Use page.$$eval() to turn every element matched by a selector into an HTML string:
const htmlByElement = await page.$$eval('.item', elements => elements.map(element => element.outerHTML));The callback runs in the browser page, receives the matching elements as an array, and returns an array of serialized strings to Node.js. Use outerHTML when each string must include the selected element itself; use innerHTML for only its children.
Get the HTML for every matching element
Here is a complete Node.js example. It opens a page, selects every .item element, extracts its markup, prints the resulting array, and closes the browser.
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: true });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle0' });
const htmlByElement = await page.$$eval('.item', elements =>
elements.map(element => element.outerHTML)
);
console.log(htmlByElement);
await browser.close();
})();If the page contains three matching elements, htmlByElement is an array with three strings. Each string contains the opening tag, attributes, descendants, and closing tag of one match.
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Why $$eval is the direct fit
page.$$eval(selector, callback) finds all matches and passes them to the callback in page context. Mapping those elements to outerHTML keeps the extraction in one browser-side operation, then sends only serializable strings back to Node.js.
Understand the output scope before choosing an API
“HTML from a NodeList” can mean several different things. Choose the operation that matches the scope you actually need.
| Need | Puppeteer API | Result and no-match behavior |
|---|---|---|
| HTML strings for every match | page.$$eval() |
The callback receives all matching elements; return an array such as elements.map(element => element.outerHTML). |
| Element handles for every match | page.$$() |
Returns an array of ElementHandle objects. With no matches, the array is empty. |
| HTML for the first match only | page.$eval() |
The callback receives the first matching element. It throws when no element matches. |
| Only the selected element’s children | innerHTML inside $eval or $$eval |
Returns the markup inside the element, without the element’s own tag. |
| The complete page document | page.content() |
Returns the page’s full HTML contents, including the DOCTYPE. |
outerHTML versus innerHTML
Use outerHTML for complete element fragments
For an element such as <article class='item'>News</article>, outerHTML returns the entire fragment, including the article tag and its attributes. This is normally what you want when exporting a list of matched components.
const cards = await page.$$eval('.card', elements =>
elements.map(element => element.outerHTML)
);Use innerHTML for descendants only
innerHTML omits the selected element’s own opening and closing tags. It is useful when you need to inject or compare only the children:
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elements.map(element => element.innerHTML)
);Work with a NodeList that already exists in page code
If your code has already called document.querySelectorAll() in the browser, convert that NodeList with Array.from and map it to outerHTML:
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const htmlByElement = await page.evaluate(() => {
const nodeList = document.querySelectorAll('.item');
return Array.from(nodeList, node => node.outerHTML);
});This is the same DOM-side operation as the $$eval example. With a selector supplied to Puppeteer, $$eval already performs the selection and passes the resulting array to your callback, so a separate querySelectorAll call is usually unnecessary.
Use $$ when you need handles instead of strings
page.$$() is appropriate when each match needs additional Puppeteer handle operations rather than immediate serialization:
const handles = await page.$$('.item');
for (const handle of handles) {
const text = await handle.evaluate(element => element.textContent);
console.log(text);
}
await Promise.all(handles.map(handle => handle.dispose()));Choose $$eval when the final result is already known to be serializable, such as an array of HTML strings. Choose $$ when you need to keep references to individual elements for later work.
Keep evaluation callbacks self-contained
Puppeteer serializes the function you pass to evaluate, $eval, or $$eval and executes it in the browser page. Ordinary Node.js variables, imported helpers, and closures are not automatically available there. Put the extraction logic inside the callback, or pass required values as arguments.
const selector = '.item';
const htmlByElement = await page.$$eval(
selector,
(elements, attributeName) =>
elements.map(element => ({
html: element.outerHTML,
label: element.getAttribute(attributeName)
})),
'data-label'
);In this example, attributeName is explicitly passed into the page context. A Node-side function such as formatResult would not be visible unless its logic were reproduced inside the callback or its result passed as an argument.
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Handle empty results and missing elements
All matches with $$eval
When the selector matches nothing, the all-match operation gives the callback an empty collection, so mapping it produces []. You can treat that as a valid “no results” outcome:
const htmlByElement = await page.$$eval('.item', elements =>
elements.map(element => element.outerHTML)
);
if (htmlByElement.length === 0) {
console.log('No .item elements found');
}One match with $eval
$eval is intentionally different: it throws if there is no matching element. Use it only when the element is required, or check first with page.$():
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if (handle) {
const html = await handle.evaluate(element => element.outerHTML);
console.log(html);
await handle.dispose();
} else {
console.log('Required element was not found');
}Extract at the right time
The selector is evaluated when the Puppeteer call runs. If the page has not yet produced the elements, the result can legitimately be empty. Navigate or perform the page actions that create the content before calling $$eval. For a static document, the complete runnable example is usually sufficient. For application pages that render after navigation, make your own readiness condition explicit before extraction and then run the selector.
Do not confuse an empty result with a malformed HTML string: an empty array means no elements matched at that moment, while each returned string is the browser’s current serialization of its element.
Performance and memory considerations
- Prefer one extraction call. Mapping all matches inside one
$$evalavoids a separate round trip for every element. - Return only what you need. Full
outerHTMLfor many large subtrees can consume substantial memory in both the browser and Node.js. If descendants are enough, returninnerHTML; if you need only metadata, return selected attributes or text instead. - Use handles deliberately.
page.$$()is useful for follow-up work but leaves you responsible for handle lifecycle. Dispose handles when they are no longer needed. - Keep the callback browser-safe. DOM properties such as
outerHTML,innerHTML, andtextContentare available in page context; Node.js modules are not.
Troubleshooting common failures
The returned array is empty
Check the selector spelling and whether the elements exist at the instant the call runs. Inspect the page state with a simple count:
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const count = await page.$$eval('.item', elements => elements.length);
console.log({ count });If the count is zero, the problem is selection or timing, not HTML serialization.
$eval throws an element-not-found error
This is the documented behavior for a selector with no match. Switch to $$eval when zero matches are acceptable, or test with page.$() before using a single-element extraction.
The callback cannot find a Node.js variable
Move the needed logic into the callback or pass primitive data as an additional argument. Evaluation callbacks execute in the page context, not in the lexical scope of your Node.js module.
You received only the children, not the selected tag
Use outerHTML instead of innerHTML. The former includes the selected element; the latter deliberately excludes it.
You need the whole document, including its DOCTYPE
Do not assemble the document from selector matches. Call await page.content(), which returns the page’s full HTML contents.
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API-version note
The Puppeteer API reference pages consulted for these methods were labeled 25.9.0, 25.11.0, and 25.12.0. Those labels identify the versions shown on the respective reference pages, not a single synchronized release. Check the documentation that matches the Puppeteer version installed in your project before relying on version-specific signatures.
Or skip the browser setup
If your actual goal is a visual capture rather than HTML strings, ScreenshotNeo returns a website screenshot or PDF through one request. It does not replace $$eval for DOM extraction, but it removes the need to operate a browser for image capture.
Using the API documented at https://screenshotneo.com/docs/:
curl -G 'https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot' -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpimport requests
r = requests.get('https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot', params={'access_key': 'YOUR_API_KEY', 'url': 'https://stripe.com'}, timeout=90)
open('shot.webp', 'wb').write(r.content)const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does $$eval return a NodeList to Node.js?
No. Puppeteer supplies the matched elements to the browser-side callback, and Node.js receives whatever serializable value the callback returns. Mapping to outerHTML therefore produces an array of strings.
When should I use page.content() instead of a selector?
Use page.content() when you need the complete current document rather than fragments selected from it; its result includes the DOCTYPE.
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