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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteUse a .timer unit to schedule a .service unit, and let that service run a Playwright script that opens the site and writes a screenshot to an absolute path. The example below runs daily at 02:00, uses headless Chromium, and can catch up once after an eligible run was missed while the timer was inactive.
1. Prepare the Linux account, output directory, and Playwright browser
Run the capture as a dedicated, non-root account where possible. The account needs permission to execute Node.js and the script, launch the browser, and write to the screenshot directory. This example uses the account screenshot and stores the latest image under /var/lib/site-screenshot; create those paths and set ownership and permissions to match your system.
Install the playwright package in the project and install the browser build compatible with that package, including Linux dependencies. Playwright documents this install command for Chromium:
npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
Playwright launches browsers headlessly by default, which is usually suitable for a server without a desktop. Headed Linux operation requires a display server such as Xvfb. When upgrading Playwright, install the corresponding browser binaries again so the package and browser versions remain compatible. See the Playwright browser documentation.
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2. Write the screenshot script
Save this as /opt/site-screenshot/capture.js, after installing Playwright in that project. Replace the URL with the site you are authorized to capture.
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.screenshot({
path: '/var/lib/site-screenshot/latest.png',
fullPage: true
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();The absolute screenshot path is intentional: Playwright resolves relative screenshot paths from the process’s current working directory, which may differ from the directory used in your interactive shell. fullPage: true captures the full scrollable page; omit it for a viewport-sized screenshot. The Playwright Page API documents navigation and screenshot options.
3. Define the systemd service and timer
Service: run one capture
Create /etc/systemd/system/site-screenshot.service:
[Unit]
Description=Capture a website screenshot
[Service]
Type=oneshot
User=screenshot
WorkingDirectory=/opt/site-screenshot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /opt/site-screenshot/capture.jsConfirm the Node.js executable path on your host with command -v node; update ExecStart if it is not /usr/bin/node. The WorkingDirectory makes the script’s runtime directory explicit, while the screenshot itself still uses an absolute path.
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Timer: run daily and catch up after eligible downtime
Create /etc/systemd/system/site-screenshot.timer:
[Unit]
Description=Schedule website screenshots
[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* 02:00:00
Persistent=true
[Install]
WantedBy=timers.targetOnCalendar=*-*-* 02:00:00 is a wall-clock schedule for 02:00 every day in the host’s local time zone. Timer and service files with the same base name are linked by default, so this timer activates site-screenshot.service.
Persistent=true records the last time the service was triggered. If an eligible calendar event passes while the timer is inactive, activating it later can trigger one catch-up run; it does not replay every missed daily event. If missed captures should be skipped instead, omit this setting. For timer semantics and options, see systemd.timer(5).
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4. Validate, enable, and inspect the schedule
-
Check that systemd accepts the calendar expression:
systemd-analyze calendar '*-*-* 02:00:00'. Review the next scheduled occurrence and confirm the host’s time zone is the one you intend. -
Reload unit files after creating or editing them:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Enable the timer at boot and start it now:
sudo systemctl enable --now site-screenshot.timer. -
Check the next and previous scheduled times:
systemctl list-timers site-screenshot.timer. -
Run a capture immediately to validate the service without waiting for 02:00:
sudo systemctl start site-screenshot.service. Then inspect its result withsystemctl status site-screenshot.serviceandjournalctl -u site-screenshot.service, and confirm that/var/lib/site-screenshot/latest.pngexists and is readable.
Use the installed system’s systemd-analyze calendar and man pages to verify behavior on your system; unit paths, systemd version, and distribution packaging can vary.
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5. Choose scheduling and capture behavior deliberately
Wall-clock calendar versus elapsed intervals
Use OnCalendar= for times tied to the clock, such as each day at 02:00. Systemd also supports monotonic timer directives for delays or intervals relative to activation or system events; those are not interchangeable with a fixed local clock time. Check the timer manual for the directive that matches your intended schedule.
Catch up versus skip
Set Persistent=true when a missed calendar activation during timer inactivity should cause a later catch-up activation. It causes at most one catch-up activation, not a backlog of all missed occurrences. Leave it out when downtime should simply skip the scheduled capture.
Exact timing and clock setup
A timer expiration is not a guarantee that the service starts at the exact configured second. AccuracySec= defines a timing window in which systemd may schedule the activation. Calendar timers are ordered after time-setting and time-synchronization targets in current upstream documentation, but actual behavior depends on the installed systemd version and host clock configuration. See the systemd timer documentation.
Viewport versus full-page image
A regular screenshot captures the current viewport. Use Playwright’s fullPage: true when you need the full scrollable page in one image. Full-page output can be much taller than the viewport, and page behavior such as lazy-loaded content may affect what is present when capture occurs; verify the output for your target site.
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-
The timer does not appear in the schedule: check for typos in both unit filenames, run
sudo systemctl daemon-reload, and inspectsystemctl status site-screenshot.timer. Validate theOnCalendarexpression withsystemd-analyze calendar. -
The timer is active but the service failed: inspect
systemctl status site-screenshot.serviceandjournalctl -u site-screenshot.service. A oneshot service may be inactive after completing successfully; use its result and logs to distinguish success from failure.Rank #4
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Node.js or the script cannot be found: verify
ExecStartpoints to the actual Node.js binary and script, and that thescreenshotaccount can read and execute the files. -
The script works interactively but not under systemd: system services have a different working directory and environment from an interactive shell. Keep executable and output paths absolute, set
WorkingDirectory=, and ensure the service account has the needed permissions and project dependencies.Quick wins for a faster PC:
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The browser fails to launch: install the Playwright browser matching the installed package and the required Linux dependencies. Check the service log for launch errors; on a headless server, use the default headless launch rather than expecting a desktop display.
-
The image is missing or stale: confirm the target URL is reachable from the server, that navigation completes, and that the service account can write to the output directory. Review the latest service log and file timestamp.
-
Captures differ between runs: rendering can change with host OS, browser version, settings, hardware, power source, and headless mode. Keep the server image, browser version, fonts, viewport, and capture configuration consistent when comparing screenshots over time. See Playwright’s screenshot comparison guidance.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo provides a screenshot API and MCP server for developers. Its API can return an image or PDF from a GET request; the following cURL example saves a WebP capture. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot"
-d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY
--data-urlencode url=https://example.com
-o shot.webp-
Cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets can be removed before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off.
-
Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed; response headers identify the page verdict and whether the request was billed.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the example run at 02:00 UTC?
No. The calendar example uses the host’s local time zone. Confirm the server’s time-zone configuration and the next occurrence shown by systemd-analyze calendar.
Can a timer replay every screenshot missed during a week of downtime?
No. With Persistent=true, systemd can trigger one catch-up activation for an eligible missed calendar event; it does not replay each missed occurrence.
Do scheduled systemd services inherit my shell’s environment?
Do not assume they do. Specify paths and the working directory in the unit, and make sure the service account has the permissions and dependencies the script requires.
Quick Recap
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