The Tool Desk
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The official Puppeteer documentation surfaced for this guide identifies version 25.12.0; version-sensitive details can change, so check the current Puppeteer documentation before deploying.
Choose the right package and browser
| Situation | Package and approach | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| New project; you want Puppeteer to manage a compatible local browser | puppeteer |
Installation downloads Chrome for Testing and supplies defaults. Since Puppeteer v21.6.0, it also downloads chrome-headless-shell. The default browser cache is $HOME/.cache/puppeteer starting with v19.0.0. |
| Your application manages Chrome, or you connect to a remote browser | puppeteer-core |
It does not download Chrome. Pass a browser endpoint or configure a local executable with executablePath or, for a standard Chrome installation, channel. Puppeteer says compatibility is guaranteed only with its bundled browser. |
Use the full puppeteer package for the least setup friction. Choose puppeteer-core when browser ownership is intentionally outside Puppeteer; its configuration files and environment variables are ignored.
Install Puppeteer and its browser
Install the package
In a Node.js project, run:
npm i puppeteerThe install process normally downloads the browser. Approximate sizes given by the Puppeteer project documentation for version 25.12.0, accessed in 2026, are about 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows. Treat these as planning estimates, not fixed download sizes.
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Install Chrome after package installation
Some package managers and project policies block dependency install scripts. If that happens, the package may install without its browser, and launch can fail with Could not find Chrome (ver. ...). After installing the package, run:
npx puppeteer browsers installAlternatively, configure your package manager to allow Puppeteer’s install script. If you change browser download settings later, rerun the browser installation command so the new settings are applied.
Set project defaults in a config file
Puppeteer looks for supported config files including .puppeteerrc.js, .puppeteerrc.json, puppeteer.config.js, and configuration entries in package.json. Use a project config for persistent choices such as browser selection, cache directory, executable path, logging, skipped downloads, or temporary directory.
For example, a JavaScript config can set a project-specific cache directory:
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// .puppeteerrc.cjs
module.exports = {
cacheDirectory: './.cache/puppeteer',
};Keep the cache directory consistent between installation and runtime, and ensure it is writable by the process that launches the browser. Applicable environment variables override config values. Proxy settings such as HTTPS_PROXY are environment-only. Use launch options for behavior specific to one browser run; a config file does not replace runtime launch settings.
Launch a browser and run an automation task
This minimal ES-module example uses the managed browser, opens a page, navigates, sets a viewport, reads the title, and closes the browser even if an earlier step fails:
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true });
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.setViewport({ width: 1080, height: 800 });
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}For a local browser you manage, specify its executable when needed:
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
executablePath: '/absolute/path/to/chrome',
headless: true,
});Use the actual executable path for your host. If Chrome is installed in a standard location, a supported channel may be more appropriate than hard-coding a path. For a remote browser, connect to its WebSocket endpoint using Puppeteer’s browser connection API rather than launching a local executable.
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Choose headless mode explicitly
| Setting | Behavior | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
headless: true |
Runs modern headless Chrome; this is the launch default in the referenced documentation. | Normal automation without a visible browser window. |
headless: 'shell' |
Runs the separate chrome-headless-shell binary. It does not completely match regular Chrome, but Puppeteer describes it as currently more performant for automation that does not need the full feature set. |
A compatible task is performance-sensitive and does not depend on full Chrome behavior. |
headless: false |
Shows a browser window. | Visual debugging or observing a flow interactively. |
Useful launch options include executablePath, channel, args, timeout, userDataDir, and dumpio (which forwards browser output). Add options to solve a specific need rather than copying a large set of unexplained flags. Puppeteer cautions that overriding default arguments should be done carefully.
Interact with pages using locators
Puppeteer’s Page interactions guide for version 25.12.0 recommends locators as the way to select and interact with elements. A locator click waits for the element to be in the viewport, visible, enabled, and stable across two animation frames. Locators can also fill common input and select fields, wait for visibility, or wait for a function-based condition.
await page.locator('input[name="email"]').fill('person@example.com');
await page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click();Prefer these built-in waits over fixed sleeps for ordinary interactions. If an element or required precondition does not appear before the locator timeout, Puppeteer raises a TimeoutError. The lower-level waitForSelector() does not automatically retry a subsequent action; it returns a handle, which should be disposed of when finished.
Check deployment requirements before shipping
The Puppeteer 25.12.0 system requirements list Node.js 22.12 or later, and TypeScript 5.0.1 or later when using TypeScript. If type-checking node_modules, the documentation says to target ES2022 or later. Confirm the live requirements for the exact Puppeteer version, operating system, and architecture you deploy.
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The documented Chrome for Testing support includes Windows x64; macOS x64 and arm64; Debian/Ubuntu Linux x64 and arm64; and openSUSE/Fedora Linux x64 and arm64. Linux also requires system packages. The troubleshooting guide says Chrome does not support Alpine out of the box, so do not assume an Alpine container will work without a different supported setup.
- Make sure the browser cache, profile, configuration, and temporary directories can be written by the runtime user.
- On Linux, install the system dependencies required for the selected browser and distribution.
- Configure a usable browser sandbox on the host. Chrome’s sandbox protects the host from untrusted web content;
--no-sandboxis strongly discouraged as a routine workaround. - In containers, use writable locations for Chrome’s startup data; Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide documents writable
/tmppaths where appropriate.
Troubleshoot common configuration failures
Could not find Chrome (ver. ...)
The dependency install script may have been blocked, or the browser download settings may point somewhere other than runtime expects. Run npx puppeteer browsers install after installation, allow the install script, and check whether the configured cache directory is the same and accessible at runtime.
A custom executable path will not launch
Verify that the path points to the browser executable and that the process can execute it. Confirm the selected browser and Puppeteer versions are compatible; Puppeteer only guarantees compatibility with its bundled browser.
Linux reports a sandbox or shared-library error
Configure a usable sandbox and install the browser’s required system dependencies for a supported distribution and architecture. Avoid treating --no-sandbox as a general fix, because it removes a security layer.
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Chrome writes profile, configuration, and cache data during startup. Check that the runtime user can write to those directories, including the user-data directory. A writable temporary directory such as an appropriate /tmp location may be needed.
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Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide identifies a specific conflict: enforced Chrome extension policies can conflict with Puppeteer’s default disabling of extensions. The documented enableExtensions option is a targeted workaround for that condition, not a remedy for unrelated launch errors.
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Can I use Puppeteer with a browser installed on my machine?
Yes. Use puppeteer-core for a system-managed browser and provide its path with executablePath, or use channel when Chrome is installed in a standard location.
Does Puppeteer work with Alpine Linux?
Chrome does not support Alpine out of the box according to Puppeteer’s troubleshooting guide. Use a supported platform or an explicitly compatible browser setup.
Should I use a fixed sleep before clicking an element?
Usually not. Locators wait for common readiness conditions during interaction; fixed delays can be both slower and less reliable.
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