If a BackstopJS test reports “Failed to launch chrome!”, spawn ... ENOENT, or “Could not find Chrome,” the fix depends on the exact error and where the test runs. Check the full Chrome stderr output first: the browser may be missing, unable to load Linux libraries, blocked by sandbox settings, or unable to write its startup files. BackstopJS uses Puppeteer for its Chrome headless engine, so confirm the versions and configuration in your project before applying a fix copied from older setup instructions.
Start with the exact error and runtime
“Chrome cannot launch” is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Save the complete BackstopJS output, including Chrome stderr, then identify the environment that actually runs the test: a local machine, CI runner, or Docker container. A browser installed on your host may not exist inside the runner or container.
- Check the BackstopJS and Puppeteer versions installed in the project, and inspect the selected engine and its options in the BackstopJS configuration.
- Read the first specific Chrome error, such as a missing executable, missing shared library, sandbox refusal, or unwritable profile path.
- Run the relevant checks inside the same runtime and as the same user that launches BackstopJS.
BackstopJS’s README notes that configurations generated before version 3.5 may need a --no-sandbox setting in a Docker scenario. That version-qualified guidance does not mean every current configuration needs the flag. BackstopJS README.
Fix “Could not find Chrome (ver. …)” or “spawn … ENOENT”
These messages commonly mean Puppeteer’s expected browser is not installed in the runtime, or the configured executable path does not exist there. Puppeteer normally downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing during installation. Package managers or project settings that block install scripts can prevent that download.
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- From the project environment, install Puppeteer’s browser with
npx puppeteer browsers install. - If your package manager blocks dependency install scripts, allow Puppeteer’s installation script according to that manager’s instructions, then reinstall or run the browser-install command.
- Verify that the downloaded browser is available to the process that runs BackstopJS. A download on a developer’s workstation does not automatically make it available in CI or Docker.
- If you use a separately installed Chrome or Chromium, check its executable path inside the runtime. Correct the configured path if the engine supports an explicit executable path.
Puppeteer guarantees compatibility with its downloaded browser; when you supply a different browser path, you are responsible for that browser’s availability and compatibility. See Puppeteer installation.
Fix a Linux launch failure caused by missing libraries
If Chrome exists but exits immediately, inspect its shared-library dependencies on the target machine or container. Run:
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ldd <path-to-chrome> | grep not
Replace <path-to-chrome> with the actual executable path. Any reported missing library needs to be installed using packages appropriate to your Linux distribution and browser build. Then repeat the check in the same image or environment that runs the test. Avoid copying an old, generic dependency list: package names and requirements vary by distribution and release. Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide covers Linux dependencies and links to Chromium package information.
Fix sandbox errors and root-container launches
If the error says “Running as root without –no-sandbox is not supported,” inspect the container user and Chrome sandbox setup. There are two different approaches, with different security and runtime trade-offs.
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Preferred where practical: run Chrome sandboxed as a non-root user
Run the browser as a non-root user and provide the permissions and container capabilities the browser requires. Puppeteer’s official Docker guide says its image runs Chrome in sandbox mode and therefore requires the SYS_ADMIN capability. It also calls for an init process so browser child processes are managed. Follow the guide for the image and runtime you use: Puppeteer Docker guide.
Use --no-sandbox only when the matching environment requires it
For the older-config Docker case described by BackstopJS, the engine options can include:
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{
"engineOptions": {
"args": ["--no-sandbox"]
}
}Use this only when the actual launch error and execution environment call for it. Disabling Chrome’s sandbox changes its security posture; it is not a universal first step for a launch failure. Check the BackstopJS README’s version-qualified note and the Puppeteer Docker guidance before changing container settings.
Fix Chrome startup in a read-only or restricted container
Chrome writes profile, cache, and configuration data at startup. A read-only filesystem or directories owned by another user can prevent launch. One possible clue is chrome_crashpad_handler: --database is required.
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- Set XDG configuration and cache paths to directories writable by the browser process, such as suitable locations under
/tmp. - Set Puppeteer’s user-data directory to a writable location, or mount writable volumes for the profile and related runtime files.
- Check directory ownership and permissions from inside the container as the user that runs BackstopJS.
See Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide for container and Chrome runtime diagnostics.
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| Error clue | First check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
Could not find Chrome (ver. ...) |
Whether Puppeteer’s browser download was skipped or its cache/path differs in the runner. | Run npx puppeteer browsers install or allow the install script; confirm the browser is present in the executing environment. Puppeteer installation. |
spawn ... ENOENT |
Whether the configured executable path exists inside the runtime. | Install the browser in that image or correct the path supported by the engine. BackstopJS README; Puppeteer installation. |
Missing .so files or ldd ... not found |
Whether Linux shared libraries are absent. | Install the distribution-appropriate dependencies and rerun ldd. Puppeteer troubleshooting. |
| “Running as root without –no-sandbox” | Whether Chrome runs as root without a matching sandbox setup. | Prefer sandboxed non-root execution where practical; use BackstopJS’s documented argument only for the applicable constrained case. BackstopJS README; Puppeteer Docker guide. |
chrome_crashpad_handler: --database is required in a restricted container |
Whether Chrome can write its profile, configuration, and cache paths. | Provide writable XDG and user-data directories or writable mounts. Puppeteer troubleshooting. |
After Chrome launches, check Docker URL reachability separately
A test that gets past browser startup but cannot reach its target has a different problem. Inside a container, localhost refers to that container, not automatically to the host machine running the application. BackstopJS notes that host.docker.internal can be used in applicable Mac and Windows setups. Confirm that the target URL is reachable from the container before treating a page-load failure as another Chrome launch issue. BackstopJS README.
Or skip the browser setup
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does every BackstopJS Chrome launch error need –no-sandbox?
No. Use that option only when the specific sandbox error and execution environment warrant it; it is not a general fix for missing browsers, libraries, or writable paths.
Why does Chrome work locally but not in CI?
The CI runtime may not have Puppeteer’s downloaded browser, may use a different executable path, or may lack libraries and writable directories available on your workstation.
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