Chrome and Edge integration

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Blue Prism® uses Blue Prism browser extensions to provide native support for automating web pages and applications in Google Chrome, and in the Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge web browsers. The extensions allow Blue Prism to interact with web pages and applications presented in these browsers, so that business processes that rely on such applications and web pages can easily be modelled.

The Blue Prism extensions establish connectivity with Blue Prism, allowing Blue Prism to interact with web pages in Chrome and Edge, so data can be exchanged and elements manipulated.

Blue Prism uses a native messaging host application to communicate with the browser extension. When a browser is launched from Blue Prism, a native messaging host application is started behind the scenes that listens for any incoming messages from Blue Prism and sends them to the browser extension.

The Blue Prism installer automatically installs the configuration settings for the native messaging host, regardless of whether the user selects to install any of the browser extensions or not. An additional registry key for the native messaging host is created and points to a JSON file which provides details on the allowed extensions and the location of the executable.

There are two Blue Prism browser extensions:

  • Chrome – Used to automate applications and web pages in Google Chrome.
  • Edge – Used to automate applications and web pages in Microsoft Edge.
The Firefox browser extension is not available for installation from Blue Prism 7.2. The latest Blue Prism version that includes the Firefox extension is Blue Prism 7.1.2. For more information, see the Upgrade notices.

Browser-based applications can also be automated natively via a Citrix virtual desktop environment in which Blue Prism has been installed with the browser extensions enabled.

Manifest V2 and V3 support

For the Chrome and Edge extensions, we differentiate between Manifest V2 and V3 support according to Google's and Microsoft's guidance. For more information, see the guidance from Google and Microsoft.

The following Manifest V2 and V3 support applies to Blue Prism 7 versions:

  • Native Manifest V2 browser extension support is provided by default in Blue Prism version 7.0.
  • Manifest V3 browser extension support via the Blue Prism Browser Automation Agent (with Insert/Invoke JavaScript functionality) is available in Blue Prism versions 7.0 and 7.1.
  • Native Manifest V3 browser extension support is provided in Blue Prism versions 7.1 and 7.2 as follows:
    • In Blue Prism version 7.1, native Manifest V3 support is provided without Insert/Invoke JavaScript functionality. For more information, see the Blue Prism 7.1 Upgrade notices.
    • From Blue Prism version 7.2, the Insert/Invoke JavaScript functionality previously provided only via the Blue Prism Browser Automation Agent is included with the Manifest V3 browser extension by default.

Browser extension compatibility

For up-to-date testing and compatibility data about the Blue Prism browser extensions, see the Browser extension compatibility matrix.