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The right fix depends on whether you run Jasmine in Node.js, use jasmine-browser-runner, or run Jasmine through Karma. Without your error text, package versions, and runner configuration, there is no single project-specific cause to assume.
First identify where the test is running
Before changing configuration, establish both the runtime and the runner. Jasmine in Node.js, Jasmine in a browser runner, and Jasmine integrated with Karma have different setup paths. Headless Chrome is relevant when a browser runner launches Chrome; it is not a substitute for loading Jasmine or registering its interface.
- Runtime: Is the failing code executing in Node.js or in a browser page?
- Runner: Is the command using Karma,
jasmine-browser-runner, or the Jasmine Node.js package? - Failure: Does the error name a Jasmine API such as
describe, or an application function referenced inside a test? - Browser status: Does Chrome fail to launch, or does it launch and then report an error from a test page?
These distinctions narrow the failure. For example, an undefined Jasmine API points toward interface setup or file loading; an application function that is undefined inside a spec may instead indicate application imports, execution order, or test setup. Read the first relevant stack trace rather than treating every undefined symbol as a browser-launch issue. Jasmine documents its global API.
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The usual Jasmine globals include describe, it, and expect, along with lifecycle functions such as beforeEach. If a spec uses these names without imports, the environment must provide the Jasmine interface globally. If the project intentionally disables globals, the spec must use the explicitly provided interface instead.
In Node.js, Jasmine 4.0 and later can be configured to run without globals. That is a Node-specific option; do not apply it as a browser fix without confirming how the browser runner initializes Jasmine. The official Jasmine no-globals guide documents this mode.
Node.js with globals intentionally disabled
When using the Jasmine Node.js package with globals: false, import the interface in the spec or helper rather than expecting global names to exist:
const { describe, beforeEach, it, expect, jasmine } =
require('jasmine-core').noGlobals();
describe('calculator', () => {
beforeEach(() => {
// Set up this spec's state.
});
it('adds two numbers', () => {
expect(2 + 3).toBe(5);
});
});The corresponding runner setup should deliberately match that choice, for example:
const Jasmine = require('jasmine');
const runner = new Jasmine({ globals: false });
runner.execute();Use the configuration and import pattern supported by the Jasmine version actually installed. If your specs are written to use globals, either configure the Node runner to expose them as intended or convert the specs consistently to explicit imports. Mixing the two approaches can leave some files expecting names that are never installed.
For browser tests, verify setup and file loading order
With a browser runner, inspect its configuration for the Jasmine setup, source files, helpers, and specs. A test file that runs before the interface is available can fail even if all the expected files are present. Confirm that the configured paths match the repository, that the setup is loaded before specs, and that the files are being interpreted in the format your project uses.
The jasmine-browser-runner documentation covers configuring spec, helper, and source files; it also documents handling .mjs files as ES modules and lists headlessChrome among browser choices.
Review the configured files
- Find the browser runner’s configuration file and identify the configured source, helper, and spec paths.
- Check that the Jasmine setup is included and occurs before any helper or spec that calls global functions.
- Confirm that each path resolves to the intended file and that no required helper was omitted.
- Check whether the affected files are classic scripts or ES modules. For
.mjsfiles, follow the runner’s documented module behavior rather than assuming they share classic-script globals. - Run the smallest affected spec set, then expand to the full suite to see whether the failure is isolated to one file or shared setup.
Do not infer from a file extension alone that Jasmine globals will be available inside every module scope. Check how the runner loads that file and whether the spec imports the interface or depends on globals.
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For Karma, separate Jasmine integration from the Chrome launcher
Karma has at least two distinct pieces to verify: the Jasmine framework integration and the browser launcher. The karma-chrome-launcher README documents ChromeHeadless as a browser option and shows how to supply a Puppeteer executable path. Those settings address launching Chrome; they do not prove that Jasmine’s interface or your spec files were loaded correctly.
- Check Karma’s framework configuration and confirm the Jasmine integration is enabled for this test run.
- Check the configured files and patterns to ensure the Jasmine setup, helpers, application sources, and specs are included in a useful order.
- Confirm the selected browser is the intended headless launcher, such as
ChromeHeadless. - If Chrome does not start, investigate the launcher’s browser executable and its path separately from Jasmine globals.
- If Chrome starts but a page reports
describe is not defined, return to Jasmine framework setup and file loading; changing the Chrome binary path will not register that function.
Chrome for Developers also describes a Karma setup for Headless Chrome, but its example uses Mocha and Chai rather than Jasmine. Its browser-testing rationale applies broadly, but that example is not a Jasmine configuration. As Eric Bidelman explains, “One of the benefits of using Headless Chrome (as opposed to testing directly in Node) is that your JavaScript tests will be executed in the same environment as users of your site.” See Automated testing with Headless Chrome.
Diagnose the exact missing symbol
| Error symptom | Most relevant check | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
describe is not defined before a spec starts |
Runner framework setup, interface mode, and setup/spec load order | The spec is using Jasmine’s interface without it being available in that execution context. |
beforeEach or expect is not defined |
Check the same interface and loading questions; in Node no-globals mode, check explicit imports | A Jasmine API is missing, not necessarily a Chrome launch problem. |
| An application function is not defined inside a spec | Inspect application source inclusion, module imports, and setup order | The missing name may be application code rather than a Jasmine global. |
| Chrome fails before the test page runs | Inspect the Karma launcher choice and browser executable configuration | This is a browser startup failure; it is distinct from a Jasmine API error after page execution begins. |
| Only one spec file fails | Compare its imports, module format, and dependencies with passing specs | The issue may be local to that file or its load context rather than shared runner setup. |
These are diagnostic pointers, not proof of a particular cause. Preserve the first full error and stack trace, identify where it occurs, and verify the actual installed package versions before changing runner settings.
Troubleshoot common failure paths
The error persists after enabling Jasmine in the runner
Check whether the failing spec is actually included in that runner invocation and whether it executes before the configured setup. Also look for a second runner configuration or a separate test command: a setting in one configuration does not necessarily apply to another.
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Some Jasmine functions work, but another is undefined
Check for local variable shadowing, a different execution context, or a file that is loaded differently from the rest of the suite. In no-globals mode, verify that the spec imports every interface function it calls, including lifecycle functions.
Tests work in Node but fail in Headless Chrome
Node and a browser page are different runtimes. Confirm that the browser runner includes the same intended helpers and specs, and that browser-specific files and module formats are handled by the runner. Do not assume that Node’s Jasmine initialization automatically configures a separate browser test page.
Chrome cannot be found or launched
That symptom belongs to the launcher path rather than Jasmine’s API. For Karma, check the configured browser name and executable location against the launcher’s documentation. The README demonstrates supplying a Puppeteer executable path; use the path appropriate to the project instead of copying an unrelated machine’s path.
The error names a different undefined function
Confirm whether the name is one of Jasmine’s documented globals. If it is an application function, investigate imports and source loading; if it is a Jasmine API, investigate interface setup and execution context. The word “undefined” alone does not identify which layer failed.
Keep browser version claims specific
Compatibility statements change with releases and environments. Jasmine 6.0 release notes list Chrome 143 as a tested environment for that release; this is a release-specific test entry, not a promise of general compatibility across every setup. Check the release notes for the Jasmine version you use and verify the Chrome version actually installed in your CI or development environment: Jasmine 6.0 release notes.
Or skip the browser setup: use a screenshot API
If your goal is to capture a web page rather than run Jasmine tests, ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. It is not a Jasmine runner and will not fix missing test globals; it can avoid setting up a browser yourself for screenshot work.
One GET request returns an image or PDF. The following cURL example saves a WebP screenshot of Stripe:
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 and response details. ScreenshotNeo removes cookie/consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed. Its MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots, and the free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Headless Chrome remove Jasmine’s global functions?
No. Chrome is the browser launcher; whether Jasmine globals exist depends on the runner’s interface setup and how the test files are loaded.
Can I use Jasmine without globals in a browser?
The documented new Jasmine({globals: false}) and jasmine-core no-globals interface described here applies to Node.js; check your browser runner’s own interface setup rather than applying that configuration blindly.
Is ScreenshotNeo an alternative to Jasmine or Karma?
No. ScreenshotNeo captures web pages as images or PDFs; it does not execute Jasmine specs or configure a test runner.
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