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puppeteer

JavaScript API for Chrome and Firefox

npm
Website GitHub

What is it?

What it is

> Puppeteer is a JavaScript library which provides a high-level API to control > Chrome or Firefox over the

Why it exists

JavaScript API for Chrome and Firefox

Who should use it

Teams building with TypeScript who want an open-source, self-hosted option.

Who should avoid it

Teams that need a fully managed SaaS with enterprise SLAs out of the box.

How it works

A quick walkthrough in plain English

How puppeteer works in 4 steps

Step 1 of 4

Something triggers the flow

A schedule, webhook, or manual click tells puppeteer to start.

Features

Automation
Chrome
Chromium
Developer Tools
Firefox
Headless Chrome

Advantages

  • Open source (Apache-2.0)
  • Active TypeScript ecosystem
  • Self-hosted deployment options

Disadvantages

  • Requires operational ownership for self-hosted setups
  • Community support varies by project maturity

Installation

native

:::note

Modern package managers (including npm (see the [RFC](https://github.com/npm/rfcs/pull/868)), pnpm, Yarn, Bun, and Deno) block dependency install scripts by default. If the install script is blocked, Puppeteer will not download the browser during installation, leading to runtime errors.

You can manually download the required browsers after installation by running:

FAQ

What is puppeteer?

puppeteer is an open-source project licensed under Apache-2.0.

What language is puppeteer built with?

Primary language: TypeScript.

Is it free to use?

Yes. Licensed under Apache-2.0. Check the license for commercial use.

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YouTube tutorials and walkthroughs for puppeteer

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