Ego‑lite Prerequisites: Complete Requirements for Installation and Setup

Bold: You need macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel), Node.js 22+, npm/npx, and an internet connection to download the installer from cdn.ego.app.

Ego‑lite is a macOS‑only AI‑agent‑friendly browser developed by Citro Labs that ships its own runtime and a Node‑based skill for agent automation. Before you can install ego‑lite and start driving it with AI agents, you must satisfy several system‑level and development‑environment prerequisites. This guide covers each requirement with specific reference to the citrolabs/ego-lite source code.

macOS System Requirement

Ego‑lite currently runs only on macOS. The project distributes a .dmg installer containing both the embedded browser and the Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) bridge that agents use for automation.

• Supported architectures: Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) and Intel
• Installer source: cdn.ego.app (requires active internet connection)
• Documentation: Quick‑Start section of [README.md](https://github.com/citrolabs/ego-lite/blob/main/README.md#quick-start)

No additional system libraries or browsers are required — ego‑lite bundles its own Chromium build and handles all CDP communication internally.

Node.js 22 or Higher

The ego‑browser skill is a standard Node ESM package that agents import and execute. According to the source code in package/ego-browser/src/, the skill requires Node 22+ for full ESM and modern JavaScript feature support.

Key skill files include:

• package/ego-browser/src/index.ts — entry point that branches between CLI mode (runMain) and module import (installEgoSdk)
• package/ego-browser/src/helpers.ts — public API surface exposing navigate, click, fill, waitForNavigation, etc.
• package/ego-browser/src/run.ts — script evaluation in async context

Install the skill using npx:

# From any terminal with Node 22+ installed

npx skills add citrolabs/ego-lite

The skill implementation is documented in [skills/ego-browser/SKILL.md](https://github.com/citrolabs/ego-lite/blob/main/skills/ego-browser/SKILL.md).

npm or npx Availability

You need npm (and by extension npx) to install the ego‑browser skill into your agent's skill directory. The installation command:

npx skills add citrolabs/ego-lite

This pattern is shown in the Installation section of [README.md](https://github.com/citrolabs/ego-lite/blob/main/README.md#install).

Internet Connection for Download and Updates

An active network connection is required for:

1. Initial download — fetching the .dmg from cdn.ego.app
2. Future updates — ego‑lite checks for newer runtime versions

Both requirements are documented in the Quick‑Start section of the README.

Optional: Existing Chrome Profile

On first launch, ego‑lite prompts you to migrate Chrome data — bookmarks, cookies, and extensions. Accepting this migration allows agents to reuse your existing logins without additional authentication steps. This behavioral detail appears in [README.md](https://github.com/citrolabs/ego-lite/blob/main/README.md#install) around lines 63‑64.

Directory Permissions for Task Spaces

The runtime creates isolated "Task Spaces" per agent session. Your user account must have permission to create directories under the workspace path specified by the environment variable EGO_BROWSER_AGENT_WORKSPACE.

This architecture is described in [AGENTS.md](https://github.com/citrolabs/ego-lite/blob/main/AGENTS.md), which covers task space isolation, drivers, and data flow. The implementation reference appears in src/taskspace‑e2e.test.mjs.

What Ego‑lite Does Not Require

Not Required	Why
Separate Chrome/Chromium installation	Bundled in ego‑lite.app
Python or other runtimes	Pure Node.js + native macOS binary
Docker or containerization	Runs directly on macOS host
GUI automation frameworks (Selenium, Playwright)	Native CDP bridge handles automation

Quick Verification Checklist

Before installing, confirm your environment:

# Verify macOS

uname -s  # Should output 'Darwin'

# Verify Node version (must be 22+)

node --version

# Verify npm/npx availability

npm --version
npx --version

# Verify network connectivity

curl -I https://cdn.ego.app

Summary

• macOS only — Apple Silicon or Intel required; no Windows or Linux support
• Node 22+ — needed for the ego‑browser ESM skill package
• npm/npx — required to install and manage the skill
• Internet access — for downloading from cdn.ego.app and updates
• Optional Chrome profile — speeds up agent authentication via data migration
• Write permissions — for EGO_BROWSER_AGENT_WORKSPACE task space creation

Ego‑lite bundles its own browser runtime and CDP bridge, so no additional system dependencies are necessary beyond these prerequisites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ego‑lite work on Windows or Linux?

No. According to the citrolabs/ego-lite source code and README, ego‑lite currently ships only a macOS .dmg installer. The binary contains the embedded Chromium and CDP bridge, with no build artifacts for other platforms.

What Node.js version is strictly required?

Node 22 or higher. The ego‑browser skill in package/ego-browser/src/ uses ESM modules and modern JavaScript features that require Node 22. The skill entry point at src/index.ts and helper modules like src/helpers.ts assume this runtime environment.

Can I use ego‑lite without installing Node.js?

No. While the main ego‑lite.app browser runtime runs independently, the agent skill (ego‑browser) is a Node package. Agents invoke it via npx skills add citrolabs/ego-lite, which requires both Node and npm to resolve dependencies and execute the skill code in src/run.ts.

Do I need Chrome already installed?

No, but it helps. Ego‑lite includes its own Chromium build. However, during first launch you can optionally migrate data from an existing Chrome profile — this lets agents access your saved logins and cookies without re‑authentication, as noted in the README installation instructions.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}