Refine host browser routing and settings copy

Store and surface host-browser preparation and CDP endpoint metadata from A0 CLI.

Let Browser runtime prepare candidate CLIs before the first action, and keep host-required errors more actionable.

Simplify Host Browser settings language and document the Chrome remote-debugging consent flow.

plugins/_browser/helpers/connector_runtime.py

@@ -328,7 +328,8 @@ class ConnectorBrowserRuntime:
         for status in statuses:
             parts.append(
                 f"sid={status.get('sid')} status={status.get('status')} "
-                f"supported={status.get('supported')} enabled={status.get('enabled')} "
+                f"supported={status.get('supported')} can_prepare={status.get('can_prepare')} "
+                f"enabled={status.get('enabled')} "
                 f"reason={status.get('support_reason') or 'none'}"
             )
         return "; ".join(parts)

plugins/_browser/helpers/selector.py

@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ def _host_browser_status_detail(context_id: str) -> str:
     for status in statuses:
         parts.append(
             f"sid={status.get('sid')} supported={status.get('supported')} "
-            f"enabled={status.get('enabled')} status={status.get('status') or 'unknown'} "
+            f"can_prepare={status.get('can_prepare')} enabled={status.get('enabled')} "
+            f"status={status.get('status') or 'unknown'} "
             f"reason={status.get('support_reason') or 'none'}"
         )
     return "; ".join(parts)

plugins/_browser/webui/browser-config-store.js

@@ -52,6 +52,32 @@ function normalizeBoolean(value, fallback = true) {
   return fallback;
 }
 
+function hostBrowserFamilyLabel(value) {
+  const family = String(value || "").trim().toLowerCase();
+  const a0Profile = family.endsWith("-a0");
+  const remoteDebugging = family.endsWith("-cdp");
+  const base = a0Profile ? family.slice(0, -3) : remoteDebugging ? family.slice(0, -4) : family;
+  const labels = {
+    chrome: "Chrome",
+    chromium: "Chromium",
+    edge: "Edge",
+    "edge-dev": "Edge Dev",
+  };
+  const label = labels[base] || "Host browser";
+  if (remoteDebugging) return `${label} (allowed)`;
+  return a0Profile ? `${label} (A0 profile)` : label;
+}
+
+function hostBrowserStatusLabel(value) {
+  const status = String(value || "").trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (status === "active") return "open";
+  if (status === "ready") return "ready";
+  if (status === "disabled") return "will open on first use";
+  if (status === "relaunch_required") return "close browser and retry";
+  if (status === "unsupported") return "unavailable";
+  return status || "ready";
+}
+
 export const store = createStore("browserConfig", {
   config: null,
   extensionsList: [],
@@ -96,16 +122,16 @@ export const store = createStore("browserConfig", {
 
   runtimeBackendLabel() {
     const value = this.config?.runtime_backend || "container";
-    if (value === "host_when_available") return "Host When Available";
-    if (value === "host_required") return "Host Required";
-    return "Container";
+    if (value === "host_when_available") return "Use Host When Ready";
+    if (value === "host_required") return "Require Host Browser";
+    return "Docker Browser";
   },
 
   privacyPolicyLabel() {
     const value = this.config?.host_browser_privacy_policy || "enforce_local";
-    if (value === "warn") return "Warn";
+    if (value === "warn") return "Warn When Using Cloud";
     if (value === "allow") return "Allow";
-    return "Enforce Local";
+    return "Local Models Only";
   },
 
   async loadHostBrowserStatus() {
@@ -127,12 +153,13 @@ export const store = createStore("browserConfig", {
       : [];
     const active = connectors.find((item) => item?.supported && item?.enabled);
     if (active) {
-      const family = active.browser_family || "browser";
-      const profile = active.profile_label ? ` / ${active.profile_label}` : "";
-      return `${family}${profile}: ${active.status || "ready"}`;
+      const profile = active.profile_label ? ` - ${active.profile_label}` : "";
+      return `${hostBrowserFamilyLabel(active.browser_family)}${profile}: ${hostBrowserStatusLabel(active.status)}`;
     }
-    if (connectors.length) return "A0 CLI connected, host browser disabled or unavailable";
-    return "Waiting for A0 CLI";
+    const preparable = connectors.find((item) => item?.can_prepare || item?.supported);
+    if (preparable) return "A0 CLI connected - browser will open on first use";
+    if (connectors.length) return "A0 CLI connected - host browser unavailable";
+    return "Connect A0 CLI to use a host browser";
   },
 
   hasPaths() {

plugins/_browser/webui/config.html

@@ -53,27 +53,27 @@
         <div class="browser-config-card">
           <div class="section-title">Host Browser</div>
           <div class="section-description">
-            Route the existing Browser tool through A0 CLI. When host mode is selected, the first browser action can prepare the local browser automatically.
+            Use Chrome, Edge, or Chromium on this computer. Keep A0 CLI connected; the browser opens when the agent first needs it.
           </div>
 
           <label class="browser-config-field">
-            <span class="browser-config-field-label">Backend mode</span>
+            <span class="browser-config-field-label">Browser location</span>
             <select x-model="$store.browserConfig.config.runtime_backend">
-              <option value="container">Container</option>
-              <option value="host_when_available">Host when available</option>
-              <option value="host_required">Host required</option>
+              <option value="container">Docker browser</option>
+              <option value="host_when_available">Use host when ready</option>
+              <option value="host_required">Require host browser</option>
             </select>
-            <span class="browser-config-field-help">The WebUI setting is the routing intent; CLI browser commands are available for diagnostics and manual override.</span>
+            <span class="browser-config-field-help">Require host browser when pages must stay on this computer.</span>
           </label>
 
           <label class="browser-config-field">
-            <span class="browser-config-field-label">Host content policy</span>
+            <span class="browser-config-field-label">Page content access</span>
             <select x-model="$store.browserConfig.config.host_browser_privacy_policy">
-              <option value="enforce_local">Enforce local</option>
-              <option value="warn">Warn</option>
+              <option value="enforce_local">Local models only</option>
+              <option value="warn">Warn when using cloud</option>
               <option value="allow">Allow</option>
             </select>
-            <span class="browser-config-field-help">Local-model enforcement applies before host page content or screenshots are returned to the agent.</span>
+            <span class="browser-config-field-help">Controls page text and screenshots from the host browser.</span>
           </label>
 
           <div class="browser-config-note">