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Use cron to start a script and Playwright to visit each authorized URL and save its screenshot. For reliable daily captures, set the schedule in the host’s intended timezone, install Playwright’s matching browser and system dependencies, use explicit file paths, and test the command as the same account that will own the cron job.
What cron does—and what the browser script does
Cron schedules a command; it does not open websites or take screenshots. Your script supplies the URL list, launches a browser, waits for each page to be ready, saves the image, and reports failures. The examples below use Playwright with Node.js on Linux. Cron’s five time-and-date fields precede the command, and jobs run as the owner of the crontab. See the Cronie crontab(5) manual and Playwright’s Page API.
Prepare the URL list and output format
Keep one authorized URL per line in a text file. Decide whether each capture should show a fixed viewport or the whole scrollable document. Use viewport screenshots for consistent frame comparisons; use full-page screenshots when the content below the fold matters. Full-page images can be very tall. Playwright documents both modes in its screenshots guide.
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Create a project directory and install Playwright:
mkdir -p /opt/site-shots/output
cd /opt/site-shots
npm init -y
npm install playwright
npx playwright install --with-deps chromiumThe browser binary must match the installed Playwright release, and Linux may need system dependencies. When upgrading Playwright, rerun its browser installation workflow. See Playwright browser installation.
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Create /opt/site-shots/urls.txt, for example:
https://example.in/
https://example.in/about
https://another.example.in/Write a sequential screenshot script
Save the following as /opt/site-shots/capture.mjs. It writes timestamped PNGs named with a sanitized hostname and records a failure per URL without silently treating a failed navigation as a successful image. The default waits for domcontentloaded; change the readiness condition for sites that render important content later.
import { chromium } from 'playwright';
import { readFile, mkdir } from 'node:fs/promises';
import path from 'node:path';
const root = '/opt/site-shots';
const outputDir = path.join(root, 'output');
const urls = (await readFile(path.join(root, 'urls.txt'), 'utf8'))
.split(/r?n/)
.map(line => line.trim())
.filter(line => line && !line.startsWith('#'));
await mkdir(outputDir, { recursive: true });
const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
let failures = 0;
try {
for (const url of urls) {
let page;
try {
const parsed = new URL(url);
const host = parsed.hostname.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9.-]/g, '_');
const stamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, '-');
page = await browser.newPage({ viewport: { width: 1440, height: 1000 } });
await page.goto(url, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 60000 });
const file = path.join(outputDir, `${stamp}_${host}.png`);
await page.screenshot({ path: file, fullPage: true });
console.log(`OK ${url} -> ${file}`);
} catch (error) {
failures++;
console.error(`FAIL ${url}: ${error.message}`);
} finally {
await page?.close();
}
}
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
if (failures > 0) process.exitCode = 1;Run it once from the project directory and inspect both files and logs:
cd /opt/site-shots
node /opt/site-shots/capture.mjsThe script captures URLs sequentially to keep resource use modest and isolates errors so one failing site does not prevent later URLs from being attempted. A nonzero exit status flags a run with failures. Choose a site-specific readiness condition when DOM content alone is not enough—for example, wait for a known selector that appears after the page’s key data loads. There is no single readiness rule that works for every third-party site.
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Schedule the job for Indian Standard Time
First confirm the host’s timezone and which cron implementation it runs. On a host configured to Indian Standard Time, this Cronie-style entry runs daily at 06:30 local time:
30 6 * * * /usr/bin/node /opt/site-shots/capture.mjs >> /opt/site-shots/capture.log 2>&1Edit the crontab for the account that should own the job with crontab -e. The command uses an absolute Node path, script path, and log path so it does not depend on an interactive shell’s working directory or PATH. Find the Node executable with command -v node when logged in as the cron owner. Ensure that account can read the project and URL file and write to the output directory and log.
Cron timezone behavior varies by implementation. The cited Cronie manual documents CRON_TZ, but it is not a portable guarantee for every cron daemon. Verify the installed manual and host timezone before relying on a local-time schedule. Where supported, crontab -T checks syntax; otherwise inspect the host’s cron documentation. Cronie checks entries every minute, but actual timing and log timestamps follow the daemon’s environment and local-time behavior described in the manual.
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Choose capture and scheduling trade-offs
Viewport or full page
| Mode | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Viewport | You need a fixed frame for visual comparison or a smaller image. | Content outside the visible viewport is not included. |
| Full page | You need the page’s complete scrollable content. | Long pages can produce very tall images and larger files. |
Sequential or limited parallel work
Sequential capture is a conservative starting point for a small host. Parallel capture can shorten a large run but increases CPU and memory demand and can increase load on target sites. Playwright recommends one worker in CI when stability and reproducibility are the priority, while allowing parallel work on capable self-hosted systems; this is guidance for test workloads rather than a universal limit for screenshot scripts. Measure your own script and host before adding concurrency. See Playwright’s CI guidance.
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A local machine avoids separate hosting but must be powered on and connected when cron runs. A hosted Linux environment can run unattended, but requires setup and may have hosting costs. No particular provider or price is assumed here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a job works manually but fails under cron
Cron does not inherit the full environment of your interactive terminal. A successful manual test is meaningful only when run with the same account, paths, variables, and working-directory assumptions as the scheduled command. The crontab owner determines the job’s permissions and execution context.
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- No output files: Check the redirected log, cron service status and schedule syntax; then run the exact command as the crontab owner. Confirm the output directory is writable.
- “node: not found” or module errors: Use the absolute path to Node and install the project dependencies in the location used by the script. Do not assume cron has the same PATH as your shell.
- Browser launch or missing-library errors: Install the Playwright browser matching the installed package and required Linux dependencies. Repeat browser installation after Playwright upgrades, following the browser setup guide.
- Images show incomplete content: Navigation reaching
domcontentloadeddoes not guarantee that client-rendered data, images, or charts are ready. Wait for an appropriate selector or other site-specific condition and log timeouts. - Unexpectedly inconsistent images: Browser rendering can vary with operating system, browser version, settings, hardware, power source, and headless mode. Keep the capture environment consistent when comparing results; Playwright explains this in its visual comparison guidance.
- Some URLs fail while others succeed: The script logs each failure and continues. Review the failing URL and error, and set a timeout or retry policy that fits your sites rather than assuming one value suits every target.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo can capture a URL with one GET request; its API documentation describes the options. Example using cURL:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.in -o shot.webpIt accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers indicate the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents and MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots.
Sign up for free: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
Access and site policies
Only capture pages you are authorized to access. Respect each site’s terms, access controls, and published policies; do not use automation to evade technical restrictions. The appropriate permission and policy analysis depends on the target site and circumstances.
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