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At present, I’m excited to announce the Nova Act extension — a instrument that streamlines the trail to construct browser automation brokers with out leaving your IDE. The Nova Act extension integrates instantly into IDEs like Visible Studio Code (VS Code), Kiro, and Cursor, serving to you to create web-based automation brokers utilizing pure language with the Nova Act mannequin.
Right here’s a fast have a look at the Nova Act extension in Visible Studio Code:
The Nova Act extension is constructed on high of the Amazon Nova Act SDK (preview), our browser automation brokers SDK (Software program Growth Package). The Nova Act extension transforms conventional workflow growth by eliminating context switching between coding and testing environments. Now you can construct, customise, and check production-grade agent scripts—all inside your IDE—utilizing options like pure language based mostly technology, atomic cell-style enhancing, and built-in browser testing. This unified expertise accelerates growth velocity for duties like type filling, QA automation, search, and complicated multi-step workflows.
You can begin with the Nova Act extension by describing your workflow in pure language to rapidly generate an preliminary agent script. Customise it utilizing the notebook-style builder mode to combine APIs, information sources, and authentication, then validate it with native testing instruments that simulate real-world situations, together with reside step-by-step debugging of prolonged multi-step workflows.
Getting began with the Nova Act extension
First, I would like to put in the Nova Act extension from the extension supervisor in my IDE.
I’m utilizing Visible Studio Code, and after selecting Extensions, I enter Nova Act. Then, I choose the extension and select Set up.
To get began, I must acquire an API key. To do that, I navigate to the Nova Act web page and comply with the directions to get the API key. I choose Set API Key by opening the Command Palette with Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P.
After I’ve entered my API key, I can strive Builder Mode. This can be a notebook-style builder mode that breaks advanced automation scripts into modular cells, permitting me to check and debug every step individually earlier than transferring to the following.
Right here, I can use the Nova Act SDK to construct my agent. On the suitable facet, I’ve a Dwell view panel to preview my agent’s actions within the browser and an Output panel to watch execution logs, together with the mannequin’s pondering and actions.
To check the Nova Act extension, I select Run all cells. This can begin a brand new browser occasion and act based mostly on the given immediate.
I select Fullscreen to see how browser automation works.
One other helpful function in Builder Mode is that I can navigate to the Output panel and choose the cell to see its logs. This helps me debug or overview logs particular to the cell I’m engaged on.
I may choose a template to get began.
Apart from utilizing Builder Mode, I may chat with Nova Act to create a script for me. To do this, I choose the extension and select Generate Nova Act Script. The Nova Act extension opens a chat dialog in the suitable panel and routinely creates a script for me.
After I end creating the script, I can select Begin Builder Mode, and the Nova Act extension will assist me create a Python file in Builder Mode. This creates a seamless integration as a result of I can swap between chat functionality and Builder Mode.
Within the chat interface, I see three workflow modes obtainable:
- Ask: Describe duties in pure language to generate automation scripts
- Edit: Refine or customise generated scripts earlier than execution
- Agent: Run, monitor, and work together with the AI agent performing the workflow
I may add Context to offer related details about my energetic paperwork, directions, issues, or extra Mannequin Context Protocol (MCP) assets the agent can use, plus a screenshot of the present window. Offering this info helps the agent perceive any particular necessities for the automation job.
The Nova Act extension additionally gives a set of predefined templates that I can entry by getting into / within the chat. These templates are predefined automation eventualities designed to assist rapidly generate scripts for frequent internet duties.
I can use these templates (for instance, @novaAct /purchasing [my requirements]) to get tailor-made Python scripts for my workflow. At launch, Nova Act extension gives the next templates:
/purchasing: Automates on-line purchasing duties (looking, evaluating, buying)/extract: Handles information extraction/search: Performs search and data gathering/qa: Automates high quality assurance and testing workflows/formfilling: Completes varieties and information entry duties
This extension transforms my agent growth workflow by positioning Nova Act extension as a full-stack agent builder instrument—an entire agent IDE for the complete growth lifecycle. I can prototype with pure language, customise with modular scripting, and validate with native testing—all with out leaving my IDE—making certain production-grade scripts.
Issues to know
Listed below are key factors to notice:
- Supported IDEs: At launch, the Nova Act extension is obtainable for Visible Studio Code, Cursor, and Kiro, with extra IDE assist deliberate
- Open supply: The Nova Act extension is obtainable below the Apache 2.0 license, permitting for neighborhood contributions and customization
- Pricing: The Nova Act extension is obtainable at no cost.
Get began with Nova Act extension by putting in it out of your IDE’s extension market or visiting the GitHub repository for documentation and examples.
Blissful automating!
— Donnie
