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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Set CHROME_BIN to the Chrome executable available in your CI runner, and configure Karma to launch ChromeHeadless. Install karma-chrome-launcher as a development dependency. If your project uses Puppeteer, its executablePath() can provide the binary path.
Configure Karma to launch headless Chrome
- Install the launcher:
npm i -D karma-chrome-launcher. - Make sure Chrome or Chromium is installed in the runner environment, or supplied by a browser automation dependency.
- Set the appropriate binary environment variable where the Karma process can see it:
CHROME_BINfor Chrome, orCHROMIUM_BINfor Chromium. - Set Karma’s browser to
ChromeHeadlessinkarma.conf.js. - Run Karma in single-run mode in CI so the test process exits after completing.
For example, the command pattern documented in Chrome’s Karma guide is karma start --single-run --browsers ChromeHeadless. Adapt it to your project’s scripts and CI provider. Chrome for Developers’ Karma guide also contains older Travis-specific instructions; treat those as legacy provider guidance, not a universal current setup.
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Set CHROME_BIN from Puppeteer
If Puppeteer is already part of the project setup, set the variable before Karma starts so the launcher can use Puppeteer’s installed browser executable:
process.env.CHROME_BIN = require('puppeteer').executablePath()
module.exports = function (config) {
config.set({
browsers: ['ChromeHeadless']
})
}This only works when Puppeteer’s browser executable is available inside the same CI environment in which Karma runs. Do not assume a universal path: it depends on the operating system, runner image, and how the browser was installed.
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Choose how the browser gets into CI
| Approach | Setup | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| CI-installed Chrome or Chromium | Install the browser in the runner environment and set CHROME_BIN or CHROMIUM_BIN to its executable path. |
Check whether the runner image provides the browser, whether the path is stable, and who maintains the installation. |
| Puppeteer-provided browser | Use require('puppeteer').executablePath() as CHROME_BIN. |
Account for Puppeteer dependency and browser-version management, and confirm the downloaded browser works on the CI platform. |
Neither approach is universally preferable; choose according to how your project manages browser installation.
Add runner-specific Chrome flags only when needed
If your runner requires additional Chrome flags, define a custom launcher based on ChromeHeadless and supply the necessary flags. The karma-chrome-launcher README documents custom launchers. Select flags for the constraints of your actual runner rather than copying a flag as a blanket fix. An older Chrome guide discusses --no-sandbox in a Travis example; verify your current runner’s requirements before using it.
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Troubleshoot common launch failures
- Karma cannot find Chrome: Check that
CHROME_BINis set in the environment of the process that starts Karma and points to an executable present in that runner. - Using Chromium instead of Chrome: Use the matching launcher and variable:
ChromiumHeadlesswithCHROMIUM_BIN, rather than assumingCHROME_BINapplies to every Chromium variant. - The browser path works locally but not in CI: Local paths do not establish the path inside the runner. Install or provide the browser there, then set the variable in that environment.
- Karma starts in interactive mode or does not exit: Run the CI job in single-run mode, for example with
--single-run. - Chrome exits immediately in a constrained runner: Identify the runner-specific requirement before adding flags. Configure only the needed options in a custom launcher and verify them against the runner’s current behavior.
Or skip the browser setup
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which environment variable does ChromeHeadless use?
The Chrome launcher uses CHROME_BIN. Chromium variants use CHROMIUM_BIN.
Can I use Puppeteer’s browser with Karma?
Yes. Set process.env.CHROME_BIN to require('puppeteer').executablePath() before configuring or launching Karma, and ensure that executable is available in CI.
Quick Recap
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