Browser Automation Tools: Puppeteer vs Selenium WebDriver
Both Puppeteer and Selenium WebDriver are tools that help developers control web browsers through code. They're commonly used for automated testing, taking screenshots, and scraping web content. While Puppeteer works specifically with Chrome/Chromium browsers and is made by Google, Selenium WebDriver supports multiple browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Browser Automationtestingweb-scrapingautomationbrowser-control
Detailed Comparison
Technical Analysis
featureComparison
Puppeteer provides a high-level API for controlling a headless Chrome browser, while Selenium WebDriver provides a low-level API for controlling various browsers. Puppeteer is more suitable for web scraping and automation, while Selenium is more suitable for cross-browser testing.
typescriptSupport
Both packages have excellent TypeScript support, with Puppeteer having a more comprehensive type definition.
browserCompatibility
Puppeteer is only compatible with Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, while Selenium supports multiple browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
dependencies
Puppeteer has fewer dependencies (14) compared to Selenium (21), making it a more lightweight option.
performance
Puppeteer is generally faster and more efficient than Selenium due to its high-level API and Chrome-specific optimizations.
Ecosystem Analysis
frameworkCompatibility
Both packages are compatible with popular frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js.
communityActivity
Puppeteer has a more active community with more contributors and issues closed in the past year.
documentationQuality
Puppeteer has more comprehensive and up-to-date documentation, with better code examples and tutorials.
maintenanceStatus
Puppeteer is actively maintained by the Chrome team, while Selenium is maintained by the Selenium project team.
Performance Comparison
bundleSizeAnalysis
Puppeteer has a larger bundle size due to its inclusion of Chromium, while Selenium has a smaller bundle size due to its reliance on external browser binaries.
runtimePerformance
Puppeteer is generally faster and more efficient than Selenium due to its high-level API and Chrome-specific optimizations.
loadingTime
Puppeteer has a faster loading time compared to Selenium due to its optimized browser launch process.
memoryUsage
Puppeteer has higher memory usage compared to Selenium due to its inclusion of Chromium.
Code Examples
Launch a headless Chrome browser with Puppeteer
1const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
2(async () => {
3 const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
4 const page = await browser.newPage();
5 await page.goto('https://example.com');
6 await browser.close();
7})();This code snippet launches a headless Chrome browser using Puppeteer, navigates to a webpage, and then closes the browser.
Launch a Chrome browser with Selenium
1const { Builder, By, Key, until } = require('selenium-webdriver');
2(async function example() {
3 let driver = await new Builder().forBrowser('chrome').build();
4 await driver.get('https://example.com');
5 await driver.quit();
6})();This code snippet launches a Chrome browser using Selenium, navigates to a webpage, and then closes the browser.
Recommendation
Summary
Puppeteer is a more suitable choice for web scraping and automation tasks, while Selenium is a better fit for cross-browser testing.
Details
- Puppeteer has a more comprehensive API for controlling a headless Chrome browser.
- Selenium provides better support for multiple browsers.
Similar Packages
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Testing AutomationPuppeteer
Puppeteer is a JavaScript library which provides a high-level API to control Chrome or Firefox over the DevTools Protocol or WebDriver BiDi. Puppeteer runs in the headless (no visible UI) by default
Get started | API | FAQ | Contributing | Troubleshooting
Installation
npm i puppeteer # Downloads compatible Chrome during installation. npm i puppeteer-core # Alternatively, install as a library, without downloading Chrome.
Example
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer'; // Or import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core'; // Launch the browser and open a new blank page const browser = await puppeteer.launch(); const page = await browser.newPage(); // Navigate the page to a URL. await page.goto('https://developer.chrome.com/'); // Set screen size. await page.setViewport({width: 1080, height: 1024}); // Type into search box using accessible input name. await page.locator('aria/Search').fill('automate beyond recorder'); // Wait and click on first result. await page.locator('.devsite-result-item-link').click(); // Locate the full title with a unique string. const textSelector = await page .locator('text/Customize and automate') .waitHandle(); const fullTitle = await textSelector?.evaluate(el => el.textContent); // Print the full title. console.log('The title of this blog post is "%s".', fullTitle); await browser.close();