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Disable PhantomJS page JavaScript by setting phantomjs.page.settings.javascriptEnabled to False before constructing the driver and before the first navigation. Screenshot capture is separate: PhantomJS exposes a screenshot command, and its documentation does not define a page setting that universally blocks that command. Treat takesScreenshot as version-dependent capability negotiation, not as a guaranteed prohibition.
What you can and cannot disable
PhantomJS has two different controls that are often conflated:
| Requirement | Documented control | What it actually does |
|---|---|---|
| Stop scripts from executing in the page | phantomjs.page.settings.javascriptEnabled |
Maps to PhantomJS WebPage’s javascriptEnabled setting. Its default is true; set it to false before the initial page open. |
| Prevent screenshots | No documented global PhantomJS WebPage switch | The WebDriver capability takesScreenshot describes screenshot support, while the PhantomJS driver implements a screenshot command. Setting the capability to false is not a universal command block. |
GhostDriver documents the capability prefix phantomjs.page.settings.<setting>; PhantomJS documents the underlying page settings and their defaults at the WebPage settings reference. The distinction matters because disabling JavaScript does not disable WebDriver’s screenshot endpoint, and advertising screenshot support as false does not necessarily stop a driver implementation from accepting a screenshot request.
Version and maintenance warning
The Python constructor pattern below is a legacy PhantomJS/Selenium integration. PhantomJS itself is archived and read-only in its repository, so current Selenium releases may reject or no longer test this driver. The examples are useful when you must maintain an existing PhantomJS deployment; for new automation, select a maintained browser and an explicit policy for screenshots.
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Always record the exact versions of Python, Selenium, PhantomJS and GhostDriver. A capability-negotiation failure was reported with Selenium 3.8.1, GhostDriver 1.2.0 and PhantomJS 2.1.1 in this 2018 support question. That report is evidence about that combination, not a specification for every fork or version.
Disable JavaScript before the first page open
Set the PhantomJS page setting in the desired capabilities object, then pass that object when creating the driver:
from selenium import webdriver
caps = webdriver.DesiredCapabilities.PHANTOMJS.copy()
caps["phantomjs.page.settings.javascriptEnabled"] = False
driver = webdriver.PhantomJS(desired_capabilities=caps)
try:
driver.get("https://example.com")
print(driver.title)
finally:
driver.quit()The important ordering is capability assignment, driver creation, then navigation. PhantomJS applies WebPage settings during the initial page.open call. Changing a settings object after that first load does not retroactively alter the page or reliably affect later navigation, as described in the PhantomJS settings documentation. Configure the driver once with the desired value instead of trying to mutate it after get().
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Why the capability key has that name
GhostDriver maps PhantomJS WebPage settings through phantomjs.page.settings.SETTING. Replacing SETTING with javascriptEnabled yields the key used above. The value must be the Boolean False, not the string "false"; a string can be interpreted as a different capability value during negotiation.
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What JavaScript-disabled pages look like
Only script execution is targeted. HTML, CSS, images and other resources can still load unless you configure separate network or resource controls. A site that builds its entire interface with JavaScript may therefore show an empty shell, a loading placeholder or incomplete content. That is an expected consequence, not proof that the capability failed.
Handle screenshot prevention separately
takesScreenshot is a WebDriver capability, not a PhantomJS WebPage setting. The PhantomJS driver source includes a screenshot command, as shown in the PhantomJSDriver implementation. The official materials do not document a PhantomJS page setting that globally disables every screenshot request.
Do not promise a universal takesScreenshot=False switch
You may encounter examples that add takesScreenshot: False to capabilities. That can influence capability negotiation in a particular driver, but it is not a documented guarantee that save_screenshot(), the WebDriver screenshot command or a remote client cannot be called. In one historical setup, screenshot and JavaScript capabilities were treated as mandatory, producing a negotiation error. Verify the exact installed versions rather than assuming the flag enforces a security boundary.
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Use an enforcement layer when screenshots must never be taken
If the requirement is contractual or security-related, enforce it outside the page setting:
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- Do not expose screenshot methods or permissions to the application code that owns the driver.
- Wrap the driver in a small interface that allows navigation and assertions but omits
get_screenshot_as_file,get_screenshot_as_pngand related calls. - Review remote WebDriver access and reject the screenshot command at the service or proxy layer if you control that endpoint.
- Test the deployed binary and driver pair by issuing the command in a controlled environment; record whether it is rejected, ignored or succeeds.
This is stronger than advertising a capability because it tests and controls the command path that actually produces an image.
A combined legacy example
The following keeps JavaScript disabled and attempts no screenshot operation. It is intentionally explicit about cleanup:
from selenium import webdriver
caps = webdriver.DesiredCapabilities.PHANTOMJS.copy()
caps["phantomjs.page.settings.javascriptEnabled"] = False
# Do not rely on this as a universal screenshot prohibition:
# caps["takesScreenshot"] = False
driver = webdriver.PhantomJS(desired_capabilities=caps)
try:
driver.get("https://example.com")
print({
"title": driver.title,
"url": driver.current_url,
})
finally:
driver.quit()Leaving the takesScreenshot line commented makes the policy clear: JavaScript is disabled through a documented PhantomJS page setting, while screenshot prevention requires an independently verified control or an external enforcement layer.
Checks to run in your own environment
- Pin and record versions. Capture the output of
python --version, your Selenium package version, the PhantomJS binary version and the GhostDriver version. - Start with a page that has visible non-script HTML. This distinguishes a disabled script from a page that is blank because all content is rendered dynamically.
- Configure before navigation. Create the driver with the capability already present; do not set it after calling
get(). - Test the negative requirement. If screenshots must be impossible, attempt the screenshot command in a controlled test and verify the result is rejected by the layer you intend to trust.
- Retest after upgrades. Capability negotiation can change when Selenium, GhostDriver or PhantomJS changes, and PhantomJS no longer receives upstream maintenance.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
TypeError or an unknown PhantomJS constructor |
Your Selenium release no longer includes or supports the legacy PhantomJS integration. | Use the versions required by the existing project, or migrate to a maintained browser. Do not silently substitute a different driver and assume identical capabilities. |
| JavaScript still appears to run | The setting key was misspelled, passed as a string, or added after the first navigation. | Copy the exact phantomjs.page.settings.javascriptEnabled key, pass Boolean False, create a fresh driver and navigate only after construction. |
| The page is blank or incomplete | The site depends on JavaScript to create its content. | Inspect the server-delivered HTML and decide whether a non-script rendering path exists. Disabling JavaScript cannot produce DOM that the server never sent. |
| Session creation fails with a capability error | The installed Selenium/GhostDriver/PhantomJS combination disagrees about mandatory capabilities. | Reproduce with the exact versions documented in the error, remove unsupported experimental flags, and compare behavior with the historical version-specific report at the Stack Overflow question. |
| A screenshot call still succeeds | takesScreenshot=False was treated as metadata, or the driver ignores it. |
Do not treat the capability as a prohibition. Remove screenshot access from application code and enforce or test rejection at the remote-driver or service boundary. |
| Changing settings during a session has no effect | WebPage settings were consumed during the initial page.open. |
Quit the session, create a new driver with the desired capabilities and then perform the first navigation. |
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Does disabling JavaScript disable JavaScript that already ran?
No. The capability must be active before the initial page open. Start a new driver when you need a different setting.
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Is the screenshot capability a security boundary?
No. It describes WebDriver support and can be handled differently by different legacy combinations. Enforce the restriction where screenshot commands are exposed, then test that deployed path.
Where is the setting documented?
PhantomJS lists javascriptEnabled and its default in the WebPage settings reference; GhostDriver explains the phantomjs.page.settings.<setting> capability mapping in its README.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disabling JavaScript disable JavaScript that already ran?
No. The capability must be active before the initial page open. Start a new driver when you need a different setting.
Is the screenshot capability a security boundary?
No. It describes WebDriver support and can be handled differently by different legacy combinations. Enforce the restriction where screenshot commands are exposed, then test that deployed path.
Where is the setting documented?
PhantomJS lists javascriptEnabled and its default in the WebPage settings reference; GhostDriver explains the phantomjs.page.settings.<setting> capability mapping in its README.
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