SKILL.md
Bright Data Install & Auth
Overview
Configure Bright Data proxy credentials, API tokens, and SSL certificates for web scraping. Bright Data uses HTTP proxy protocols and REST APIs — you authenticate via zone credentials from the control panel, not a dedicated npm SDK.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+
- Bright Data account at https://brightdata.com
- A configured zone (Web Unlocker, Scraping Browser, SERP API, or Residential)
- Zone credentials from the Bright Data control panel
Instructions
Step 1: Gather Credentials from Control Panel
Log into https://brightdata.com/cp and navigate to your zone's overview tab:
| Credential | Location | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Customer ID | Settings > Account | c_abc123 |
| Zone Name | Zone overview tab | web_unlocker1 |
| Zone Password | Zone overview tab | z_pass_xyz |
| API Token | Settings > API tokens | abc123def456 |
Step 2: Configure Environment Variables
# .env (NEVER commit to git)
BRIGHTDATA_CUSTOMER_ID=c_abc123
BRIGHTDATA_ZONE=web_unlocker1
BRIGHTDATA_ZONE_PASSWORD=z_pass_xyz
BRIGHTDATA_API_TOKEN=abc123def456
# .gitignore — add these
echo '.env' >> .gitignore
echo '.env.local' >> .gitignore
Step 3: Download Bright Data SSL Certificate
Required for HTTPS proxy connections through the super proxy:
curl -sO https://brightdata.com/ssl/brd-ca.crt
# Node.js — set environment variable
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=./brd-ca.crt
