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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Choose a Browserless endpoint by the result you need: use /content for rendered HTML, /scrape for selector-based JSON, /screenshot for an image, /pdf for a PDF, and /function for custom Puppeteer steps. These REST endpoints handle one task per request and close the browser session afterward. For workflows that need state to persist, use Browserless session management or BrowserQL instead.
Which Browserless API should you use?
Start with the output format or task, then check whether your workflow needs interaction or persistent browser state.
| Your task | Use | What it returns or does |
|---|---|---|
| Get JavaScript-rendered page markup to parse yourself | /content |
Rendered HTML as text/html. |
| Extract known fields using CSS selectors | /scrape |
Structured JSON from the selectors in your request; supports waits for JavaScript or lazy-loaded elements. |
| Scrape and let Browserless choose an approach | /smart-scrape |
JSON; tries HTTP first and falls back to a full browser. |
| Capture a rendered page as an image | /screenshot |
PNG, JPEG or WebP; supports full-page capture. |
| Generate a document from a page | /pdf |
PDF output. |
| Run custom browser actions or extraction logic | /function |
Executes your Puppeteer code and lets it choose the response content type; the session ends when execution completes. |
| Search, map, crawl, download or export | /search, /map, /crawl, /download or /export |
Discovery, asynchronous crawling, downloads or native-type retrieval. Check each endpoint’s own inputs and constraints. |
| Run a Lighthouse audit | /performance |
JSON metrics. |
| Attempt to retrieve a protected page | /unblock |
Can return selected content, cookies, a screenshot or a browser WebSocket endpoint; success against protections is not guaranteed. |
| Keep browser state across steps or requests | BaaS sessions or BrowserQL | Session management or persisted state, rather than a stateless REST request. |
The Browserless API reference overview displayed documentation version 2.56.7 when reviewed on October 3, 2026. That is a documentation version, not a claim about the runtime version of every deployment.
Choose based on the output you need
Rendered HTML: /content
Use /content when you need the page’s rendered markup, including content produced by JavaScript, and intend to parse the HTML yourself. It returns HTML rather than a purpose-built set of fields, so your code remains responsible for selecting and interpreting the markup.
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Structured fields: /scrape or /smart-scrape
Use /scrape when you already know the CSS selectors for the fields you want. Its structured JSON response avoids making your application parse the full markup. The endpoint supports waiting for JavaScript or lazy-loaded elements.
Choose /smart-scrape when you want Browserless to try an HTTP request first and fall back to a full browser. That automated fallback is useful when the lighter route may be enough, but the endpoint overview does not establish a performance guarantee or success rate.
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Image or document: /screenshot or /pdf
Use /screenshot for a rendered visual capture in PNG, JPEG or WebP. Full-page capture is available. Use /pdf when the desired result is a PDF rather than an image; it is a separate endpoint for document generation.
Custom browser behavior: /function
Use /function when a specialized endpoint does not fit and you need to supply Puppeteer logic—for example, custom browser steps or extraction. It gives you control over the execution and response content type, but it is not a persistent browser: its session closes when the function finishes.
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When REST is the wrong fit
Multi-step interaction
Browserless REST is designed for one browser task per HTTP request: a request launches a browser, performs the task and closes the session. A sequence such as clicking a control, filling a form and then scraping the resulting page cannot be expressed as a chain of actions inside one specialized REST call. Use /function for custom steps within one execution, or choose a longer-lived automation approach if the browser must remain available across requests.
Persistent cookies or browser state
The REST API is stateless: it discards browser state after each response. If later steps need the same session, cookies or persisted state, look at Browserless BaaS session management or BrowserQL’s persisted-state and reconnect options. Do not assume that a cookie or page state from one specialized REST call carries into another.
Automation that faces bot protection
/unblock is intended for attempts to retrieve protected pages and can return selected content, cookies, a screenshot or a browser WebSocket endpoint. It does not guarantee access: advanced fingerprinting or interactive CAPTCHAs may still defeat REST. Browserless recommends BrowserQL for advanced cases.
How to choose a broader Browserless approach
The official getting-started guide recommends BAP for new automation, REST for stateless one-shot tasks, and Puppeteer or Playwright when you already have local scripts. Treat those as starting points, not mutually exclusive rules: choose according to whether you need one request, custom code, or ongoing browser state. Read Browserless documentation.
Screenshot API alternative to try first
If your task is specifically taking website screenshots through an API, try ScreenshotNeo first: it removes cookie banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture, and only clean shots are billed.
Or skip the browser setup
For a one-call screenshot, send a GET request with the target URL. This cURL example saves a WebP image:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. Cookie banners, popups and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots, and the free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for free.
What the endpoint documentation does—and does not—establish
Browserless documents what each endpoint is intended to do, but the reviewed endpoint materials do not establish comparative performance benchmarks, adoption figures or quantified savings. Choose by required output, interaction pattern, state persistence and site protections rather than assuming one endpoint is universally fastest or most reliable.
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