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Schedule wkhtmltoimage by placing a tested command in cron or running it from a systemd service activated by a timer. Use absolute paths, choose an account that can write to the output directory, and capture logs so failures are diagnosable. The upstream project describes the tool as a headless Qt WebKit renderer, but its repository is archived and its manual identifies version 0.12.6; confirm that your distribution supplies a suitable build and test the exact website before relying on it.
What wkhtmltoimage does—and what to check first
wkhtmltoimage renders a web page to an image from the command line. The upstream project says it uses Qt WebKit and can run headlessly, so the documented workflow does not generally require a virtual display service. See the project site and its GitHub repository.
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The repository is archived, and the upstream usage manual identifies wkhtmltopdf 0.12.6 (with patched qt). That is a legacy WebKit renderer, not a guarantee that every current website will render correctly. Check the package and binary available for your Linux distribution, then run the exact target URL manually and inspect the resulting file before scheduling it. The usage manual documents options such as JavaScript enablement and delay settings; test any such option against the installed binary and page.
Run a manual capture before scheduling
First confirm the executable path and that the intended output directory exists and is writable by the account that will run the job. A basic command is:
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/usr/bin/wkhtmltoimage https://example.org /var/www/captures/example.pngReplace the example URL and paths with your own. Confirm the command exits successfully and inspect the image on the target host. A successful process launch alone does not prove the page’s JavaScript-driven content or layout rendered as intended.
Schedule a screenshot with cron
A cron entry has five schedule fields followed by the command. In a per-user crontab, the job runs as that crontab’s owner; system crontabs typically include an additional username field. Use the crontab format documented by your implementation. The following illustrative per-user entry runs daily at 07:00 according to the cron host’s applicable local time:
0 7 * * * /usr/bin/wkhtmltoimage https://example.org /var/www/captures/example.png >> /var/log/site-capture.log 2>&1This is a template, not a tested command. Verify that /usr/bin/wkhtmltoimage is the installed binary path, that the job’s owner can write both the destination and log, and that the output directory already exists.
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Make cron’s environment explicit
Scheduled jobs may not inherit the interactive shell’s environment. Defaults vary by cron implementation and distribution. If needed, set SHELL and PATH at the top of the crontab, and retain the absolute executable and output paths in the command. The Debian systemd-cron manual describes setting these variables, but it should not be treated as a universal specification for every cron implementation; consult the documentation for the cron service on your host. The Linux crontab manual describes the schedule fields and time behavior.
Account for local time and daylight saving
Cron evaluates calendar schedules in the host’s applicable local time. Around daylight-saving transitions, a scheduled local time that does not exist may be skipped, while a time that occurs twice may run twice. If that matters for your capture, choose a schedule and monitoring approach that accounts for the host’s time zone and cron implementation.
Use a systemd timer instead
A systemd timer activates a corresponding service. Calendar expressions schedule wall-clock events; monotonic expressions schedule elapsed time, such as time after boot. For a daily calendar run at 07:00, create a oneshot service and timer. Adapt the binary, URL, destination, account and time to your host; these illustrative units have not been tested.
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Service unit
# /etc/systemd/system/site-capture.service
[Unit]
Description=Capture website screenshot
[Service]
Type=oneshot
User=www-data
ExecStart=/usr/bin/wkhtmltoimage https://example.org /var/www/captures/example.pngTimer unit
# /etc/systemd/system/site-capture.timer
[Unit]
Description=Run website screenshot capture daily
[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* 07:00:00
Persistent=true
[Install]
WantedBy=timers.targetDo not copy www-data without checking that the account exists and has permission to write the output directory. Install the files in the appropriate system unit directory, then reload systemd, enable and start the timer, and inspect the next activation:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now site-capture.timer
systemctl list-timers site-capture.timerTo inspect the service’s output and errors after an activation, use:
sudo journalctl -u site-capture.servicePersistent=true allows a calendar timer to catch up a missed activation after the timer becomes active again, such as when the host was powered off at the scheduled time. Behavior and available features can depend on the installed systemd version; check the systemd timer manual for the host’s version.
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Choose cron or a systemd timer
| Consideration | Cron | systemd timer |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | A host that already uses cron and needs a simple schedule. | A systemd host where service-unit management and timer inspection are useful. |
| Missed calendar run | Local calendar matching can skip or repeat a run during daylight-saving transitions. | Persistent=true can catch up a missed calendar activation when the timer becomes active again. |
| Diagnostics | Redirect output to a log or configure suitable alerting. | Inspect activations with systemctl list-timers and service output with the journal. |
| Execution context | Runs under the crontab owner, or the configured user in a system crontab; environment defaults vary. | Set the service account explicitly and ensure it can write to the destination. |
Neither scheduler is universally better. Choose based on the host’s available service manager, how you want to handle missed runs, and how you will inspect failures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot scheduled captures
- “Command not found” or no output file: Verify the installed binary path and use its absolute path in the schedule. Check the job’s log or service journal for the actual error.
- Permission denied: Confirm the scheduled account can traverse the destination directories and create or replace the output file. For systemd, check the configured
User=; for cron, check the crontab owner or system-crontab username. - The page differs from the manual capture: Compare the scheduled environment with the interactive one, confirm the URL is reachable from the host, and test the installed renderer against the page. The legacy WebKit renderer may not handle every modern site or dynamic feature as expected.
- There is no useful error output: Redirect cron standard output and errors to a writable log, or use
journalctl -u site-capture.servicefor a systemd service. - The timer appears not to run: Check
systemctl list-timers, confirm the timer is enabled, and inspect the service journal. Verify that the calendar expression and installed systemd version match your expectations.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF; see the API documentation for options and setup.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.org -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf for AI agents using Claude, Cursor or other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does wkhtmltoimage need X11 or a virtual display to run on Linux?
The upstream project describes it as a headless Qt WebKit renderer, so its documented workflow does not generally require a display service.
Does Persistent=true work with every systemd timer?
It is documented for calendar timers, but check the timer manual and systemd version installed on your host.
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