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What Puppeteer Core installs—and what it does not
Puppeteer Core is the lower-level Node.js library for driving a browser-compatible Chrome DevTools Protocol endpoint. Installing the package adds the library to your project, but it does not fetch Chrome for Testing, a system Chrome installation, or any other browser binary.
The full puppeteer package is intended as the more convenient end-user product: it downloads a browser revision and uses Core underneath. Choose Core when browser provisioning is handled separately—for example, by your operating-system image, a container build, a managed browser service, or a remote browser endpoint.
Check prerequisites before installing
Verify Node.js and the package manager
The current Puppeteer system-requirements documentation lists Node.js 22.12 or newer for the release represented by that documentation. Requirements can change between releases, so check the requirements for the version you plan to install before upgrading a production project.
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node --version
npm --versionUse the package manager already used by the repository so that its lockfile remains authoritative. The equivalent commands are:
# npm
npm i puppeteer-core
# Yarn
yarn add puppeteer-core
# pnpm
pnpm add puppeteer-core
# Bun
bun add puppeteer-coreStart in the project directory
Run the command from the directory containing your package.json. If no package exists yet, initialize one first:
mkdir my-puppeteer-app
cd my-puppeteer-app
npm init -y
npm i puppeteer-coreAfter installation, confirm that puppeteer-core appears in dependencies and that your lockfile was updated. The package installation and browser installation are separate operations.
Install or provide a browser
Core needs a browser endpoint to control. You can use a locally managed Chrome installation, a browser installed by Puppeteer’s browser tooling, or a remote DevTools connection.
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Option 1: Install Chrome for Testing with Puppeteer tooling
The documented browser tooling command installs the stable Chrome for Testing build separately from the Node package:
npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stableOn Debian or Ubuntu, the documentation also describes a command that installs Chrome and required system dependencies:
sudo npx puppeteer browsers install chrome --install-depsThe dependency-installation variant requires root privileges. Linux images may still need additional fonts, libraries, sandbox configuration, or display settings depending on how the browser will run. Keep browser provisioning in your image or deployment script rather than assuming npm install handles it.
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Option 2: Use Chrome already installed on the machine
If Chrome is in a standard installation location, launch with a channel name. This avoids hard-coding a platform-specific path:
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ channel: 'chrome' });
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle2' });
console.log(await page.title());
await browser.close();Use the channel that matches the browser you installed, such as chrome where supported by your environment. A channel depends on a recognizable standard installation; if the executable is in a custom location, use an explicit path instead.
Option 3: Point to an explicit executable
For a custom installation, container image, or CI runner, pass the full browser binary path:
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
executablePath: '/absolute/path/to/chrome',
headless: true
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}Replace the example path with the path that exists in your operating system or container. Do not leave a relative path that only works from one working directory.
Option 4: Connect to a remote browser
Core is also suitable when another service starts Chrome and exposes a DevTools Protocol endpoint. In that case, connect instead of launching a local binary:
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const browser = await puppeteer.connect({
browserWSEndpoint: process.env.BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT
});
try {
const pages = await browser.pages();
console.log(`Connected to ${pages.length} page(s)`);
} finally {
await browser.disconnect();
}Use disconnect() for a browser owned by another service. Calling close() is appropriate only when your process launched and owns the browser.
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import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
const launchOptions = process.env.CHROME_PATH
? { executablePath: process.env.CHROME_PATH, headless: true }
: { channel: 'chrome', headless: true };
const browser = await puppeteer.launch(launchOptions);
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 1440, height: 900, deviceScaleFactor: 1 });
await page.goto('https://example.com', {
waitUntil: 'networkidle2',
timeout: 30_000
});
console.log({
title: await page.title(),
url: page.url()
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}node index.mjsThis example chooses an explicit path when CHROME_PATH is set and otherwise asks Puppeteer to locate a standard Chrome channel. It closes the browser even if navigation or page code throws.
Match Puppeteer Core to the browser
Puppeteer’s API reference states that, with puppeteer-core, options.executablePath or options.channel must be supplied when launching. It also warns that Puppeteer is guaranteed only with its supported browser revision; arbitrary system browser versions are not automatically guaranteed.
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Common installation and launch problems
“Cannot find module puppeteer-core”
Cause: The command ran in a different directory, or the dependency was not added to the project that executes the script.
Fix: Run npm i puppeteer-core beside the correct package.json, then execute the script from that project. Check with npm ls puppeteer-core.
“An executablePath or channel must be specified”
Cause: Core was launched without a browser-selection option.
Fix: Add executablePath pointing to an existing binary or use channel for a standard Chrome installation. If a service owns the browser, use connect() with its DevTools endpoint.
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The executable path does not exist or is not executable
Cause: The path is wrong for the current operating system, container, user, or architecture.
Fix: Resolve the path inside the same environment where Node runs, verify file permissions, and avoid copying a host path into a container. Print the path from the environment variable before launching.
Browser revision or protocol errors
Cause: The browser and Puppeteer release are outside the documented compatibility pairing.
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Chrome fails in Linux CI
Cause: Missing shared libraries, fonts, sandbox permissions, or a restricted container.
Fix: Use the documented Debian/Ubuntu dependency installation where applicable, build those dependencies into the image, and review your CI container’s sandbox policy. Do not assume the local desktop setup matches CI.
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Fix: Set an intentional timeout, choose a suitable waitUntil condition, log the URL and error, and verify network access from the same machine. A longer timeout does not repair a missing browser or an unreachable site.
Operational guidance for reliable automation
- Pin
puppeteer-coreand the browser image together when reproducibility matters. - Keep browser provisioning in deployment automation and document the expected executable path.
- Close pages and browsers in
finallyblocks to prevent leaked processes. - Use a remote connection when browser lifecycle, scaling, or isolation is managed by another service.
- Record the Puppeteer version, browser version, launch mode, and target URL in failure logs.
- Expect the first launch to be slower than subsequent pages; reuse a browser for related work while isolating untrusted jobs appropriately.
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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 documentation for request options. Cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers identify the page verdict and whether it was billed. ScreenshotNeo also offers an MCP server with take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does installing Puppeteer Core install Chrome?
No. It installs the Node library only. Install or provide a browser separately, or connect to a remote DevTools endpoint.
Can I use Puppeteer Core with an existing Chrome installation?
Yes. Use a supported channel for a standard installation or set executablePath to the binary.
Should I choose puppeteer or puppeteer-core?
Choose puppeteer when you want the package to manage its browser download. Choose Core when you manage the browser or connect remotely.
The Bottom Line
Install puppeteer-core with your project’s package manager, provision a compatible browser separately, and launch it with executablePath or channel—or connect to a remote browser.
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