For a standard local setup, install puppeteer: it normally downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser during installation. Choose puppeteer-core instead when you manage the browser yourself or connect to a remote one. Then follow the core workflow: launch or connect to a browser, create a page, navigate, interact with the page, and close the browser.
What Puppeteer does
Puppeteer is a JavaScript library for controlling Chrome or Firefox through the DevTools Protocol (CDP) or WebDriver BiDi. It runs headless by default, though you can configure browser launch options. Typical uses include automating browser tasks, interacting with web pages, and capturing page output.
Choose the right package
| Package | Browser setup | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
puppeteer |
Normally downloads a compatible Chrome for Testing browser, including the headless shell, during installation. | You want the conventional local setup and Puppeteer’s browser defaults. |
puppeteer-core |
Does not download Chrome. You supply and manage the browser or connect to a remote browser. | Your deployment controls browser installation, or your browser runs elsewhere. |
The Puppeteer installation guide lists approximate download sizes for the standard setup: 170 MB on macOS, 282 MB on Linux, and 280 MB on Windows. These are vendor-published estimates, not independent measurements; actual downloads and installed storage can vary. See the current installation guide for package-manager instructions and configuration.
Check runtime and platform requirements
The retrieved Puppeteer v25.12.0 system-requirements page specifies Node 22.12 or later, and TypeScript 5.0.1 or later if you use TypeScript. It also lists platform-specific browser dependencies and utilities. Requirements change across releases, so check the system requirements for your installed Puppeteer version before setting up a machine or deployment image.
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Install Puppeteer
Use your project’s preferred supported package manager. For example, with npm:
npm install puppeteerTo use the browser-management package instead:
npm install puppeteer-corePuppeteer supports npm, Yarn, pnpm, and Bun. Package managers or organizational policies may block install scripts; if that happens, the normal browser download may be skipped even though the package installs. Follow the installation guide’s instructions to allow the package script or install the browser manually with the Puppeteer browsers command. A missing expected browser can otherwise surface later when your code tries to launch.
Run the basic browser workflow
This JavaScript example uses the standard puppeteer package. It launches a browser, opens a page, navigates to a URL, sets a viewport, interacts with a locator, reads a result, and closes the browser.
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
async function main() {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 1280, height: 800 });
await page.goto('https://example.com');
const heading = page.locator('h1');
await heading.wait();
const text = await heading.map(el => el.textContent).wait();
console.log(text);
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
}
main().catch(console.error);Save it as a JavaScript file in the installed project and run it with Node. The try/finally structure ensures the browser is closed even if navigation or interaction fails. Locators provide a page-oriented way to find and interact with elements; consult the API reference for the available locator methods and options.
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Use a self-managed or remote browser
With puppeteer-core, provide the browser location or connection details appropriate to your environment. For a locally installed executable, set executablePath:
const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-core');
async function main() {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
executablePath: '/path/to/chrome',
headless: true,
});
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
}
main().catch(console.error);Replace the example path with the executable path on the target machine. If the browser is remote, use Puppeteer’s connect method with the connection endpoint and options supplied by that browser service. The browser’s configuration and supported protocol determine the appropriate connection details; consult the service documentation as well as Puppeteer’s API reference.
Find your way around the API reference
The Puppeteer API Reference is an index of classes, types, and methods, rather than a linear beginner tutorial. Start with the browser and page abstractions used in the starter workflow, then look up specific method options when you need them.
launchis the commonly used method to launch a browser instance; the main Puppeteer class also providesconnectfor connecting to an existing browser.- Page methods cover navigation, viewport configuration, and interaction with page content.
- For browser downloading and cache management, use the separate
@puppeteer/browsersAPI. - The configuration interface documents Puppeteer configuration options.
Check browser compatibility by Puppeteer release
Puppeteer pairs releases with browser builds so its implementation matches the underlying browser protocols. Do not assume that an arbitrary system Chrome version is compatible. The supported-browsers table for the retrieved Puppeteer v25.12.0 documentation lists Chrome for Testing 154.0.8037.57 and Firefox 156.0.1. These are release-specific pairings, not permanent minimum or maximum versions. Check the live supported browsers table against your installed Puppeteer release. If an exact release is absent from that table, Puppeteer’s page says to use the browser version paired with the immediately prior listed Puppeteer version.
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From Puppeteer v20, the bundled Chrome offering is Chrome for Testing. From v23, Puppeteer supports Chrome and Firefox: Chrome automation uses CDP by default, while Firefox uses WebDriver BiDi by default. The project says production-ready WebDriver BiDi support is available for both Chrome and Firefox from v23 onward; CDP support for Chrome continues. See the official FAQ for current protocol notes.
Troubleshoot common setup failures
Browser executable is missing
Likely cause: an install-script policy prevented Puppeteer’s browser download, or the application expects a browser that is not installed.
Fix: allow the package’s install script where policy permits, or follow the installation guide to install the browser manually. For puppeteer-core, configure the executable path or connect to a browser you manage.
Browser does not launch on the target system
Likely cause: the operating system is missing a required browser dependency, or the selected browser build does not match the installed Puppeteer release.
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Fix: verify the platform dependencies on the version-specific system-requirements page and select the browser build paired with your Puppeteer version in the compatibility table.
Automation behaves differently across Chrome and Firefox
Likely cause: Puppeteer uses different default protocols: CDP for Chrome and WebDriver BiDi for Firefox.
Fix: check the current protocol support and browser-version guidance in the official FAQ and supported-browsers page, and avoid assuming that identical protocol behavior applies to both browsers.
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Puppeteer is a good fit when you need browser automation and control over page interactions. If your task is simply to request a website screenshot, ScreenshotNeo is a separate website screenshot API and MCP server; it can return an image or PDF without requiring you to set up and manage a Puppeteer browser for that capture.
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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.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for authentication and request options. ScreenshotNeo 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 responses report the page verdict and billing status in headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month without a card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Puppeteer with TypeScript?
Yes. The retrieved Puppeteer v25.12.0 system-requirements page specifies TypeScript 5.0.1 or later; check the live requirements for the release you install.
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Yes. Puppeteer runs headless by default; launch options let you configure browser behavior.
Where are browser download and cache APIs documented?
They are documented separately in the @puppeteer/browsers API.
Quick Recap
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