fix that the cli still used the DEFAULT_SOCKET Const, give better error message when no browser found adding test for client and update cli test, and update version and readme

README.md

@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ browser-cli/
 
 All commands are run with `uv run browser-cli [--browser ALIAS] <command>`.
 
-Use `--browser ALIAS` when multiple browser instances are connected. You can inspect the active instances with `browser-cli clients` and assign a persistent profile alias from inside the target browser with `browser-cli rename-profile --browser <current-alias> <new-alias>`.
+If exactly one browser instance is connected, commands auto-target it. Use `--browser ALIAS` when multiple browser instances are connected. You can inspect the active instances with `browser-cli clients` and assign a persistent profile alias from inside the target browser with `browser-cli rename-profile --browser <current-alias> <new-alias>`.
 
 Important: profile aliases are browser-instance aliases, not window aliases. Window aliases created with `windows rename` are only for targeting windows in commands like `nav open --window work`. If a browser instance has no explicit profile alias set, the native host gives it a generated UUID alias so multiple unaliased browsers stay distinct.
 
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ browser-cli session auto-save off
 ### Misc
 
 ```sh
-browser-cli clients                          # show connected browser info
+browser-cli clients                          # show connected browser info from the registry
 browser-cli rename-profile --browser abcd1234 work  # rename one connected browser instance
 browser-cli --browser abcd1234 rename-profile work  # equivalent global form
 browser-cli install brave                    # (re)register the native host

browser_cli/cli.py

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ main.add_command(search_group)
 def cmd_clients():
     """Show connected browser clients."""
     import json as _json
-    from browser_cli.client import REGISTRY_PATH, DEFAULT_SOCKET
+    from browser_cli.client import REGISTRY_PATH
 
     # Build a map of profile → socket path from the registry
     profiles: dict[str, str] = {}
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ def cmd_clients():
             profiles = _json.loads(REGISTRY_PATH.read_text())
         except Exception:
             pass
-    if not profiles:
-        profiles = {"default": DEFAULT_SOCKET}
 
     all_clients = []
     for profile_name, sock_path in profiles.items():
@@ -148,7 +146,7 @@ def cmd_clients():
             all_clients.append({"profile": profile_name, "name": "—", "version": "—", "platform": "disconnected"})
 
     if not all_clients:
-        console.print("[yellow]No browser clients found[/yellow]")
+        console.print("[yellow]No browser clients found. Start a browser with the extension enabled first.[/yellow]")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     from rich.table import Table
@@ -158,7 +156,7 @@ def cmd_clients():
     table.add_column("Version")
     table.add_column("Platform")
     for c in all_clients:
-        table.add_row(c.get("profile", "default"), c.get("name", ""), c.get("version", ""), c.get("platform", ""))
+        table.add_row(c.get("profile", ""), c.get("name", ""), c.get("version", ""), c.get("platform", ""))
     console.print(table)
 
 

browser_cli/client.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Profile selection order:
   1. Explicit `profile` argument to send_command()
   2. BROWSER_CLI_PROFILE environment variable
   3. First entry in /tmp/.browser_cli/registry.json
-  4. Fallback: /tmp/.browser_cli/default.sock
+  4. Otherwise, no browser can be resolved automatically
 """
 import json
 import os
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from typing import Any
 
 SOCKET_DIR = Path("/tmp/.browser_cli")
 REGISTRY_PATH = SOCKET_DIR / "registry.json"
-DEFAULT_SOCKET = str(SOCKET_DIR / "default.sock")
 
 
 class BrowserNotConnected(Exception):
@@ -64,7 +63,11 @@ def _resolve_socket(profile: str | None = None) -> str:
         except Exception:
             pass
 
-    return DEFAULT_SOCKET
+    raise BrowserNotConnected(
+        "Cannot resolve a browser socket automatically.\n"
+        "Make sure the browser is running with the browser-cli extension enabled,\n"
+        "or pass --browser <alias> / set BROWSER_CLI_PROFILE to a known alias."
+    )
 
 
 def send_command(command: str, args: dict | None = None, profile: str | None = None) -> Any:

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "browser-cli"
-version = "0.4.0"
+version = "0.4.1"
 description = "Control your real running browser from the terminal via a Chrome extension"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [

tests/test_cli.py

@@ -47,3 +47,10 @@ def test_install_help_lists_supported_browsers():
 
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "[chrome|chromium|brave|edge|vivaldi]" in result.output
+
+def test_clients_exits_cleanly_when_registry_is_missing():
+    with patch("browser_cli.client.REGISTRY_PATH", Path("/nonexistent/browser-cli-registry.json")):
+        result = CliRunner().invoke(main, ["clients"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    assert "No browser clients found" in result.output

tests/test_client.py

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from browser_cli.client import BrowserNotConnected, _resolve_socket
+
+def test_resolve_socket_raises_when_registry_missing(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CLI_PROFILE", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("browser_cli.client.REGISTRY_PATH", Path("/nonexistent/browser-cli-registry.json"))
+
+    with pytest.raises(BrowserNotConnected, match="Cannot resolve a browser socket automatically"):
+        _resolve_socket()
+
+def test_resolve_socket_uses_only_active_registry_entry(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CLI_PROFILE", raising=False)
+
+    socket_path = tmp_path / "browser.sock"
+    socket_path.write_text("")
+    registry_path = tmp_path / "registry.json"
+    registry_path.write_text(json.dumps({"abc-uuid": str(socket_path)}))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("browser_cli.client.REGISTRY_PATH", registry_path)
+
+    assert _resolve_socket() == str(socket_path)
+
+def test_resolve_socket_raises_when_multiple_active_entries(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CLI_PROFILE", raising=False)
+
+    first_socket = tmp_path / "one.sock"
+    second_socket = tmp_path / "two.sock"
+    first_socket.write_text("")
+    second_socket.write_text("")
+    registry_path = tmp_path / "registry.json"
+    registry_path.write_text(json.dumps({"uuid-1": str(first_socket), "uuid-2": str(second_socket)}))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("browser_cli.client.REGISTRY_PATH", registry_path)
+
+    with pytest.raises(BrowserNotConnected, match="Multiple browser instances are active: uuid-1, uuid-2"):
+        _resolve_socket()