The Tool Desk
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testcafe 'chrome:headless --no-sandbox' tests/sample-fixture.jsThe quoted value is one TestCafe browser argument. On Windows cmd.exe, use double quotes instead. This syntax combines TestCafe’s documented headless alias and its documented argument format; verify any switch, such as --no-sandbox, against your own execution environment because it is an example, not a universal requirement.
What you need before launching
- TestCafe installed in the project or available on your
PATH. - Google Chrome installed locally, or a portable Chrome executable that TestCafe can discover.
- A fixture or test file, such as
tests/sample-fixture.js. - A shell whose quoting rules you understand. TestCafe can pass command-line arguments to installed and portable browsers on the current machine; a provider-backed browser is configured differently.
Headless mode removes Chrome’s visible window; it does not select a remote browser. The browser still runs wherever the selected TestCafe browser target is configured.
Run local Chrome from the command line
Unix-like shells
In Bash, Zsh and similar shells, quote the entire browser parameter so the alias and every switch reach TestCafe together:
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testcafe 'chrome:headless --no-sandbox' tests/sample-fixture.jschrome:headless selects TestCafe’s headless Chrome alias. The text after it is passed as Chrome command-line arguments. Replace --no-sandbox with the switch your environment actually needs; TestCafe does not require that flag in every setup.
Windows Command Prompt
cmd.exe uses double quotes for the same single browser parameter:
testcafe "chrome:headless --no-sandbox" tests/sample-fixture.jsKeep spaces and additional switches inside those quotes. If the shell splits the value, TestCafe may interpret the switch as a separate command-line argument rather than part of the browser definition.
Adding several switches
Append switches after the alias, separated by spaces, and keep the whole value quoted:
testcafe 'chrome:headless --switch-one --switch-two=value' tests/sample-fixture.jsThe example names are placeholders for real Chrome switches you have chosen. TestCafe’s documented mechanism is the placement and quoting; the effect and safety of each switch remain Chrome- and environment-specific.
Use the JavaScript Runner API
When TestCafe is started from JavaScript, select the same alias in the runner:
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const createTestCafe = require('testcafe');
(async () => {
const testcafe = await createTestCafe();
try {
const runner = testcafe.createRunner();
await runner
.src('tests/sample-fixture.js')
.browsers('chrome:headless')
.run();
} finally {
await testcafe.close();
}
})();This API form selects headless Chrome but does not add a CLI postfix. If your test run needs custom Chrome command-line settings, use the browser configuration object for a local executable:
const createTestCafe = require('testcafe');
(async () => {
const testcafe = await createTestCafe();
try {
const runner = testcafe.createRunner();
await runner
.src('tests/sample-fixture.js')
.browsers({
path: '/path/to/chrome',
cmd: '--no-sandbox --switch-one=value'
})
.run();
} finally {
await testcafe.close();
}
})();Use an executable path appropriate to the host operating system. The Runner API documents the { path, cmd } object and states that cmd is optional. Do not treat a path-based configuration as interchangeable with alias postfix syntax: the API documentation says the path: prefix does not support postfixes.
Choose the configuration that matches where Chrome runs
| Browser location | How TestCafe selects it | Where arguments go | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed or portable Chrome on this machine | chrome:headless alias, or a local { path, cmd } object |
Quoted CLI browser parameter, or the API object’s cmd field |
TestCafe must be able to discover or execute the local browser |
| BrowserStack Automate | BrowserStack’s TestCafe provider alias | BROWSERSTACK_CHROME_ARGS |
Set BROWSERSTACK_USE_AUTOMATE=1; this variable is specific to the documented BrowserStack provider |
| Another cloud provider | That provider’s TestCafe plugin and alias | The provider’s own launch configuration | Do not assume local CLI switches are forwarded to a remote session |
| A custom headless browser provider | A TestCafe provider plugin | The plugin’s documented settings | Provider plugins are separate from local Chrome alias handling |
Configure BrowserStack separately
For the documented BrowserStack integration, Chrome arguments are supplied through the provider-specific environment variable, not by appending switches to a local chrome:headless value:
# Unix-like shell
export BROWSERSTACK_USE_AUTOMATE=1
export BROWSERSTACK_CHROME_ARGS="--switch-one --switch-two=value"
testcafe browserstack:chrome tests/sample-fixture.jsUse the equivalent environment-variable syntax for your CI system. The Automate flag must be enabled as required by the provider documentation. This setting should not be generalized to other cloud services; each provider plugin controls its own remote launch options.
Confirm what TestCafe reports at runtime
Inside a test, TestCafe exposes the active browser’s alias and headless state through t.browser.alias and t.browser.headless. Logging them can distinguish a headless local alias from an unexpected provider target:
import { Selector } from 'testcafe';
fixture`browser diagnostics`.page`https://example.com`;
test('print the active browser', async t => {
console.log({
alias: t.browser.alias,
headless: t.browser.headless
});
await t.expect(Selector('body').exists).ok();
});These properties report TestCafe’s browser mode and alias. They do not prove that a particular Chrome switch changed application behavior, so test that behavior separately.
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Common mistakes and fixes
The shell says the command or browser is not found
TestCafe can launch only browsers installed or made available as portable executables on the current machine when you use local CLI arguments. Install Chrome, expose it to TestCafe, or use the API’s explicit path object with the correct executable path.
Chrome opens visibly instead of headlessly
Check that the value is exactly chrome:headless, with no typo, and that your shell kept the alias and switches inside one quoted parameter. In JavaScript, use .browsers('chrome:headless') rather than a path string with a postfix.
TestCafe treats a switch as another argument
Quote the complete CLI browser value. Unix-like shells use single quotes in the documented examples; Windows cmd.exe uses double quotes.
The API path configuration rejects a postfix
Do not write a path-based value as though it were an alias with a suffix. Supply the executable in path and command-line switches in cmd. The path-based form has a documented postfix limitation.
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A remote run ignores local Chrome switches
That is expected when the browser is supplied by a provider. Use the provider’s plugin settings. For BrowserStack, set BROWSERSTACK_USE_AUTOMATE=1 and provide arguments through BROWSERSTACK_CHROME_ARGS; do not assume this variable works with another service.
--no-sandbox causes concern or changes security posture
It is only an illustrative custom argument in the command above. Do not add it automatically. Determine why your execution environment requests it, apply the narrowest required setting, and follow your platform’s security policy.
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The run is headless but the application still behaves differently
Headless status alone cannot establish that an application is equivalent to a headed session. Use the browser diagnostics to confirm the selected mode, then investigate the specific application behavior and Chrome switch involved.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reliability and maintenance considerations
- Keep selection and arguments separate. Use an alias when TestCafe’s built-in local browser discovery is sufficient; use
{ path, cmd }when you must identify a particular executable and its command line. - Make shell quoting explicit in CI. Store the complete browser parameter as one argument rather than concatenating unquoted strings.
- Record the active target. Logging
t.browser.aliasandt.browser.headlesshelps detect a changed runner or provider configuration. - Treat provider settings as non-portable. BrowserStack’s environment variable belongs to its TestCafe provider. A migration to another provider requires that provider’s documented configuration.
- Validate switches individually. A Chrome argument can affect startup, security, rendering or application behavior. Add one at a time so a failing launch has an identifiable cause.
Or skip the browser setup
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See the full parameter reference in the ScreenshotNeo documentation.
cURL
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Screenshot request failed: ${res.status}`);
const fs = require('node:fs');
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is cmd mandatory in the TestCafe browser object?
No. TestCafe documents the cmd property as optional; provide it when the local executable needs additional command-line settings.
Can I use the BrowserStack Chrome-argument variable with another cloud provider?
No assumption is safe. BROWSERSTACK_CHROME_ARGS is a BrowserStack provider setting, so consult the other provider’s TestCafe plugin documentation for its equivalent, if one exists.
Does headless mode by itself verify that a Chrome switch worked?
No. t.browser.headless confirms the reported mode, but the application behavior affected by a switch requires its own assertion or diagnostic.
Quick Recap
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