A headless browser runs without a visible browser window; a headed browser opens one. Use headless for unattended automation, servers, and CI when its browser implementation matches the environment you need to test. Use headed mode when you need to watch interactions, inspect the page, or debug failures interactively. The distinction is not always just whether a window appears: frameworks may launch different browser builds in headless mode.
What is the difference between headless and headed browsers?
The difference you see is the user interface. A headed browser displays its window; a headless browser runs without one. Both can be used to load pages and automate browser actions, but “headless” does not name a single implementation shared by every browser and automation framework.
That implementation detail matters when you use automation to reproduce what people see in a particular browser. For example, Playwright’s default Chromium headless setup may use a separate headless shell, while headed operations use a regular Chromium build. Playwright also offers a route to modern Chromium headless mode. Chrome says its modern Headless mode shares the same browser implementation as headful Chrome; its older headless implementation became a standalone chrome-headless-shell binary starting with Chrome 132.0.6793.0. See Playwright’s browser documentation and Chrome’s Headless documentation.
When should you use headless or headed mode?
Use headless for unattended automation
Headless is a natural choice for repeatable jobs that do not need a person to watch them, including server-side browser automation and CI pipelines. It avoids displaying a browser window, but that alone does not prove that a given headless setup is faster or more reliable. Choose a browser build and configuration appropriate to the target you need to represent.
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Chrome documents modern Headless for unattended environments such as servers, containers, and CI/CD pipelines. Framework defaults may choose a different binary or launch path, so record the framework, browser channel or binary, and version when reproducibility matters. See Chrome for Developers’ automation overview.
Use headed mode to inspect and debug
Open a visible browser when you need to see what the automation is doing, inspect a page state, or investigate a failure interactively. The window can make problems easier to understand, but it does not by itself guarantee that the run matches production; keep the browser and configuration aligned with the target environment.
Playwright’s debugging documentation describes headed execution and its slowMo option, which adds a delay between operations so you can follow them. Headed mode is especially useful while diagnosing a test; once the cause is understood, you can run the job unattended in the intended CI configuration. See Playwright’s debugging guide.
Choose a headless implementation deliberately
If the page behaves differently between an automated run and a person’s browser, first check which browser implementation the framework launched. A default headless shell, modern Chrome Headless, branded Chrome, and a headed Chromium build are not interchangeable labels. The appropriate choice depends on fidelity to the target, inspection needs, and whether the reduced feature set or performance characteristics of a shell are useful for your task.
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How to run Playwright headed or headless
Playwright browsers run headlessly by default. Set headless: false in the browser launch options to show the window. The following Node.js example launches Chromium headed, visits a page, and takes a screenshot. Install Playwright and its browser first using the documented setup for your project; the browser installation command is npx playwright install chromium.
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch({
headless: false,
slowMo: 250
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({ path: 'page.png' });
await browser.close();
})();Remove headless: false (or set it to true) for headless execution. Remove slowMo when you do not want the extra delay. The screenshot output does not require a visible window: Chrome’s Headless documentation lists screenshot capture and PDF generation among its capabilities.
Opt into modern Chromium headless in Playwright
Playwright documents selecting the chromium channel to opt into new headless mode. Its default headless setup may instead use a separate headless shell. If your test needs to match a particular browser, verify the framework’s current channel and binary behavior in the Playwright browser documentation rather than assuming every headless launch uses the same implementation.
How to run Puppeteer headed or headless
Current Puppeteer defaults to Headless mode. Set headless: false to show Chrome’s window. Its documentation also describes headless: 'shell' for the older headless shell. This example captures a screenshot in headed mode:
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const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: false });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({ path: 'page.png' });
await browser.close();
})();For an unattended run, omit headless: false or select the headless mode you intend to use. Puppeteer describes the older shell as having a performance and behavior tradeoff; do not assume that choosing it preserves all behavior of regular Chrome. Consult Puppeteer’s Headless modes guide for the current distinctions.
What can headless Chrome do without a window?
A missing visible window does not mean a browser cannot produce inspectable output. Chrome documents screenshots, PDF generation, remote debugging, and virtual screen configuration for Headless. These capabilities make it useful for rendering and automation, but they do not establish that every framework’s headless build supports identical behavior.
For debugging an unattended issue, use the framework’s debugging options or Chrome’s documented remote-debugging capabilities, and capture an artifact such as a screenshot or PDF where appropriate. For a visual issue that is hard to infer from artifacts, rerun the relevant flow headed so you can watch the interactions.
How to choose a browser mode for your task
| Need | Starting choice | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| CI job or server automation with no need to watch a window | Headless | Framework, browser binary or channel, version, and match to the target environment. |
| Interactive inspection of a test or page | Headed | That the visible run uses the browser configuration you want to diagnose. |
| Target fidelity is important | Use a headless implementation or headed browser that matches the target | Whether the framework default uses a shell, modern Headless, branded Chrome, or another build. |
| A smaller feature set or shell-specific performance tradeoff may suit the job | Consider the headless shell | Documented behavior differences and whether the reduced feature set fits your tests. |
There is no universal rule that headless is faster, more reliable, or always equivalent to headed execution. The official documentation describes implementation choices and tradeoffs, not a single benchmark that settles every workload. Make comparisons using the same page, browser version, framework, and launch configuration that matter to your deployment.
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Troubleshooting headless and headed runs
The browser window does not appear
Check the launch options: Playwright and Puppeteer document headless: false for headed execution, while their usual browser execution is headless by default. Also check whether the environment can display a browser window; a server or CI runner may be unattended by design.
Headless and headed results differ
Record the framework version, browser version, channel or binary, and launch settings for both runs. In Playwright, check whether default headless execution selected a headless shell and whether using the chromium channel for new headless mode is appropriate. In Puppeteer, distinguish its default Headless mode from headless: 'shell'. Differences may reflect implementation or configuration, not simply the hidden window.
The automation is difficult to follow
Run the flow headed and, with Playwright, consider slowMo to add a delay between operations. Use screenshots or PDFs for output that can be inspected after a headless run; Chrome also documents remote debugging for Headless.
A shell mode is missing a behavior you need
Recheck whether the shell’s behavior and feature set fit the task. If fidelity to regular Chrome or interactive investigation matters more, use an appropriate modern Headless or headed configuration instead of assuming the shell is a drop-in equivalent.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does headless Chrome behave exactly like regular Chrome?
Modern Chrome Headless shares the browser implementation with headful Chrome, according to Chrome for Developers. Frameworks may launch other builds by default, including a separate headless shell, so check the framework and binary in use.
Is headless always faster than headed?
No universal speed result is established. The outcome depends on the browser implementation and workload; the older shell has a documented performance and behavior tradeoff.
Can I capture screenshots or PDFs in headless mode?
Yes. Chrome documents screenshot capture and PDF generation in Headless mode.
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