Use Microlink to capture the page before and after a change, save both screenshot files, and compare them with a separate visual-diff tool. Microlink’s documented screenshot API captures and delivers images; the comparison endpoint covered here is a separate service, not a Microlink feature.
What you need to compare
A useful visual comparison has two parts: consistent screenshots and a tool that compares the resulting images. Start with the same page route and intended content state. Then keep the viewport or device, page scope, color scheme, and any interactions or setup the same for both captures. Otherwise, the diff may show capture-condition changes rather than changes caused by your code.
Microlink’s screenshot guide documents a request with a target url and a screenshot option. Set screenshot to true for a default capture or to an object for options such as fullPage, element, and image type. The guide describes Microlink rendering the target in a headless browser, storing the image on its CDN, and returning screenshot metadata. See Microlink’s screenshot documentation.
Capture and compare the two page states
- Choose the page and state. Identify the URL and any steps needed to reach the relevant state, such as opening a menu or navigating to a specific route. Use the same state for the baseline and the later capture.
- Capture the baseline. Make a Microlink request with
urlandscreenshot. Save the returned screenshot asset, whose URL is available atdata.screenshot.url. Keep the image as the approved or earlier state. - Make the change and capture again. Request the corresponding route and state after the code or content change. Keep the capture options consistent with the baseline.
- Compare the image files. Submit the two images to a visual-diff service or image-comparison tool. One documented comparison API accepts a live URL compared with another URL or a previously named baseline and can return a changed-pixel percentage, changed-region boxes, and a diff image. Its documentation is at Screenshot API’s visual comparison documentation; it is separate from Microlink.
- Inspect the evidence. Review the original screenshots alongside the diff image. Decide whether each visible change is expected before treating it as a regression.
Keep capture conditions aligned
For a fair comparison, match these conditions on both sides:
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- URL and page state: Use the same route and reach the same interaction state, such as an open navigation panel or selected tab.
- Viewport and device: Keep dimensions and device settings fixed; responsive layouts can differ substantially across viewports.
- Page scope: Compare the viewport to the viewport, or the same full-page or element capture to its counterpart.
- Appearance: Keep color scheme and other visual settings consistent.
- Capture options: Use the same relevant screenshot parameters on each side. The comparison API documentation also says capture parameters apply to both sides of its comparison.
Do not add Microlink’s browser-frame overlay to a pixel-accurate reference. Microlink cautions: “When not to: if the image is a pixel-accurate reference for QA or visual regression, skip the overlay.” The frame and background are not part of the page under test. See Microlink’s browser-frame guidance.
Read the diff without mistaking change for a defect
A changed-pixel percentage summarizes how much of the image differs according to the comparison tool’s rules. Region boxes help locate affected areas, while a diff image visualizes them. These outputs show where images diverge; they do not establish that the change is a bug.
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A threshold controls how much pixel difference is needed for the tool to mark a comparison as changed. Raising it can help tolerate small variations such as a clock or carousel, but may also make smaller real changes less likely to trigger a positive result. Treat the threshold as a decision setting, not a measure of correctness. The comparison API describes the threshold and changed-pixel behavior in its threshold documentation.
- Check the original images for content changes, dynamic elements, responsive layout differences, and mismatched capture states.
- Use the diff image and region boxes to focus review, then decide whether each difference is intended.
- Do not rely on a changed/unchanged flag alone. The available documentation does not establish a false-positive rate or guarantee that diffs isolate defects automatically.
What Microlink provides—and what it does not
Microlink documents screenshot generation and delivery, including a screenshot asset URL and metadata. The reviewed documentation does not establish that Microlink stores named baselines or produces pixel-diff reports. For visual regression work, treat screenshot capture and screenshot comparison as separate workflow components: capture both states with Microlink, retain the images, then compare them elsewhere.
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Microlink’s screenshot guide currently says the API works without an API key and offers 25 requests per day. It describes production plans as unlocking configurable TTL, stale-while-revalidate caching, custom filenames, custom headers, and proxy. These service limits and plan details can change, so check the current Microlink documentation before planning usage.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is an alternative when you want a screenshot API rather than setting up browser capture yourself. Its one-call API returns an image or PDF; use this request to capture a page:
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. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card, and paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Common comparison problems
- The diff is dominated by unrelated areas: Check that the two captures use the same viewport, page scope, appearance settings, and interaction state.
- A page looks empty or incomplete: Verify that both captures reached the intended route and state before comparing; a mismatched or failed load is not a meaningful baseline.
- Small dynamic changes keep triggering results: Review the comparison threshold and decide whether the dynamic area should be tolerated. A higher threshold changes the tool’s pass/fail behavior; inspect the images rather than treating the setting as proof.
- The screenshot includes non-page decoration: Remove the browser-frame overlay for pixel-accurate QA so the comparison measures the page rather than a frame or background.
- You cannot find the image to compare: Use the Microlink JSON response’s
data.screenshot.urlasset field, or useembed=screenshot.urlwhen a direct image response is more useful to your markup or pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Microlink for visual regression testing?
Yes, as the screenshot-capture component: Microlink can capture each state, while a separate comparison tool must perform the image diff.
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Does Microlink return a diff percentage?
The reviewed Microlink screenshot documentation describes screenshot assets and metadata, not pixel-diff output. A separate comparison service may return a changed-pixel percentage.
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