How to Install Vibium (Python & Node)

Installing Vibium takes one command: pip install vibium for Python or npm install vibium for Node. The package ships a single Go binary for your platform that auto-downloads Chrome for Testing on first run, so there's no ChromeDriver to match, no PATH to edit, and no Selenium Grid to stand up. The only prerequisite is a runtime — Python 3.9+ or Node.js 18+. Both clients install the same underlying Go binary, so you can switch languages without reinstalling anything else, and the first script you run triggers the one-time Chrome download automatically. This is a deliberate contrast with classic Selenium, where driver-version mismatches are a common source of setup failures — Vibium manages the browser itself. Once it's installed, you're ready to launch a browser and write your first automation in just a few lines.

What do I need before installing Vibium?

You need either Python 3.9+ or Node.js 18+ installed. That is the only prerequisite. Vibium handles the browser itself, so you do not pre-install Chrome, ChromeDriver, or any WebDriver binary. Check your runtime version first:

python3 --version   # need 3.9 or higher
node --version      # need v18 or higher

If a command is missing, install Python from python.org or Node from nodejs.org (choose the LTS build), then re-check.

How do I install Vibium for Python?

Run pip install vibium inside a virtual environment. Using a venv keeps the dependency isolated from your system Python:

mkdir my-vibium-bot
cd my-vibium-bot
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate     # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
pip install vibium

That single pip install pulls in the Vibium Python client plus the platform-specific Go binary. To confirm it landed, launch a browser in three lines:

from vibium import browser_sync as browser
 
vibe = browser.launch()
vibe.go("https://example.com")
vibe.quit()

On the very first launch(), Vibium downloads Chrome for Testing, so allow an extra moment that one time. Ready to go deeper? Follow Your First Vibium Script in Python.

How do I install Vibium for Node?

Run npm install vibium inside a project folder. Initialize a package.json first so npm has somewhere to record the dependency:

mkdir my-vibium-bot
cd my-vibium-bot
npm init -y
npm install vibium

This downloads the Vibium JavaScript client and the matching Go binary. The TypeScript types ship in the same package, so TypeScript projects need no extra @types install. Verify it with a quick script:

const { browser } = require("vibium/sync");
 
const bro = browser.launch();
const vibe = bro.page();
vibe.go("https://example.com");
bro.close();

From here, the JavaScript quickstart walks through finding elements and taking screenshots.

Why is there no ChromeDriver step?

Vibium ships as a single self-contained Go binary that doubles as the browser manager, a WebDriver BiDi proxy, and an MCP server. When you call launch(), the binary detects or downloads Chrome for Testing, starts it with BiDi enabled, and proxies your commands over a local WebSocket. Because everything lives in one binary, there is no version-matching dance between a driver and a browser. This is one of the biggest day-one differences from older tools, as the Vibium vs Playwright comparison covers.

How do I fix common install errors?

Most install problems trace back to the runtime or the environment, not Vibium itself.

• No module named 'vibium' (Python). Your virtual environment is not active. Run source .venv/bin/activate (or the Windows equivalent), then pip install vibium again.
• Cannot find module 'vibium' (Node). You ran the script outside the folder where you installed it. Re-run npm install vibium in the project directory.
• Browser fails to launch on Linux. Chrome needs system libraries. Install them once:

sudo apt-get install -y libgbm1 libnss3 libatk-bridge2.0-0 libdrm2 \
  libxkbcommon0 libxcomposite1 libxdamage1 libxfixes3 libxrandr2 libasound2

• First run is slow. That is the one-time Chrome for Testing download. Subsequent launches are fast.

Where should I go after installing?

Once Vibium is installed, write something real. Start with Your First Vibium Script in Python or in JavaScript, learn the screenshot command, or wire the built-in MCP server into Claude Code so an AI agent can drive the browser. If you are still deciding whether Vibium fits your stack, read What Is Vibium? for the full picture.