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To test a real PDF download in a Capybara system test, run a Selenium-controlled Chrome session, set a writable temporary download.default_directory, disable download prompts, click the link, and wait for the file (or use a synchronized download helper). Capybara’s :rack_test driver cannot run the JavaScript or remote requests that many PDF links require.
Choose the behavior you actually need to test
There are two different PDF scenarios. A download test exercises your application’s endpoint: the browser requests a PDF, receives a response, and saves a file. A print test asks Chrome to render the current page into a PDF. The setup, assertions, and failure modes are different.
Testing a download endpoint
Use this when a user clicks “Download PDF” and your application returns a PDF response. Assert the downloaded filename, file existence, response behavior, and—when useful—the PDF contents.
Printing a page with Chrome
Use Chrome’s headless command-line printing when your requirement is a visual snapshot of a URL, not the behavior of an HTTP download link. Chrome writes output.pdf in the current working directory when you use --print-to-pdf.
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Why rack_test is not enough
Capybara’s :rack_test driver is fast, but it does not execute JavaScript and cannot access remote URLs. A JavaScript-generated link, a fetch request, or a PDF hosted outside the test application therefore needs a browser driver such as Selenium with Chrome.
Capybara includes :selenium_chrome and :selenium_chrome_headless. In a Rails system test, the supported shorthand is driven_by :selenium, using: :headless_chrome.
Configure a headless Selenium driver for downloads
Give every test run a directory that is writable, isolated, and known to the assertions. Do this before the browser session starts; changing preferences after Chrome has launched will not change that session’s download behavior.
Rails system-test configuration
# test/application_system_test_case.rb
require "test_helper"
class ApplicationSystemTestCase < ActionDispatch::SystemTestCase
driven_by :selenium, using: :headless_chrome, screen_size: [1400, 1400]
endThat configuration is sufficient for ordinary system tests, but a download test normally needs a custom driver so Chrome can receive a test-specific directory.
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Custom Capybara driver
# spec/support/capybara.rb or test setup
require "capybara/rails"
require "selenium-webdriver"
require "tmpdir"
DOWNLOAD_DIR = Dir.mktmpdir("pdf-downloads")
Capybara.register_driver :selenium_chrome_pdf do |app|
options = Selenium::WebDriver::Chrome::Options.new
options.add_argument("--headless")
options.add_argument("--window-size=1400,1400")
options.add_preference("download.default_directory", DOWNLOAD_DIR)
options.add_preference("download.prompt_for_download", false)
Capybara::Selenium::Driver.new(app, browser: :chrome, options: options)
endThe exact headless argument supported depends on the Chrome version in your development or CI image. Keep the browser and driver versions recorded with the project rather than assuming one universal compatibility matrix. The directory must be writable by the user running the test.
Use an isolated directory per test when parallelizing
A process-wide directory is simple, but parallel tests can mistake one test’s file for another’s. Prefer a per-test temporary directory when your framework allows it, and remove it during teardown. If your application always uses a fixed filename such as report.pdf, clear stale files before clicking.
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Write the download test
it "downloads the PDF" do
driven_by(:selenium_chrome_pdf)
visit "/reports"
click_link "Download PDF"
expect do
expect(File).to exist(File.join(DOWNLOAD_DIR, "report.pdf"))
end.to eventually_have_something # Use your test stack's wait matcher
endThe final matcher is deliberately framework-specific: RSpec, Minitest, and custom helpers expose different polling APIs. The important rule is to poll for completion instead of asserting immediately after the click. A download can create a temporary .crdownload file before the final name appears.
Use Capybara’s synchronized waiting
Capybara synchronizes element lookups, but a raw Ruby filesystem call does not automatically wait. Wrap the filesystem check in an explicit polling helper whose timeout is tied to Capybara.default_max_wait_time (or your project’s equivalent). Poll until the expected file exists and, if you validate content, until its size stops changing.
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require "capybara/headless_chrome"
page.downloads.reset
visit "/reports"
click_link "Download Report"
file = page.downloads["report.pdf"]
expect(file).to be_a(File)This optional driver documents page.downloads.filenames, lookup by filename, synchronized waiting up to Capybara.default_max_wait_time, and page.downloads.reset. Reset downloads at the start of each example so a previous test cannot satisfy the lookup.
Verify more than filename existence
A successful browser save does not prove that the endpoint returned the intended document. Add the checks that match your contract:
- Filename: confirm the expected final name, including any user- or report-specific suffix.
- Completion: ensure the temporary download is gone and the file can be opened.
- Type: inspect the file header for the PDF signature (
%PDF-) or use a PDF parser available in your test stack. - Content: extract text or inspect page count when the report itself is part of the contract.
- Authorization: run the test as the same role that should be allowed to download, and verify an unauthorized user does not receive a PDF.
If the endpoint’s HTTP headers are the behavior under test, test those at the request level as well. A browser test confirms the user-visible save operation; it is not a substitute for every response-level assertion.
Why a PDF opens in Chrome instead of downloading
Set preferences before creating the session
Chrome may display an inline PDF viewer when the response is handled as inline content. Set download.default_directory and download.prompt_for_download before launching Chrome. The directory must be absolute and writable.
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Return an attachment when download behavior is required
Your server should send a download-oriented response, normally with a PDF content type and an attachment disposition containing the intended filename. If the product requirement is to preview the PDF in the browser, opening the viewer is correct; change the test to assert the preview behavior rather than forcing a file download.
Check the actual click target
A link may open a new tab, invoke JavaScript, or call an API that later creates the file. Confirm that the element you click is the same control a user sees and that the test account can reach every request it triggers.
Wait reliably in CI
- Create a unique temporary directory and verify its permissions.
- Launch Chrome with the download preferences already installed.
- Visit the page and trigger the download.
- Poll for the expected final filename until the configured timeout.
- Reject a still-present temporary file, zero-byte file, or invalid PDF.
- Include the directory listing and browser/driver versions in failure diagnostics.
- Remove the directory after the example or suite completes.
Do not use a fixed sleep as the primary synchronization mechanism. A sleep is either unnecessarily slow or too short for a busy CI worker. A bounded polling loop gives fast success and a useful timeout on failure.
Print the current page to PDF instead
When the requirement is page rendering rather than an HTTP download, invoke headless Chrome directly:
chrome --headless --print-to-pdf --no-pdf-header-footer --timeout=5000 https://example.test/report--print-to-pdf writes output.pdf in the current working directory. --no-pdf-header-footer removes print headers and footers. --timeout=5000 bounds the wait for pages that need additional loading time. Older Chrome versions may use the historical --print-to-pdf-no-header spelling, so use the flag supported by the installed binary.
This command does not test your “Download PDF” button, attachment headers, or application download directory. It tests what Chrome can render from the supplied URL.
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Common failures and precise fixes
“The link does nothing” under rack_test
Cause: the control depends on JavaScript or a remote request. Fix: switch the example to Selenium Chrome (or another JavaScript-capable driver), and ensure the browser can reach the target host.
Chrome cannot start in CI
Cause: missing browser/driver binaries, incompatible versions, unsupported flags, or insufficient container permissions. Fix: print the installed Chrome and driver versions, verify both binaries are present, and use only options supported by that image.
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Cause: the click returns before Chrome finishes writing the file. Fix: use page.downloads[...] or an explicit filesystem polling helper; do not assert immediately.
The expected filename never appears
Cause: the server supplied a different filename, the response was inline, authentication failed, or the request returned an HTML error page. Fix: list the download directory on failure, inspect the response contract, and validate the PDF signature.
The PDF is blank or incomplete
Cause: the page was printed before its data or fonts loaded. Fix: wait for a meaningful selector in the application test, or increase the print command’s timeout. For a download endpoint, investigate server-side PDF generation separately from browser timing.
Metadata appears on printed pages
Cause: Chrome’s print header/footer feature. Fix: add --no-pdf-header-footer, or the older supported spelling for an older Chrome binary.
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Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is simply to obtain a clean PDF or screenshot from a URL, ScreenshotNeo provides a website capture API and MCP server. It can capture PDFs with paper size, margins, landscape mode, and page ranges without you maintaining Selenium, Chrome binaries, or CI download directories.
One request is enough:
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Practical decision guide
| Requirement | Best approach | Primary assertion |
|---|---|---|
| Verify a user downloads an attachment | Selenium Chrome with download preferences | Expected file appears and is a valid PDF |
| Exercise a JavaScript download link | Selenium Chrome, not rack_test | Click completes and download helper returns the file |
| Render a URL as a PDF | Chrome --print-to-pdf or ScreenshotNeo |
Output exists and rendering meets your content rules |
| Run reliably in CI | Writable isolated directory, pinned browser image, bounded polling | No prompt, race, stale file, or permission failure |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use Selenium for every PDF test?
No. Use request-level tests for headers and authorization, Selenium for browser download behavior, and Chrome printing or ScreenshotNeo when the requirement is page rendering.
Where should downloaded files go in CI?
Use an absolute, writable temporary directory unique to the test process or example, then clean it up after the test.
What does a .crdownload file mean?
Chrome is still writing the download. Wait for the final filename and validate that the temporary file has disappeared before asserting completion.
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