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Get the endpoint from a browser Puppeteer launched
Once puppeteer.launch() has returned a browser, call its wsEndpoint() method:
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
const browserWSEndpoint = browser.wsEndpoint();
console.log(browserWSEndpoint);
// Keep the browser process running, then reconnect with the saved endpoint.
await browser.disconnect();
const browser2 = await puppeteer.connect({ browserWSEndpoint });
// Close the browser when you are finished with it.
await browser2.close();The documented format is ws://HOST:PORT/devtools/browser/<id>. The host, port, and ID depend on the browser instance; obtain the actual value from wsEndpoint() rather than constructing one yourself. See Puppeteer’s Browser.wsEndpoint() API and Browser API.
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Disconnecting is not the same as closing
browser.disconnect() detaches the Puppeteer client and leaves the browser running, so it can be connected to again. browser.close() closes the browser. Keep the endpoint available to the process that will reconnect; calling wsEndpoint() on a browser object that is no longer available is not a substitute for saving it before disconnecting.
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Get the endpoint from a browser started outside Puppeteer
If Chrome was launched independently, use the debugging endpoint printed by its startup output when available, or request http://HOST:PORT/json/version from the host and debugging port configured for that browser. Read the webSocketDebuggerUrl value from the JSON response, then connect with it:
const browserWSEndpoint = 'ws://HOST:PORT/devtools/browser/<id>';
const browser = await puppeteer.connect({ browserWSEndpoint });Use the exact endpoint reported by the running browser. The Puppeteer browser management guide describes connecting to an existing browser; the ConnectOptions API documents the connection options.
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Know which URL you need
A Puppeteer browser endpoint is a WebSocket address for attaching automation to a browser. It is different from a page URL such as https://example.com, which identifies content to navigate to after connecting. For the browser-level endpoint, use Browser.wsEndpoint(); Puppeteer’s Connection.url() is a differently scoped API and its documentation does not give the same browser-level explanation and format. See the Connection.url() API.
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Puppeteer launch options support pipe: true, which connects through a pipe instead of a WebSocket. In that case, do not expect a WebSocket endpoint as the way to attach to that connection; the cited launch documentation does not identify a URL equivalent for the pipe transport. See LaunchOptions.
Troubleshooting
wsEndpoint is not a function: Check that you are calling it on the browser object returned bypuppeteer.launch(), not on a page, a connection, or the Puppeteer module.- Connection fails after disconnect: Confirm the browser process is still running and that you saved the endpoint before disconnecting. Use
disconnect()when you intend to leave the browser available;close()shuts it down. /json/versiondoes not respond: Verify the host and debugging port for the independently launched Chrome instance, and that its remote debugging endpoint is enabled and reachable from your client. Do not assume a default port if the process was configured differently.- No endpoint is available: Check whether the browser was launched with pipe transport. A pipe is not a WebSocket endpoint.
- Wrong browser or page opens: Ensure you are using the browser-level value from
wsEndpoint()orwebSocketDebuggerUrl, not a page’s ordinary HTTP URL.
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