local-binary`
* `wdio://saucelabs/local-binary`
* `wdio://testmu/local-binary`
* `wdio://testingbot/local-binary`

The tunnel stops automatically when you close the session.

### External tunnel[​](#external-tunnel "Direct link to External tunnel")

If you're already running the tunnel in a separate process:

```
start_session({
  provider: "saucelabs",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  tunnel: "external",
  tunnelName: "my-sauce-tunnel"
})
```

`"external"` tells the MCP server that a tunnel is already running; it sets the appropriate capability flags but doesn't start or stop any process. Set `tunnelName` to match the running tunnel.

### Manual tunnel setup[​](#manual-tunnel-setup "Direct link to Manual tunnel setup")

If you prefer to run the tunnel manually, read the setup instructions from the MCP resource for your provider and platform. For example:

```
// Read setup instructions (from your AI client)
wdio://saucelabs/local-binary
wdio://testingbot/local-binary
```

Each resource returns the download URL, platform-specific commands, and daemon instructions.

***

## Reporting[​](#reporting "Direct link to Reporting")

Tag sessions with project, build, and session labels for the provider's dashboard. This works identically across all three providers:

```
start_session({
  provider: "browserstack",
  platform: "browser",
  browser: "chrome",
  reporting: {
    project: "My Project",
    build: "v2.1.0",
    session: "Login flow test"
  }
})
```

Sessions appear in the provider's dashboard under the specified project and build:

* BrowserStack: [Automate dashboard](https://automate.browserstack.com)
* Sauce Labs: [Test results](https://app.saucelabs.com/dashboard/builds)
* TestMu: [Automation dashboard](https://automation.lambdatest.com)
* TestingBot: [Test results](https://testingbot.com/members)

***

## Provider-Specific Notes[​](#provider-specific-notes "Direct link to Provider-Specific Notes")

### BrowserStack[​](#browserstack "Direct link to BrowserStack")

* Browser sessions: `os` accepts `"Windows"` or `"OS X"`. Windows versions: `"10"`, `"11"`. macOS versions: `"Ventura"`, `"Sonoma"`, `"Sequoia"`.
* App management API: `organizationWide: true` on `list_apps` lists all team uploads.

### Sauce Labs[​](#sauce-labs "Direct link to Sauce Labs")

* **Regions matter.** The default region is `eu-central-1`. If your account is in a different region, set `region` on `start_session`, `list_apps`, and `upload_app` to match.
* Mobile sessions support `automationName` (`"XCUITest"` or `"UiAutomator2"`); defaults are sensible per platform.
* Sauce Connect tunnel is auto-managed via the `saucelabs` npm package. No external binary needed for `tunnel: true`.

### TestMu[​](#testmu "Direct link to TestMu")

* Provider name is `"testmu"` in `start_session`, `list_apps`, and `upload_app`.
* Browser sessions connect to `hub.lambdatest.com`; mobile sessions connect to `mobile-hub.lambdatest.com`; this is handled automatically.
* Tunnel is auto-managed via the `@lambdatest/node-tunnel` npm package.
* Mobile app management fetches both Android and iOS apps via separate API calls, then merges the results.

### TestingBot[​](#testingbot "Direct link to TestingBot")

* Provider name is `"testingbot"` in `start_session`, `list_apps`, and `upload_app`.
* Browser and mobile sessions both connect to `hub.testingbot.com` on port 443 (handled automatically).
* Credentials use `TESTINGBOT_KEY` and `TESTINGBOT_SECRET` (not a username/access-key pair like the other providers).
* Tunnel is auto-managed via the `testingbot-tunnel-launcher` npm package (requires Java 11+).
* No region parameter — TestingBot's hub is global.
* Mobile browser/emulator mode is supported: set `platform: "android"` or `"ios"` with a `browser` name (e.g., `"chrome"`) instead of `app`.