Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To run a Puppeteer script locally, install Node.js 22.12 or later, install the puppeteer package, save a JavaScript file, and run it with node. The standard package downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser; the script launches it, opens a page, navigates to a URL, and can read or interact with the page. Puppeteer’s documentation describes version 25.12.0 in its current guides; check the live system requirements before installing, particularly on Linux.
What you need before running Puppeteer
Puppeteer is a JavaScript library for controlling Chrome or Firefox through browser automation protocols. The usual workflow is to launch or connect to a browser, create a page, and use Puppeteer’s API to interact with it. This guide uses the simpler local setup: Node.js plus a browser installed for Puppeteer.
- Node.js: the Puppeteer system requirements page currently lists Node.js 22.12 or later. Confirm the requirement on the live page because it can change between releases.
- A project folder: use a dedicated folder so the package and script are easy to manage.
- Network access during setup: the standard
puppeteerinstall downloads a compatible browser. A package install can therefore take longer and use more disk space than installing a JavaScript-only library. - Linux system libraries, when applicable: a successful npm install does not guarantee the browser can launch. Linux may need platform dependencies listed in Puppeteer’s system requirements.
Check your Node.js version from a terminal:
node --version
npm --versionIf node is not recognized, install Node.js or correct your PATH before continuing. The version printed by node --version should meet the current Puppeteer requirement.
Choose the right Puppeteer package
| Package | Browser setup | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
puppeteer |
Downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser during installation. | You want the ordinary local workflow with sensible browser defaults. |
puppeteer-core |
Does not download Chrome. You supply or connect to a browser yourself. | You manage a browser installation, use a remote browser, or need explicit control over the browser endpoint. |
For a first script, install puppeteer. Choose puppeteer-core only when you have a plan for providing the browser executable or remote connection details. The official installation guide documents the package installation behavior; its URL is currently under the Next documentation path, so check the current stable instructions if the page or commands have changed.
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Install Puppeteer and create a project
- Create and enter a folder:
mkdir puppeteer-demo cd puppeteer-demo - Initialize npm and install Puppeteer:
npm init -y npm i puppeteerThe package manager creates
package.jsonand installs Puppeteer with its compatible browser. If your environment suppresses package install scripts or browser downloads, the library may install without the browser expected by the default launch; see the troubleshooting section. - Create an ES module script: save the following as
example.mjsin the project folder.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}The .mjs extension tells Node.js to treat this file as an ES module, which supports the import syntax shown. The finally block closes the browser whether navigation succeeds or throws an error, preventing a leftover browser process in the common failure case.
Run the script and understand the result
From the same project directory, run:
node example.mjsPuppeteer launches a headless browser by default, so no browser window is expected. If navigation succeeds, the terminal prints the page title, typically Example Domain. If you get an error instead, note whether it happens during browser launch, navigation, or a later page action: those are different troubleshooting layers.
Use CommonJS if your project already uses it
If the project uses CommonJS, create example.cjs and use require rather than mixing it with the ES module example:
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Run it with node example.cjs. The file extension makes the module format explicit. Alternatively, configure the project as an ES module and use .js with import; do not combine module formats accidentally.
Choose visible Chrome, regular headless, or headless shell
| Mode | How to select it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Regular headless | puppeteer.launch() (the default) |
Runs without a visible browser window. Useful for routine scripts and server execution. |
| Visible browser | puppeteer.launch({ headless: false }) |
Opens a regular Chrome window so you can watch navigation and interaction while debugging. A machine without a graphical display may not support this setup as-is. |
| Headless shell | puppeteer.launch({ headless: 'shell' }) |
Uses the separate Chrome headless shell. Puppeteer documents it as potentially more performant for automation when the full regular Chrome feature set is not needed; it is not a universal replacement for regular Chrome. |
To watch the example, replace the launch line with const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: false });. See Puppeteer’s guide to headless modes for details on differences and configuration.
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Make the script more useful
Once the basic run works, add one operation at a time so an error is easier to locate. For example, inspect a heading or take a local screenshot:
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
console.log(await page.locator('h1').innerText());
await page.screenshot({ path: 'page.png' });This snippet belongs inside the existing try block after launching the browser. Puppeteer’s page APIs can wait for selectors, click elements, type text, read content, and capture screenshots. Prefer waiting for the specific condition your next operation needs rather than adding arbitrary delays; pages that load data asynchronously may need an explicit selector wait or other suitable wait condition.
Keep cleanup reliable
- Keep browser shutdown in a
finallyblock so an exception does not leave the process running. - When adding multiple pages, close them or close the browser as part of the same cleanup path.
- For a long-running service, handle process shutdown deliberately rather than relying on the operating system to clean up browser processes.
Run Puppeteer on a server or connect to another browser
Puppeteer is the automation library, not a hosting service. You can run the Node script on a server or in a CI environment, but that environment still needs a compatible browser and the operating-system libraries it requires. Headless mode is the usual starting point where there is no desktop display. On Linux, compare installed libraries with Puppeteer’s system requirements when Chrome exits before the script reaches the page.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA separate, advanced arrangement is to connect to a browser that already exists. The browser-in-browser guide describes running Puppeteer in a browser context; it cannot launch or download a browser through Node APIs and instead connects to an existing browser using a WebSocket endpoint. That is not the ordinary local Node workflow. Use it only when you specifically have a browser endpoint and understand how it is provisioned and secured. Puppeteer itself does not provide managed hosting.
Troubleshoot common Puppeteer failures
“Could not find Chrome” or browser executable missing
- Check that you installed
puppeteer, notpuppeteer-core, if you expect the package to provide a browser. - Check whether your package manager or deployment setup blocked Puppeteer’s install script or browser download.
- Consult the current installation guide for the appropriate browser-install command for your version and environment.
- If you intentionally use
puppeteer-core, supply a valid executable path or connect to the browser endpoint you manage.
Chrome installs but will not launch on Linux
This often points to operating-system dependencies rather than a JavaScript syntax problem. Compare the libraries installed on the machine with Puppeteer’s system requirements, including the Linux-specific dependencies. Also check the browser’s standard error output; dumpio: true forwards browser process output to Node:
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const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ dumpio: true });The script runs but you cannot see a window
That is expected in the default headless mode. Set headless: false on a machine with a graphical environment to inspect the run. To slow automation steps while watching them, Puppeteer supports the slowMo launch option.
Page console messages do not appear in the terminal
Browser-page console output is separate from Node’s own console.log. Forward it explicitly:
page.on('console', message => console.log('PAGE:', message.text()));Register this after creating page and before navigating if you need to catch messages emitted during initial page load.
A Puppeteer call appears stuck
First establish which operation is waiting: launch, navigation, selector wait, or another protocol call. Add logging around those boundaries, reproduce with a visible browser if possible, and consult the official debugging guide for pending-call diagnostics and protocol logging. Protocol logs can be verbose and may include sensitive page or request data, so avoid sharing them publicly without reviewing and redacting them.
The page loads but the script reads the wrong content
Navigation completion does not always mean an application has finished rendering the content you need. Wait for a meaningful selector or page condition, then read or click the element. If the selector never appears, confirm it still matches the page and whether the content is accessible in that browser session.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run Puppeteer without installing Chrome myself?
Yes. For the standard local setup, install the `puppeteer` package; it downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser. `puppeteer-core` does not.
Does Puppeteer work with Firefox?
Puppeteer’s documentation describes control of Chrome or Firefox, but the beginner installation and example here use the standard Chrome download workflow. Consult the current documentation for browser-specific setup.
Can I run a Puppeteer script by double-clicking the file?
Use Node.js from a terminal, such as `node example.mjs`, so the correct runtime, project dependencies, and error output are available.
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