puppeteer vs html2canvas vs modern-screenshot vs screenshot-desktop
Web Screenshot Libraries Comparison
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What's Web Screenshot Libraries?

Web screenshot libraries provide developers with tools to capture visual representations of web pages or specific elements within them. These libraries can be used for various purposes, including generating previews, creating documentation, or capturing user interface states for testing. Each library has its own unique approach to capturing screenshots, offering different features and capabilities that cater to specific use cases.

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puppeteer4,533,91189,886359 kB2672 days agoApache-2.0
html2canvas2,705,35931,0363.38 MB1,018-MIT
modern-screenshot201,6281,204182 kB5220 days agoMIT
screenshot-desktop62,62745639.8 kB212 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: puppeteer vs html2canvas vs modern-screenshot vs screenshot-desktop

Capture Method

  • puppeteer:

    Puppeteer operates by controlling a headless version of Chrome or Chromium. It can capture full-page screenshots or specific elements, and it handles complex rendering scenarios, including JavaScript-heavy pages, making it highly versatile for automated testing and web scraping.

  • html2canvas:

    html2canvas captures screenshots by rendering the DOM elements into a canvas element in the browser. It converts the visible parts of the web page into an image, allowing for customization of the captured area, but may struggle with cross-origin images and complex CSS.

  • modern-screenshot:

    modern-screenshot utilizes the browser's native screenshot capabilities, providing a more reliable and straightforward approach to capturing web pages. It supports modern web standards and is designed for ease of use, making it suitable for quick implementations.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    screenshot-desktop captures the user's screen or specific application windows using native OS capabilities. It is not limited to web content and can be used in desktop applications, making it unique among the listed libraries.

Use Case

  • puppeteer:

    Perfect for automated testing, web scraping, or generating screenshots of web applications in various states. It is highly effective for scenarios requiring interaction with web pages before capturing the screenshot.

  • html2canvas:

    Best suited for client-side applications where you want to capture specific elements of a web page, such as user-generated content or visual states without needing server-side processing.

  • modern-screenshot:

    Ideal for developers looking for a simple and effective way to capture web pages or elements in modern web applications, especially when ease of integration is a priority.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    Designed for applications needing to capture the entire desktop or specific application windows, making it useful for desktop software or when integrating with user workflows.

Performance

  • puppeteer:

    Highly performant for headless browser operations, but can be resource-intensive when running multiple instances or capturing complex pages. It allows for fine-tuning to optimize performance.

  • html2canvas:

    Performance can vary based on the complexity of the DOM and styles being captured. It may struggle with large pages or heavy graphics, leading to longer rendering times.

  • modern-screenshot:

    Offers good performance for capturing screenshots quickly, leveraging modern browser capabilities without significant overhead, making it efficient for most use cases.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    Performance is generally good, but it may depend on the system's capabilities and the resolution of the captured area. It is designed to be efficient for desktop applications.

Cross-Browser Support

  • puppeteer:

    Supports Chrome and Chromium primarily, with some capabilities for Firefox. It is designed for modern web applications and may not work with older browsers.

  • html2canvas:

    Primarily supports modern browsers, but may have limitations with older versions or specific browser quirks, especially regarding CSS and cross-origin images.

  • modern-screenshot:

    Focuses on modern browsers, ensuring compatibility with the latest web standards, but may not support older browsers.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for desktop applications, but it is not applicable for web-based screenshots.

Ease of Use

  • puppeteer:

    While powerful, Puppeteer has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive capabilities and configuration options. It may require more time to set up for complex tasks.

  • html2canvas:

    Relatively easy to use for developers familiar with JavaScript and DOM manipulation. It requires minimal setup and can be integrated quickly into existing projects.

  • modern-screenshot:

    Designed with simplicity in mind, modern-screenshot offers a straightforward API, making it easy for developers to implement without extensive documentation.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    Easy to use for capturing desktop screenshots, but may require additional permissions or configurations depending on the operating system.

How to Choose: puppeteer vs html2canvas vs modern-screenshot vs screenshot-desktop
  • puppeteer:

    Opt for Puppeteer if you require a powerful headless browser automation tool that can generate screenshots as part of a broader testing or scraping strategy. Puppeteer is ideal for server-side rendering and can handle complex scenarios involving dynamic content.

  • html2canvas:

    Choose html2canvas if you need a client-side solution that can capture screenshots of web pages directly in the browser without any server-side processing. It's ideal for capturing specific DOM elements and is lightweight, making it suitable for quick implementations.

  • modern-screenshot:

    Select modern-screenshot for a straightforward API that simplifies the screenshot process across various platforms. It is particularly useful for developers looking for an easy-to-use library that integrates well with modern web applications.

  • screenshot-desktop:

    Use screenshot-desktop if you need to capture screenshots of the entire desktop or specific application windows rather than just web content. This package is suitable for desktop applications or scenarios where capturing the user's screen is necessary.

Similar Npm Packages to puppeteer

puppeteer is a popular Node.js library that provides a high-level API for controlling headless Chrome or Chromium browsers. It is widely used for web scraping, automated testing, and generating screenshots or PDFs of web pages. Puppeteer allows developers to interact with web pages programmatically, making it an essential tool for tasks that require browser automation. While Puppeteer is a powerful solution, there are several alternatives that also offer browser automation capabilities. Here are a few notable options:

  • nightmare is a high-level browser automation library for Node.js that is designed for simplicity and ease of use. It provides a straightforward API for performing tasks such as clicking buttons, filling out forms, and navigating web pages. Nightmare is particularly well-suited for developers who need a quick and easy way to automate browser interactions without the complexity of more extensive frameworks. However, it may not be as feature-rich or performant as Puppeteer for more demanding tasks.
  • playwright is a newer library developed by Microsoft that offers a powerful and flexible API for browser automation. It supports multiple browsers, including Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit, allowing developers to write cross-browser tests and automation scripts. Playwright provides advanced features such as auto-waiting, intercepting network requests, and handling multiple pages or contexts, making it a robust choice for complex automation scenarios. If you require cross-browser support and advanced capabilities, Playwright is an excellent alternative to Puppeteer.
  • selenium-webdriver is part of the Selenium project, which has been a long-standing solution for browser automation. It provides a comprehensive API for controlling various browsers and is widely used for automated testing of web applications. Selenium supports multiple programming languages and browser drivers, making it a versatile choice for teams working in diverse environments. However, it may have a steeper learning curve compared to Puppeteer and other modern libraries, and its setup can be more complex.

To see how Puppeteer compares with Nightmare, Playwright, and Selenium WebDriver, check out the comparison: Comparing nightmare vs playwright vs puppeteer vs selenium-webdriver.

Similar Npm Packages to html2canvas

html2canvas is a popular JavaScript library that allows developers to take "screenshots" of web pages or specific elements by rendering them to a canvas element. This library is particularly useful for generating images from HTML content, making it a valuable tool for applications that require visual representations of web content, such as reporting tools, dashboards, or social media sharing features. By converting HTML to canvas, html2canvas enables developers to capture and manipulate web content in a flexible way.

While html2canvas is a powerful tool, there are alternatives that provide similar functionality. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • dom-to-image is a library that allows you to convert DOM nodes into images. It can generate PNG or JPEG images from HTML elements, similar to html2canvas, but with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. dom-to-image is particularly useful for applications that need to create images from specific parts of the DOM without the overhead of rendering the entire page. It also supports options for customizing the output, such as adding background colors or specifying image quality.
  • puppeteer is a headless Chrome Node.js API that provides a more comprehensive solution for web scraping, automated testing, and rendering web pages. While it is not specifically designed for converting DOM elements to images, puppeteer can take full-page screenshots or capture specific elements by rendering them in a headless browser environment. This makes it a powerful alternative for developers who need more control over the rendering process and want to leverage the full capabilities of a browser.

To see how these packages compare, check out the comparison: Comparing dom-to-image vs html2canvas vs puppeteer.

Similar Npm Packages to modern-screenshot

modern-screenshot is an npm package designed to capture screenshots of web pages or specific elements within a web application. It provides a straightforward API for developers to easily generate images from their web content, making it a valuable tool for creating visual documentation, previews, or sharing content. While modern-screenshot is a great option for capturing screenshots, there are several alternatives in the ecosystem that offer similar functionality. Here are a few noteworthy alternatives:

  • html2canvas is a popular library that allows developers to take "screenshots" of web pages directly in the browser. It works by rendering the HTML content of a page into a canvas element, which can then be converted to an image. html2canvas is particularly useful for capturing elements on a page without needing any server-side processing. If you need a client-side solution that can handle complex layouts and styles, html2canvas is an excellent choice.
  • puppeteer is a powerful Node.js library that provides a high-level API to control headless Chrome or Chromium browsers. It is widely used for web scraping, automated testing, and generating screenshots or PDFs of web pages. Puppeteer allows for more advanced use cases, such as capturing full-page screenshots, interacting with web elements, and running JavaScript in a controlled environment. If you require a robust solution for server-side rendering or automated browser tasks, puppeteer is the way to go.
  • screenshot-desktop is a simple Node.js library that enables developers to capture screenshots of the user's desktop. Unlike the other options, which focus on web content, screenshot-desktop is designed for capturing the entire screen or specific application windows. This can be particularly useful for applications that require capturing user interactions or creating tutorials. If your needs extend beyond web pages and into desktop applications, screenshot-desktop is a suitable choice.

For a comprehensive comparison of these packages, check out the following link: Comparing html2canvas vs modern-screenshot vs puppeteer vs screenshot-desktop.

Similar Npm Packages to screenshot-desktop

screenshot-desktop is an npm package that allows developers to capture screenshots of the user's desktop or specific application windows. This library is particularly useful for applications that require visual feedback or documentation, such as testing tools, reporting applications, or any software that benefits from capturing the current state of the screen. It provides a straightforward API for taking screenshots and can be integrated easily into various Node.js applications.

While screenshot-desktop offers a convenient solution for capturing desktop images, there are alternative libraries that provide similar functionalities with different approaches:

  • html2canvas is a popular library that allows developers to take "screenshots" of web pages directly from the browser. It works by rendering the content of a webpage into a canvas element, which can then be converted into an image. This library is particularly useful for web applications where you want to capture the visual state of a webpage or a specific DOM element. If your project is web-based and you need to capture screenshots of HTML content, html2canvas is an excellent choice.

  • puppeteer is a powerful Node.js library that provides a high-level API to control headless Chrome or Chromium browsers. It is often used for web scraping, automated testing, and generating screenshots or PDFs of web pages. Puppeteer can capture screenshots of entire pages or specific elements, making it a versatile tool for developers who need more control over the browser environment. If your application requires advanced features like navigating through pages, interacting with elements, or capturing screenshots in a headless browser context, puppeteer is a robust option.

To see how screenshot-desktop compares with html2canvas and puppeteer, check out the comparison: Comparing html2canvas vs puppeteer vs screenshot-desktop.

README for puppeteer

Puppeteer

build npm puppeteer package

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.
await page.locator('.devsite-search-field').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();
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