# Firefox GUI Sandbox (noVNC Standby) (`rl1987/firefox-sandbox`) Actor

Standby actor running Linux + Firefox in a container, exposed over noVNC in a browser.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/rl1987/firefox-sandbox.md
- **Developed by:** [R.L.](https://apify.com/rl1987) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.01 / actor start

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Firefox Sandbox

A live, remote-controlled Firefox browser you drive from your own browser window — no local install, no extension. Start the actor, open the link, and you're looking at a real Linux desktop with Firefox running on it, streamed over VNC.

Useful for: manual testing/QA in a clean disposable browser, poking at sites that block headless/automation, a scratch browser for tasks you don't want touching your real machine, or just showing someone a running session live.

### Quick start

1. Run the Actor (optionally set `startUrl` in the input to open a specific page).
2. Once it's running in **Standby** mode, open its Standby URL in your own browser.
3. You'll land on the noVNC client — click **Connect** and you're looking at the live desktop. Use your mouse/keyboard as normal; it's a real screen.

The session stays up as long as the Actor run is active. Closing the browser tab doesn't stop it — stop the run from the Apify console when you're done.

### Input options

| Field | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `startUrl` | Page Firefox opens with on launch | `about:blank` |
| `vncPassword` | Password to view/control the session | none (open access) |
| `screenWidth` / `screenHeight` | Resolution of the virtual screen | `1360` x `768` |
| `proxyConfiguration` | Route Firefox through Apify Proxy or a custom proxy URL | none (direct connection) |

**Set `vncPassword`** unless the run is short-lived and private — without one, anyone with the Standby URL can drive the browser.

**Note on Standby input**: for `vncPassword`/`proxyConfiguration` to actually reach the container, enable **Settings → Standby → "Validate and pass Actor input"** on the Actor (it's off by default).

### How it works

Under the hood: a Linux container runs a virtual display (Xvfb) with a minimal window manager (fluxbox) and Firefox. `x11vnc` serves that display over VNC, and `noVNC` translates VNC into something a plain web browser can render — so viewing/controlling it needs nothing installed on your end, just a browser tab.

The Actor runs in Apify's **Standby** mode: it stays warm and serves requests directly instead of running once and exiting, which is what makes "open a link, get a live desktop" possible.

Based on: https://www.trickster.dev/post/running-gui-apps-within-docker-containers/

### Did you find this useful?

⭐ Rate this actor on Apify! Your feedback helps other users find it and helps us keep improving it.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrl` (type: `string`):

URL Firefox opens on launch.

## `vncPassword` (type: `string`):

Optional password to protect the noVNC session. Leave empty for no auth (fine for short-lived sandbox runs only). Not stored as a Secret input: this actor reads its input via a plain API call at container start, which can't decrypt Apify's Secret input encryption.

## `screenWidth` (type: `integer`):

Width of the virtual display in pixels.

## `screenHeight` (type: `integer`):

Height of the virtual display in pixels.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Route Firefox's traffic through Apify Proxy or a custom proxy server.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "startUrl": "about:blank",
  "screenWidth": 1360,
  "screenHeight": 768
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("rl1987/firefox-sandbox").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("rl1987/firefox-sandbox").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call rl1987/firefox-sandbox --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,rl1987/firefox-sandbox"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/biGKbjdPbaofGREuM/builds/VViRH314k1WNPU0mo/openapi.json