Use puppeteer.connect() when the browser already runs in the cloud; use puppeteer.launch() only when Puppeteer should start a local browser. A cloud workflow therefore needs a provider-issued WebSocket/CDP endpoint, the provider’s authentication method, and an intentional session cleanup step. This guide connects to Cloudflare Browser Run, performs a page action, and explains how to adapt the pattern to other hosted browsers.
Launch versus connect: the distinction that determines your code
Puppeteer’s browser-management documentation says: “Usually, you start working with Puppeteer by either launching or connecting to a browser.” Those are different lifecycles:
puppeteer.launch(): starts a browser process that your machine or container owns. The fullpuppeteerpackage normally downloads a compatible Chrome during installation.puppeteer.connect(): attaches to a browser that is already running. A cloud provider creates that browser and supplies abrowserWSEndpoint(a WebSocket/CDP address), plus any required headers or tokens.
A hosted browser is optional. It is useful when you need a managed runtime, a remote region or proxy, isolated sessions, or capacity outside your application server. Confirm the provider’s supported browser/protocol, endpoint format, authentication headers, session lifetime, concurrency limits, data handling and billing before writing production code.
Prerequisites for this quickstart
- Node.js and a project in which you can install packages.
- A Cloudflare account with Browser Run enabled.
- A Cloudflare API token with the Browser Rendering – Edit permission.
- Your Cloudflare account ID and the Browser Run WebSocket endpoint format shown in Cloudflare’s “Using with Puppeteer (CDP)” guide, updated September 26, 2026.
Never place the token in source control, a browser bundle or a public log. Store it in environment variables or your secret manager.
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Install the library without downloading a local browser
For a remote browser, puppeteer-core is usually the clearest dependency: it provides the Puppeteer API but does not download Chrome. The full puppeteer package includes a compatible-browser download, which is useful for local launches but unnecessary when the provider supplies the browser.
mkdir puppeteer-cloud-demo
cd puppeteer-cloud-demo
npm init -y
npm install puppeteer-coreIf your package manager blocks install scripts, the full package may finish without its browser download. That does not affect puppeteer-core, but it will make a local puppeteer.launch() workflow fail until the browser is installed and configured.
Connect to Cloudflare Browser Run with Node.js
The following program keeps the account ID and token outside the file, builds the provider-specific endpoint, sends the token as a bearer header during the WebSocket connection, visits a page, reads its title, saves a screenshot and closes the remote browser.
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-core');
const accountId = process.env.CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID;
const token = process.env.CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN;
if (!accountId || !token) {
throw new Error('Set CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID and CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN');
}
// Use the exact Browser Run endpoint documented for your account.
// keep_alive is provider-specific and is expressed in milliseconds.
const browserWSEndpoint =
`wss://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/${accountId}/browser-rendering/connect?keep_alive=60000`;
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.connect({
browserWSEndpoint,
headers: {
Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`
}
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', {
waitUntil: 'networkidle2',
timeout: 60000
});
console.log('Title:', await page.title());
await page.screenshot({ path: 'example.png', fullPage: true });
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Run it with environment variables supplied by your shell or secret manager:
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export CLOUDFLARE_ACCOUNT_ID='your-account-id'
export CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN='your-browser-rendering-token'
node index.jsThe endpoint shown above is illustrative of the documented Cloudflare pattern: account ID in the URL, a keep_alive query value in milliseconds, and a bearer token in the WebSocket handshake. Do not copy that URL to another vendor. Each service defines its own host, path, query parameters and authentication contract.
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What the script does
puppeteer.connect()attaches to the already-created cloud browser.browser.newPage()creates a tab in that remote instance.page.goto()navigates and waits until network activity is mostly idle.page.title()proves that JavaScript can communicate with the page.page.screenshot()writes bytes returned by the remote browser to your local filesystem.- The
finallyblock closes the browser even when navigation or capture throws.
Cleanup: disconnect or close?
browser.disconnect() only detaches Puppeteer. The cloud browser and its pages remain alive, which can continue consuming a provider’s session time or concurrency allocation. Use it when another process owns the browser and will close it later.
browser.close() gracefully closes the browser and its pages. Use it when your script created or exclusively owns the session. Follow the provider’s cleanup rules; some APIs require a separate “close session” request after the WebSocket ends.
Isolate workflows with browser contexts
A browser context has separate cookies and local storage from other contexts. Create one when parallel jobs must not share login state, carts or consent decisions:
const context = await browser.createBrowserContext();
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
await context.close();Context support and limits are provider-dependent. Check whether the hosted browser permits multiple contexts and whether they count toward concurrency.
Adapting the pattern to another cloud provider
Every service should be evaluated on the same practical axes:
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| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How is a session created? | Some services give you a WebSocket URL directly; others require an API call first and return an address. |
| How is authentication sent? | It may be a WebSocket header, a URL token, a short-lived signed URL or a separate API credential. |
| How long does it live? | Keep-alive, idle timeout and maximum duration determine whether long jobs survive. |
| What can run concurrently? | Limits affect queue design, parallel tests and cost. |
| Where does traffic originate? | Region, proxy and data-processing requirements can affect compliance and page behavior. |
| How is it billed? | Providers may meter browser hours, sessions, requests or other units. |
CloudBrowser’s documented two-step workflow
CloudBrowser describes a different sequence: call its API to open a cloud browser, receive an address, connect with Puppeteer over WebSocket/CDP, perform actions, then close the browser. Its site advertises live remote desktop, saved sessions, proxies and concurrent-browser allowances; those are vendor descriptions rather than independent performance evaluations.
CloudBrowser currently lists these vendor-published plans (recheck terms before purchase):
| Plan | Monthly price | Browser hours | Concurrent instances | Tabs per browser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $25/month, billed monthly | 250 | 10 | 3 |
| Premium | $90/month, billed monthly | 1,000 | 25 | 3 |
| Custom | Contact vendor | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
The same page advertises a seven-day Basic trial, annual billing with two months free and a 14-day money-back guarantee. These are CloudBrowser’s published commercial terms, not a recommendation or an independent comparison.
Reliability and performance practices
Set explicit waits and timeouts
Use a navigation timeout appropriate to the target and wait for a meaningful selector when the page has important client-rendered content:
await page.goto(url, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 60000 });
await page.waitForSelector('[data-ready="true"]', { timeout: 30000 });networkidle2 can be unsuitable for pages with analytics, streams or long polling. A selector or application-level readiness signal is often more deterministic.
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Control resource usage
- Close pages and contexts as soon as a job finishes.
- Reuse a browser only when the provider permits it and your isolation model is safe.
- Limit parallel sessions to the provider’s concurrency allowance; queue excess work rather than repeatedly retrying.
- Use a bounded retry policy for transient connection failures, with backoff and a maximum attempt count.
- Capture diagnostics such as URL, status, elapsed time and a redacted session identifier. Never log authorization headers.
Plan for page variability
Bot checks, consent dialogs, geolocation, authentication and third-party scripts can produce different DOMs in a cloud region. Set the required user agent, cookies, viewport and timezone through the provider or Puppeteer only when that provider supports them. Do not assume a local browser’s profile, fonts, IP reputation or installed extensions exist remotely.
Troubleshooting common failures
WebSocket connection rejected
Check the account ID, endpoint path, token value and required permission. Cloudflare’s example requires Browser Rendering – Edit. Confirm that the token is sent as a bearer authorization header during the connection and that Browser Run is enabled for the account.
“Cannot find module ‘puppeteer’” or browser executable errors
Install the package you actually import. Use npm install puppeteer-core for a remote endpoint and import puppeteer-core. If you intended a local launch, install puppeteer and ensure its browser download was not blocked by package-manager policy.
Navigation times out
Verify that the target is reachable from the provider’s network, increase the timeout carefully, and replace a blanket networkidle2 wait with domcontentloaded plus waitForSelector. A page that requires a login, region or proxy may never become ready without those settings.
The process exits but the cloud session remains
Ensure cleanup is in a finally block and use browser.close() when your code owns the session. If the provider has a separate session API, call that documented close operation as well. browser.disconnect() alone intentionally leaves the remote browser running.
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Parallel jobs see each other’s cookies
Create a separate browser context per workflow, or use separate browser sessions if contexts are not supported. Never share a context between users who must remain isolated.
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- Choose
puppeteer.connect()when a managed service owns the browser and gives you a WebSocket/CDP endpoint. - Choose
puppeteer.launch()when you want to own the browser process locally or in your container. - Use contexts or separate sessions for cookie and local-storage isolation.
- Close sessions deliberately, and verify provider-specific limits, pricing and data policies before production deployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the full Puppeteer package with a cloud browser?
Yes, but it may download a local Chrome that you do not need. For a remote-only workflow, puppeteer-core avoids that download.
Does puppeteer.connect() create a browser session?
No. It attaches to an already-running browser. Session creation is handled by the cloud provider’s API or endpoint.
What is CDP in this setup?
CDP is Chrome DevTools Protocol, the protocol used by many hosted Chromium services for remote control.
Should I disconnect or close after a job?
Close when your code owns the session; disconnect only when another component is responsible for keeping and closing the browser.
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