---
title: "Managed vs self-hosted"
description: "Remote and local browsers."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.tooluse.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Managed vs self-hosted

<p>A local browser runs on your computer. A Tooluse.net session runs in the service’s configured browser transport and exposes a CDP connection and native HTTP controls.</p>
<p>Your local automation process sends commands over that connection. Files on your computer are not automatically available remotely; use the <a href="/browsers/files/uploads">upload API</a>. Retrieve generated files through authenticated <a href="/browsers/files/downloads">downloads</a>.</p>
<p>Remote sessions consume their allocated runtime until released, expired or stopped by the service. See <a href="/browsers/getting-started/create-browser-session">Create a browser session</a> and the <a href="/browsers/api">Browsers API</a> for authentication, request fields, and limits.</p>

Source: https://help.tooluse.net/browsers/getting-started/remote-browser-versus-local-browser/index.mdx