Async API (Python SDK)

NEW in v0.90.17: Complete async API implementation with async versions of all SDK functions including core utilities, supporting utilities, agent layer, and developer tools. All async functions are now organized in their respective modules, with async_api serving as a convenient re-export point.

Why Use Async API?

The async API enables you to build high-performance automation with Python's asyncio framework:

• Concurrent operations: Run multiple browser tasks in parallel
• Better performance: Non-blocking I/O for faster automation
• Framework integration: Works seamlessly with FastAPI, aiohttp, asyncio
• Modern Python: Leverage async/await syntax
• No breaking changes: Coexists with sync API - use what fits your needs

AsyncSentienceBrowser

The AsyncSentienceBrowser class provides async context manager support and all the features of the sync SentienceBrowser.

Basic Usage

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser

# Async context manager (recommended)
async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        # Browser automatically closes when done

# Manual lifecycle
async def manual():
    browser = AsyncSentienceBrowser()
    await browser.start()
    await browser.goto("https://example.com")
    await browser.close()

With API Key

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser(api_key="sk_...") as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        # Use Pro/Enterprise features

Custom Viewport

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser

async def main():
    # Custom viewport size
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser(
        viewport={"width": 1920, "height": 1080}
    ) as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

From Existing Playwright Context

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser
from playwright.async_api import async_playwright

async def main():
    async with async_playwright() as p:
        # Create Playwright context
        context = await p.chromium.launch_persistent_context(
            "./user_data",
            headless=False
        )

        # Convert to AsyncSentienceBrowser
        browser = AsyncSentienceBrowser.from_existing(context)

        # Use all Sentience features
        await browser.page.goto("https://example.com")

From Existing Page

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser
from playwright.async_api import async_playwright

async def main():
    async with async_playwright() as p:
        browser = await p.chromium.launch()
        context = await browser.new_context()
        page = await context.new_page()

        # Navigate first
        await page.goto("https://example.com")

        # Convert to AsyncSentienceBrowser
        sentience_browser = AsyncSentienceBrowser.from_page(page)

Async Functions

All core SDK functions have async versions with _async suffix for clarity.

snapshot_async()

Capture page snapshot asynchronously:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

        # Capture snapshot
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)

        print(f"Found {len(snap.elements)} elements")
        print(f"Page title: {snap.title}")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• screenshot (bool, optional): Include screenshot. Defaults to True
• limit (int, optional): Max elements to return
• goal (str, optional): ML reranking goal

click_async()

Click an element asynchronously:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async, click_async, find

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

        # Find and click
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        button = find(snap, "role=button text~'Submit'")

        if button:
            await click_async(browser, button.id)

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• element_id (str): Element ID from snapshot

type_text_async()

Type text into an input field asynchronously:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async, type_text_async, find

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        email_input = find(snap, "role=textbox text~'email'")

        if email_input:
            await type_text_async(browser, email_input.id, "user@example.com")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• element_id (str): Element ID from snapshot
• text (str): Text to type

press_async()

Press keyboard keys asynchronously:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, press_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

        # Press Enter
        await press_async(browser, "Enter")

        # Press Escape
        await press_async(browser, "Escape")

        # Keyboard shortcut
        await press_async(browser, "Control+A")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• key (str): Key name (e.g., "Enter", "Escape", "Control+A")

click_rect_async()

Click at specific coordinates asynchronously:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, click_rect_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")

        # Click at coordinates
        await click_rect_async(
            browser,
            x=100,
            y=200,
            width=50,
            height=30
        )

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• x (int): X coordinate
• y (int): Y coordinate
• width (int): Click area width
• height (int): Click area height

Phase 2A: Core Utilities

NEW in v0.90.17: Async versions of core utility functions for semantic waiting, screenshots, and text search.

wait_for_async()

Wait for an element to appear using semantic queries:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, wait_for_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Wait for element with timeout
        result = await wait_for_async(browser, "role=button", timeout=5.0)
        
        if result:
            print(f"Element found: {result.id}")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• query (str): Semantic query string
• timeout (float, optional): Maximum wait time in seconds. Defaults to 10.0

screenshot_async()

Capture screenshot asynchronously in PNG or JPEG format:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, screenshot_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Capture screenshot as JPEG
        data_url = await screenshot_async(browser, format="jpeg", quality=80)
        
        # Save to file
        import base64
        image_data = base64.b64decode(data_url.split(',')[1])
        with open("screenshot.jpg", "wb") as f:
            f.write(image_data)

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• format (str, optional): Image format - "png" or "jpeg". Defaults to "png"
• quality (int, optional): JPEG quality (1-100). Only used when format is "jpeg". Defaults to 90

find_text_rect_async()

Find text on the page and return pixel coordinates:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, find_text_rect_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Find text and get coordinates
        text_result = await find_text_rect_async(browser, "Sign In")
        
        if text_result:
            print(f"Text found at: x={text_result.x}, y={text_result.y}")
            print(f"Size: {text_result.width}x{text_result.height}")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• text (str): Text to search for

Returns: Object with x, y, width, height properties, or None if not found

Phase 2B: Supporting Utilities

NEW in v0.90.17: Async versions of supporting functions for content reading, visual overlays, and assertions.

read_async()

Read page content in various formats:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, read_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Read as markdown
        markdown = await read_async(browser, output_format="markdown")
        print(markdown)
        
        # Read as plain text
        text = await read_async(browser, output_format="text")
        
        # Read raw HTML
        html = await read_async(browser, output_format="html")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• output_format (str, optional): Output format - "html", "text", or "markdown". Defaults to "text"

show_overlay_async() / clear_overlay_async()

Manage visual overlays for debugging:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async, show_overlay_async, clear_overlay_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Take snapshot
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        
        # Show overlay on specific element
        await show_overlay_async(browser, snap, target_element_id=42)
        
        # Clear overlay
        await clear_overlay_async(browser)

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• snapshot (Snapshot): Snapshot object from snapshot_async()
• target_element_id (int): Element ID to highlight

expect_async() / ExpectationAsync

Async assertion helpers with fluent API:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, expect_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Assert element is visible
        element = await expect_async(browser, "role=button").to_be_visible()
        
        # Assert element exists
        await expect_async(browser, "role=link").to_exist()
        
        # Assert element contains text
        await expect_async(browser, "role=heading").to_have_text("Welcome")
        
        # Assert query returns N elements
        await expect_async(browser, "role=link").to_have_count(5)

Available Methods:

• .to_be_visible() - Assert element is visible
• .to_exist() - Assert element exists
• .to_have_text(text) - Assert element contains text
• .to_have_count(count) - Assert query returns N elements

Phase 2C: Agent Layer

NEW in v0.90.17: Full async implementation of the agent layer for natural language automation.

SentienceAgentAsync

Async agent with observe-think-act loop:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, SentienceAgentAsync
from sentience.llm_provider import OpenAIProvider

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Initialize LLM provider
        llm = OpenAIProvider(api_key="your_key", model="gpt-4o")
        
        # Create async agent
        agent = SentienceAgentAsync(browser, llm)
        
        # Natural language automation
        result = await agent.act("Click the login button")
        result = await agent.act("Type 'user@example.com' into the email field")
        
        # Get token usage statistics
        stats = agent.get_token_stats()
        print(f"Tokens used: {stats['total_tokens']}")

Features:

• Natural language automation with LLM
• Token usage tracking
• Observe-think-act loop
• Full async/await support

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• llm_provider: LLM provider instance (OpenAIProvider, etc.)

Phase 2D: Developer Tools

NEW in v0.90.17: Async versions of developer tools for recording and inspection.

RecorderAsync / record_async()

Record actions and generate traces:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, RecorderAsync

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Record actions
        async with RecorderAsync(browser, capture_snapshots=True) as recorder:
            await recorder.record_click(element_id)
            await recorder.record_type(element_id, "text")
            
            # Save trace
            recorder.save("trace.json")

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance
• capture_snapshots (bool, optional): Whether to capture snapshots. Defaults to True

InspectorAsync / inspect_async()

Inspect elements and debug interactively:

from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, InspectorAsync

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Interactive inspection
        async with InspectorAsync(browser) as inspector:
            # Hover elements to see info in console
            # Click elements to see full details
            pass

Parameters:

• browser (AsyncSentienceBrowser): Browser instance

Pure Functions (No Async Needed)

These functions are pure (no I/O) and don't need async versions:

from sentience.async_api import find, query

# find() - Returns single element
button = find(snap, "role=button text~'Submit'")

# query() - Returns list of elements
links = query(snap, "role=link")

Complete Example

Here's a full example combining all async functions:

import asyncio
from sentience.async_api import (
    AsyncSentienceBrowser,
    snapshot_async,
    find,
    click_async,
    type_text_async,
    press_async
)

async def login_example():
    """Complete login automation example"""
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        # Navigate to login page
        await browser.goto("https://example.com/login")

        # Take snapshot
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)

        # Find email input
        email_input = find(snap, "role=textbox text~'email'")
        if email_input:
            await type_text_async(browser, email_input.id, "user@example.com")

        # Find password input
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        password_input = find(snap, "role=textbox text~'password'")
        if password_input:
            await type_text_async(browser, password_input.id, "mypassword")

        # Click submit button
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        submit_btn = find(snap, "role=button text~'log in'")
        if submit_btn:
            await click_async(browser, submit_btn.id)

        # Wait for page load
        await asyncio.sleep(2)

        # Verify login success
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        print(f"Page title after login: {snap.title}")

# Run the async function
if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(login_example())

Complete Phase 2A-2D Example

NEW in v0.90.17: Here's a comprehensive example using all the new async features:

from sentience.async_api import (
    AsyncSentienceBrowser,
    wait_for_async,
    screenshot_async,
    find_text_rect_async,
    read_async,
    show_overlay_async,
    expect_async,
    SentienceAgentAsync
)
from sentience.llm_provider import OpenAIProvider

async def comprehensive_example():
    """Example using all Phase 2A-2D features"""
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        
        # Phase 2A: Core Utilities
        # Wait for element
        result = await wait_for_async(browser, "role=button", timeout=5.0)
        
        # Capture screenshot
        data_url = await screenshot_async(browser, format="jpeg", quality=80)
        
        # Find text on page
        text_result = await find_text_rect_async(browser, "Sign In")
        
        # Phase 2B: Supporting Utilities
        # Read page content
        markdown = await read_async(browser, output_format="markdown")
        
        # Show visual overlay
        from sentience.async_api import snapshot_async
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        await show_overlay_async(browser, snap, target_element_id=42)
        
        # Assertions
        element = await expect_async(browser, "role=button").to_be_visible()
        await expect_async(browser, "role=link").to_have_count(5)
        
        # Phase 2C: Agent Layer
        llm = OpenAIProvider(api_key="your_key", model="gpt-4o")
        agent = SentienceAgentAsync(browser, llm)
        
        # Natural language automation
        result = await agent.act("Click the login button")
        result = await agent.act("Type 'user@example.com' into the email field")
        
        # Token tracking
        stats = agent.get_token_stats()
        print(f"Tokens used: {stats['total_tokens']}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    import asyncio
    asyncio.run(comprehensive_example())

Concurrent Operations

Run multiple browser tasks in parallel:

import asyncio
from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async

async def scrape_page(url: str):
    """Scrape a single page"""
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto(url)
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        return {
            "url": url,
            "title": snap.title,
            "element_count": len(snap.elements)
        }

async def scrape_multiple_pages():
    """Scrape multiple pages concurrently"""
    urls = [
        "https://example.com",
        "https://example.org",
        "https://example.net"
    ]

    # Run all scrapes concurrently
    tasks = [scrape_page(url) for url in urls]
    results = await asyncio.gather(*tasks)

    for result in results:
        print(f"{result['url']}: {result['title']} ({result['element_count']} elements)")

# Run
if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(scrape_multiple_pages())

Integration with Async Frameworks

FastAPI

from fastapi import FastAPI
from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async, find

app = FastAPI()

@app.get("/scrape")
async def scrape_endpoint(url: str):
    """API endpoint that scrapes a URL"""
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto(url)
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)

        return {
            "url": url,
            "title": snap.title,
            "element_count": len(snap.elements)
        }

aiohttp

import aiohttp
from aiohttp import web
from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async

async def handle_scrape(request):
    """Handle scrape request"""
    url = request.query.get('url')

    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto(url)
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)

        return web.json_response({
            "url": url,
            "title": snap.title,
            "element_count": len(snap.elements)
        })

app = web.Application()
app.router.add_get('/scrape', handle_scrape)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    web.run_app(app)

API Organization

v0.90.17 Refactoring:

• All async functions are now organized in their respective modules alongside sync versions:
  • AsyncSentienceBrowser → browser.py
  • snapshot_async() → snapshot.py
  • click_async(), type_text_async(), press_async(), click_rect_async() → actions.py
  • wait_for_async(), screenshot_async(), find_text_rect_async() → wait.py, screenshot.py, find_text_rect.py
  • read_async(), show_overlay_async(), expect_async() → read.py, overlay.py, expect.py
  • SentienceAgentAsync → agent.py
  • RecorderAsync, InspectorAsync → recorder.py, inspector.py
• async_api.py serves as a convenient re-export module - all async APIs available from a single import point
• Full backward compatibility - existing imports continue to work
• Better code organization - async functions co-located with sync versions

Benefits

Complete Coverage:

• ✅ All sync functions now have async counterparts
• ✅ Core utilities, supporting utilities, agent layer, and developer tools
• ✅ Single import point from sentience.async_api

Performance:

• Run multiple browser instances concurrently
• Non-blocking I/O for faster automation
• Better resource utilization

Code Quality:

• Modern async/await syntax
• Compatible with asyncio ecosystem
• Type hints and IDE support
• Better code organization with async functions in their respective modules

Compatibility:

• Works with FastAPI, aiohttp, asyncio
• No breaking changes to sync API
• Same API design as sync version
• Full backward compatibility maintained

Testing:

• Comprehensive test coverage (36+ async tests)
• All tests passing
• Production-ready
• 6 async examples in sdk-python/examples/

Migration from Sync API

Migrating from sync to async is straightforward:

# Sync API (before)
from sentience import SentienceBrowser, snapshot, find, click

with SentienceBrowser() as browser:
    browser.goto("https://example.com")
    snap = snapshot(browser)
    button = find(snap, "role=button")
    if button:
        click(browser, button.id)

# Async API (after)
from sentience.async_api import AsyncSentienceBrowser, snapshot_async, find, click_async

async def main():
    async with AsyncSentienceBrowser() as browser:
        await browser.goto("https://example.com")
        snap = await snapshot_async(browser)
        button = find(snap, "role=button")
        if button:
            await click_async(browser, button.id)

Key changes:

1. Import from sentience.async_api instead of sentience
2. Use AsyncSentienceBrowser instead of SentienceBrowser
3. Add await before I/O operations (goto, snapshot_async, click_async, etc.)
4. Add async keyword to function definition
5. Pure functions (find, query) don't need async

Next Steps

• Snapshot API - Learn about snapshot capture options
• Action API - Explore all available actions
• Query API - Master semantic element queries
• Browser Setup - Configure browser settings