Run Chrome on Linux with the --headless flag: google-chrome --headless https://example.com. Headless mode runs Chrome without a visible browser window; it does not require Xvfb. For repeatable automation, use Puppeteer or Selenium-WebDriver, and pin Chrome and ChromeDriver versions in CI.
Run Chrome headlessly from the Linux command line
If Chrome is installed and its executable is on your PATH, open a URL with:
google-chrome --headless https://example.comThe command assumes the executable is named google-chrome. Package names and binary paths vary by Linux distribution and installation. If the command is not found, locate the installed Chrome binary and substitute its path.
For the browser’s default page rather than a specified URL, run:
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google-chrome --headlessCapture a page as DOM, screenshot, or PDF
Chrome’s command-line options can produce several useful outputs. Run commands from the directory where you want the resulting file saved.
| Task | Command | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Serialize the rendered DOM | google-chrome --headless --dump-dom https://example.com |
Prints the parsed DOM after page scripts have had a chance to modify it; this is not simply the original HTML response. |
| Save a screenshot | google-chrome --headless --screenshot --window-size=1280,900 https://example.com |
Saves screenshot.png in the current directory. Set the window size when the viewport dimensions matter. |
| Print to PDF | google-chrome --headless --print-to-pdf output.pdf https://example.com |
Saves a PDF named output.pdf. |
For scripted capture, Chrome’s CLI also documents --timeout to bound how long a capture waits and --virtual-time-budget to fast-forward page timers. Page behavior differs, so verify that the resulting DOM, image, or PDF includes the content your workflow needs. Check the syntax supported by the Chrome version installed on the machine before relying on these options in a script.
Choose modern Headless or Headless Shell
Since Chrome 112, modern Headless uses the regular Chrome browser implementation, creating platform windows without displaying them. It is generally the closer match when you need full-browser behavior or feature coverage in end-to-end tests.
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Since Chrome 132.0.6793.0, the earlier Headless implementation is available separately as chrome-headless-shell. Chrome describes the shell as a lighter option with fewer dependencies; it does not require X11/Wayland or D-Bus. Consider it for capture workloads when its reduced feature set is acceptable. The trade-off is that it is less representative of the full Chrome browser.
Choose based on the workload rather than assuming one mode is universally faster: browser fidelity and features, dependency footprint, and performance for your specific task all matter.
Automate Headless Chrome with Puppeteer or Selenium
Puppeteer
Puppeteer launches modern Headless by default. Select the shell explicitly with headless: 'shell' when that is the intended target:
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const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
headless: true, // modern Chrome Headless
// headless: 'shell', // legacy Headless Shell
});Puppeteer can acquire a compatible Chrome for Testing binary automatically by default. Confirm that your Puppeteer version and deployment setup support the selected mode.
Selenium-WebDriver
With Selenium-WebDriver, add Chrome’s --headless argument through Chrome options. The exact builder syntax depends on the language binding, so use the current documentation for the binding in your project. For stable CI runs, pin a Chrome for Testing version and its corresponding ChromeDriver rather than allowing the browser and driver to drift independently.
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No virtual display is needed
Headless Chrome does not require an X server or a virtual display such as Xvfb. This is one reason it can run in unattended environments without a desktop session.
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Do not use --no-sandbox as a blanket fix
Chrome’s sandbox isolates browser processes. A correctly configured container with a suitable user should not need --no-sandbox. Inspect the container’s user and sandbox setup first if Chrome fails to launch; running Chrome as root without its sandbox is unsupported. Disabling the sandbox weakens isolation, so do not add the flag merely because a launch error occurred.
GPU flags are for specific graphics workloads
Basic headless browsing does not ordinarily require GPU flags. Chrome’s Linux graphics guidance discusses Vulkan configuration such as --use-angle=vulkan, --enable-features=Vulkan, and --disable-vulkan-surface for WebGL or WebGPU scenarios, along with sandbox caveats. Treat these as workload-specific settings, not a general compatibility recipe; investigate the graphics stack and confirm GPU acceleration is needed before applying them.
Make CI browser runs reproducible
- Pin browser and driver versions. Chrome for Testing provides version-specific Chrome and corresponding ChromeDriver downloads. Keep their versions matched for consistent automation runs.
- Let the framework manage the browser where appropriate. Puppeteer can download a compatible Chrome for Testing binary by default.
- Set capture timing deliberately. Use a bounded timeout or virtual-time budget for CLI capture where suitable, and check that page-specific asynchronous content has finished loading.
- Keep the execution environment’s security model intact. Configure a non-root user and sandbox correctly instead of reflexively disabling the sandbox.
There is no single package-install command or shared-library checklist that applies to every Linux distribution. Follow the installation instructions for the specific distribution and Chrome package you use.
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Troubleshoot common launch and capture problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
google-chrome: command not found |
The executable has another name or is outside PATH. |
Find the installed Chrome binary and run it by its actual path; installation and binary naming depend on the distribution and package. |
| Automation cannot start Chrome or reports a driver mismatch | Chrome and ChromeDriver versions are incompatible or have drifted. | Use a version-matched Chrome for Testing and ChromeDriver pair, or let Puppeteer manage its compatible browser download. |
| Screenshot, DOM, or PDF misses later content | The page may still be loading or running timers when capture occurs. | Use a suitable CLI timeout or virtual-time budget, then validate against the page’s actual loading behavior. |
| Chrome fails in a container | The user, sandbox, or container configuration may be incorrect. | Inspect user and sandbox configuration first. Do not run as root without the sandbox, and do not treat --no-sandbox as the universal remedy. |
| WebGL or WebGPU rendering fails | The issue may involve GPU support or the Linux graphics stack rather than Headless mode itself. | Confirm the workload needs GPU acceleration and consult current Chrome and platform graphics guidance before testing specialized Vulkan options. |
Or skip the browser setup
For a screenshot without installing or managing a Linux browser, ScreenshotNeo provides a one-request API. Replace the example URL and set your API key:
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. ScreenshotNeo removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server lets AI agents using Claude, Cursor, or another MCP client call take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
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