The Tool Desk
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Install Puppeteer and launch Chrome
The standard Node.js workflow is to launch a browser, open a page, navigate to a URL, interact with the page, and close the browser when the work is finished. The full puppeteer package downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing by default. Its getting-started guide demonstrates navigation, viewport control and page interaction: Puppeteer’s getting-started guide.
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Install the package in a Node.js project with npm install puppeteer, then save this as capture.mjs and run node capture.mjs:
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true });
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900 });
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
console.log('Title:', await page.title());
await page.screenshot({ path: 'page.png', fullPage: true });
} finally {
await browser.close();
}puppeteer.launch() resolves to a Browser. Pages are tabs controlled through the Page API, which supports navigation, interaction, screenshots and PDF generation. The API’s exact methods and signatures can vary with the installed Puppeteer version; check the Page API reference for your version.
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Choose between puppeteer and puppeteer-core
| Package | Browser provisioning | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
puppeteer |
Downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing by default. | Use when you want Puppeteer to provide its recommended browser with minimal setup. |
puppeteer-core |
Does not select or download a browser for you. When launching, supply executablePath or channel. |
Use when your environment supplies the browser or you need to choose its installation explicitly. |
The Puppeteer documentation says its bundled Chrome for Testing works best and does not guarantee compatibility with arbitrary browser versions. Choosing a system Chrome or another custom executable is therefore a compatibility trade-off. The launch reference suggests Chrome Canary or Dev Channel if you specifically use Google Chrome rather than Chrome for Testing.
Configure launch options
launch() accepts a LaunchOptions object. The following options are particularly useful when the default local launch is not the right fit:
| Option | What it controls |
|---|---|
browser |
Browser type; the current reference lists Chrome as the default. |
channel |
Selects a system Chrome channel at a known location. |
executablePath |
Uses a specific browser executable. You take on the compatibility implications of that choice. |
headless |
Controls headless mode; the current reference lists true as the default. |
args |
Passes command-line arguments to the browser process. |
env |
Sets the browser process environment. |
userDataDir |
Specifies a user data directory for the browser. |
timeout |
Sets the launch timeout; the current reference lists 30,000 milliseconds as the default. |
waitForInitialPage |
Controls whether launch waits for the initial page. |
These defaults and option details are from the LaunchOptions reference, which showed Puppeteer 25.12.0 when consulted. Defaults and supported browser channels are version-sensitive; verify the documentation matching the package version installed in your project.
For example, use an explicit executable only when your deployment environment manages that Chrome installation:
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const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
executablePath: '/path/to/chrome',
headless: true,
});The path is environment-specific; this example is not a portable Chrome location. With puppeteer-core, provide either executablePath or channel when launching.
Use browser contexts to isolate sessions
A Browser can contain multiple pages and browser contexts. A context represents a user session and isolates storage such as cookies and localStorage. A newly launched browser has a default context; Chrome’s non-default contexts are incognito. Closing a non-default context closes its pages, while the default context cannot be closed. See the BrowserContext reference.
const context = await browser.createBrowserContext();
try {
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Work in this isolated session.
} finally {
await context.close(); // Also closes pages in this context.
}Use separate contexts when tasks need distinct cookies or local storage but can share one browser process. Choose separate browser processes instead when you need separate process lifecycles or browser-level configuration. Context isolation is storage isolation; it does not create a separate browser executable.
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Once you have a Page, use its navigation and interaction APIs for the task. The wait condition matters: domcontentloaded waits for document parsing, but does not guarantee that every later image, script or network request has finished. Choose a wait condition that matches what you need to inspect, and use a selector-based wait when the relevant content appears after initial navigation.
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const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
await page.locator('a').first().click();
await page.screenshot({ path: 'after-click.png' });Selectors and page state are site-specific. If an element is rendered asynchronously, wait for the actual target or resulting state rather than assuming navigation alone means the page is ready.
Capture screenshots and PDFs
The Page API supports screenshots and PDF output. For a full-page image, set fullPage: true; for an element image, use the element screenshot capability documented by Puppeteer’s screenshot guide.
await page.screenshot({ path: 'full-page.png', fullPage: true });
await page.pdf({ path: 'page.pdf', format: 'A4' });PDF generation uses print CSS by default. If you need the page’s screen styling instead, switch the page media type before generating the PDF:
await page.emulateMediaType('screen');
await page.pdf({ path: 'screen-styled.pdf', format: 'A4' });See the Page API reference for version-specific screenshot and PDF methods.
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Connect Puppeteer to a remote browser
If a browser process is already running and exposes a WebSocket endpoint, connect to it instead of launching a local browser. This is useful when another service or your infrastructure manages the browser process. The browser-side guide demonstrates connecting, inspecting pages and disconnecting: Running Puppeteer in the browser.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
const browser = await puppeteer.connect({ browserWSEndpoint: process.env.BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT });
try {
const pages = await browser.pages();
const page = pages[0] ?? await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
browser.disconnect();
}Set BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT to the endpoint supplied by the browser host; do not publish a real endpoint or its credentials in source code. Disconnecting your Puppeteer client is distinct from closing the remote browser process. Browser-side Puppeteer can connect and control pages, but launching or downloading a browser there is unsupported because those operations rely on Node.js APIs.
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Troubleshoot common launch and control problems
- Chrome is not found when using
puppeteer-core: this package does not provide a selected browser. Supply a validexecutablePathor a supportedchannel, and confirm the executable is available in the runtime environment. - The browser fails to launch with a custom executable: confirm the path exists and is executable in the process environment. If the browser version is not Puppeteer’s bundled Chrome for Testing, account for the documented lack of compatibility guarantees with arbitrary browser versions.
- Launch times out: the current LaunchOptions reference gives a 30,000-millisecond default. Check whether Chrome can start in that environment and whether the selected executable or startup conditions are delaying launch; only raise
timeoutwhen a longer startup is expected. - A page action runs before content is ready: navigation completion may precede client-rendered content. Wait for the specific selector or page state your next action requires.
- A PDF does not match the on-screen appearance: PDF output uses print CSS by default. Set screen media before
page.pdf()if screen styling is the requirement. - Cookies or local storage leak between tasks: use a separate browser context per isolated session and close each non-default context when its work ends.
- Browser-side code cannot launch Chrome: launch and download depend on Node.js APIs and are unsupported in the browser environment. Connect to an existing browser through a WebSocket endpoint instead.
- Closing a remote connection also shuts down the browser: use
browser.disconnect()to detach the client. Use browser closure only when you own the browser process and intend to terminate it.
Version and compatibility notes
The official Puppeteer references consulted showed version 25.12.0. Launch option defaults, API signatures and browser compatibility can change, so check the live documentation for the version installed in your project rather than assuming the values above apply indefinitely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Puppeteer launch Chrome in a browser-side JavaScript app?
No. Browser-side Puppeteer can connect to and control an existing browser, but it cannot launch or download Chrome because those operations require Node.js APIs.
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The launch options reference lists Chrome as the default browser, but the sources cited here do not establish Firefox setup or compatibility details. Check the documentation for the exact Puppeteer version and browser combination you intend to use.
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