chrome-remote-interface
Advanced tools
The chrome-remote-interface npm package is a tool that allows you to interact with the Chrome DevTools Protocol. This enables you to control, inspect, and debug web pages and web applications programmatically.
Remote Debugging
This feature allows you to remotely debug a web page. The code sample demonstrates how to navigate to a URL, wait for the page to load, capture a screenshot, and save it to a file.
const CDP = require('chrome-remote-interface');
CDP(async (client) => {
const {Network, Page} = client;
await Network.enable();
await Page.enable();
Page.navigate({url: 'https://example.com'});
Page.loadEventFired(async () => {
const result = await Page.captureScreenshot();
require('fs').writeFileSync('screenshot.png', result.data, 'base64');
client.close();
});
}).on('error', (err) => {
console.error(err);
});Network Monitoring
This feature allows you to monitor network requests and responses. The code sample demonstrates how to log URLs of requests and responses.
const CDP = require('chrome-remote-interface');
CDP(async (client) => {
const {Network} = client;
await Network.enable();
Network.requestWillBeSent((params) => {
console.log('Request:', params.request.url);
});
Network.responseReceived((params) => {
console.log('Response:', params.response.url);
});
}).on('error', (err) => {
console.error(err);
});JavaScript Execution
This feature allows you to execute JavaScript in the context of the web page. The code sample demonstrates how to evaluate a JavaScript expression to get the document title.
const CDP = require('chrome-remote-interface');
CDP(async (client) => {
const {Runtime} = client;
await Runtime.enable();
const result = await Runtime.evaluate({expression: 'document.title'});
console.log('Title:', result.result.value);
client.close();
}).on('error', (err) => {
console.error(err);
});Puppeteer is a Node library which provides a high-level API to control Chrome or Chromium over the DevTools Protocol. It is more user-friendly and higher-level compared to chrome-remote-interface, making it easier to perform common tasks like taking screenshots, generating PDFs, and automating form submissions.
Selenium WebDriver is a popular tool for automating web applications for testing purposes. It provides a more comprehensive solution for browser automation, supporting multiple browsers and programming languages. Compared to chrome-remote-interface, it is more focused on testing and less on low-level browser control.
Playwright is a Node library to automate Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit with a single API. It is similar to Puppeteer but supports multiple browsers. It offers more advanced features like capturing videos of test runs and intercepting network requests, making it a more versatile tool compared to chrome-remote-interface.
Remote Debugging Protocol interface that helps to instrument Chrome by providing a simple abstraction of the two main objects exposed by the protocol in a Node.js fashion: commands and notifications.
chrome-remote-interface is listed among
third-party Chrome debugging protocol clients.
This module should work with every application implementing the Chrome Remote Debugging Protocol. In particular, it has been tested against the following implementations.
| Implementation | Notes |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | native support |
| Microsoft Edge | via the Edge Diagnostics Adapter |
| Node.js | via node-inspector (by connecting to ws://127.0.0.1:8080/?port=5858 by default) |
npm install chrome-remote-interface
Chrome needs to be started with the --remote-debugging-port=<port> option to
enable the Remote Debugging Protocol, for example:
google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222
The following snippet loads https://github.com and dumps every request made.
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome(function (chrome) {
with (chrome) {
Network.requestWillBeSent(function (params) {
console.log(params.request.url);
});
Page.loadEventFired(close);
Network.enable();
Page.enable();
once('ready', function () {
Page.navigate({'url': 'https://github.com'});
});
}
}).on('error', function (err) {
console.error('Cannot connect to Chrome:', err);
});
This module comes with a bundled client application that can be used to interactively control Chrome.
The bundled client exposes subcommands to interact with the HTTP frontend
(e.g., List, New,
etc.), run with --help to display the list of available options.
Here are some examples:
$ chrome-remote-interface new 'http://example.com'
{ description: '',
devtoolsFrontendUrl: '/devtools/inspector.html?ws=localhost:9222/devtools/page/b049bb56-de7d-424c-a331-6ae44cf7ae01',
id: 'b049bb56-de7d-424c-a331-6ae44cf7ae01',
thumbnailUrl: '/thumb/b049bb56-de7d-424c-a331-6ae44cf7ae01',
title: '',
type: 'page',
url: 'http://example.com/',
webSocketDebuggerUrl: 'ws://localhost:9222/devtools/page/b049bb56-de7d-424c-a331-6ae44cf7ae01' }
$ chrome-remote-interface close 'b049bb56-de7d-424c-a331-6ae44cf7ae01'
Using the inspect subcommand it is possible to perform command
execution and event
binding in a REPL fashion. But unlike the regular
API the callbacks are overridden to conveniently display the result of the
commands and the message of the events. Also, the event binding is simplified
here, executing a shorthand method (e.g., Page.loadEventFired()) toggles the
event registration.
Here is a sample session:
$ chrome-remote-interface inspect
>>> Runtime.evaluate({expression: 'window.location.toString()'})
{ result:
{ result:
{ type: 'string',
value: 'https://www.google.it/_/chrome/newtab?espv=2&ie=UTF-8' },
wasThrown: false } }
>>> Page.enable()
{ result: {} }
>>> Page.loadEventFired() // registered
{ 'Page.loadEventFired': true }
>>> Page.loadEventFired() // unregistered
{ 'Page.loadEventFired': false }
>>> Page.loadEventFired() // registered
{ 'Page.loadEventFired': true }
>>> Page.navigate({url: 'https://github.com'})
{ result: { frameId: '28677.1' } }
{ 'Page.loadEventFired': { timestamp: 21385.383076 } }
>>> Runtime.evaluate({expression: 'window.location.toString()'})
{ result:
{ result: { type: 'string', value: 'https://github.com/' },
wasThrown: false } }
To reduce the amount of data displayed by the event listeners it is possible to provide a filter function. In this example only the resource URL is shown:
$ chrome-remote-interface inspect
>>> Network.enable()
{ result: {} }
>>> Network.requestWillBeSent(params => params.request.url)
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'params => params.request.url' }
>>> Page.navigate({url: 'https://www.wikipedia.org'})
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/' }
{ result: { frameId: '5530.1' } }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/img/Wikipedia_wordmark.png' }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/img/Wikipedia-logo-v2.png' }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/js/index-3b68787aa6.js' }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/js/gt-ie9-c84bf66d33.js' }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/img/sprite-bookshelf_icons.png?16ed124e8ca7c5ce9d463e8f99b2064427366360' }
{ 'Network.requestWillBeSent': 'https://www.wikipedia.org/portal/wikipedia.org/assets/img/sprite-project-logos.png?9afc01c5efe0a8fb6512c776955e2ad3eb48fbca' }
In both the REPL and the regular API every object of the protocol is
decorated with the information available through the Remote Debugging
Protocol. The category field determines if the member is a command,
an event or a type.
Remember that the REPL interface provides completion. For example to learn how
to call Page.navigate:
>>> Page.navigate
{ [Function]
category: 'command',
parameters: { url: { type: 'string', description: 'URL to navigate the page to.' } },
returns:
[ { name: 'frameId',
'$ref': 'FrameId',
hidden: true,
description: 'Frame id that will be navigated.' } ],
description: 'Navigates current page to the given URL.',
handlers: [ 'browser', 'renderer' ] }
To learn about the parameters returned by the Network.requestWillBeSent event:
>>> Network.requestWillBeSent
{ [Function]
category: 'event',
description: 'Fired when page is about to send HTTP request.',
parameters:
{ requestId: { '$ref': 'RequestId', description: 'Request identifier.' },
frameId:
{ '$ref': 'Page.FrameId',
description: 'Frame identifier.',
hidden: true },
loaderId: { '$ref': 'LoaderId', description: 'Loader identifier.' },
documentURL:
{ type: 'string',
description: 'URL of the document this request is loaded for.' },
request: { '$ref': 'Request', description: 'Request data.' },
timestamp: { '$ref': 'Timestamp', description: 'Timestamp.' },
wallTime:
{ '$ref': 'Timestamp',
hidden: true,
description: 'UTC Timestamp.' },
initiator: { '$ref': 'Initiator', description: 'Request initiator.' },
redirectResponse:
{ optional: true,
'$ref': 'Response',
description: 'Redirect response data.' },
type:
{ '$ref': 'Page.ResourceType',
optional: true,
hidden: true,
description: 'Type of this resource.' } } }
To inspect the Network.Request (note that unlike commands and events, types
are named in upper camel case) type:
>>> Network.Request
{ category: 'type',
id: 'Request',
type: 'object',
description: 'HTTP request data.',
properties:
{ url: { type: 'string', description: 'Request URL.' },
method: { type: 'string', description: 'HTTP request method.' },
headers: { '$ref': 'Headers', description: 'HTTP request headers.' },
postData:
{ type: 'string',
optional: true,
description: 'HTTP POST request data.' },
mixedContentType:
{ optional: true,
type: 'string',
enum: [Object],
description: 'The mixed content status of the request, as defined in http://www.w3.org/TR/mixed-content/' },
initialPriority:
{ '$ref': 'ResourcePriority',
description: 'Priority of the resource request at the time request is sent.' } } }
Currently it is not possible to fetch the protocol descriptor
(protocol.json) directly from the instrumented Chrome instance
(see #10). Rather, that file can be fetched from the proper source
repository at every connection. By default, the local
version is used. That file is manually updated from time to time
using make update-protocol and pushed to this repository.
To override the above behavior there are basically three options:
pass a custom protocol descriptor upon connection;
update the local copy with make update-protocol (not present when fetched
with npm install).
Connects to a remote instance of Chrome using the Remote Debugging Protocol.
options is an object with the following optional properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;
port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222;
chooseTab: determines which tab this instance should attach to. The behavior
changes according to the type:
function that takes the array returned by the List method and must
return the numeric index of a tab;object like those returned by the New and List methods;string representing the raw WebSocket URL, in this case host and
port are not used to fetch the tab list.Defaults to a function which returns the currently active tab (function (tabs) { return 0; });
protocol: Remote Debugging Protocol descriptor object. Defaults to
use the protocol chosen according to the remote option;
remote: a boolean indicating whether the protocol must be fetched
remotely or if the local version must be used. It has not effect if the
protocol option is set. Defaults to false.
callback is a listener automatically added to the connect event of the
returned EventEmitter; when callback is omitted a Promise object is
returned.
Returns an EventEmitter that supports the following events:
function (chrome) {}
Emitted when the connection to Chrome is established.
chrome is an instance of the Chrome class.
function () {}
Emitted when Chrome closes the connection, e.g., if the user opens the DevTools for the currently inspected tab.
function (err) {}
Emitted if http://host:port/json can't be reached or if it's not possible to
connect to Chrome's remote debugging WebSocket.
err is an instance of Error.
Fetch the Remote Debugging Protocol descriptor.
options is an object with the following optional properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222;remote: a boolean indicating whether the protocol must be fetched
remotely or if the local version must be returned. If it is not possible to
fulfill the request then the local version is used. Defaults to false.callback is executed when the protocol is fetched, it gets the following
arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;protocol: an object with the following properties:
remote: a boolean indicating whether the returned descriptor is the
remote version or not (due to user choice or error);descriptor: the Remote Debugging Protocol descriptor.When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.Protocol(function (err, protocol) {
if (!err) {
console.log(JSON.stringify(protocol.descriptor, null, 4));
}
});
Request the list of the available open tabs of the remote Chrome instance.
options is an object with the following optional properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222.callback is executed when the list is correctly received, it gets the
following arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;tabs: the array returned by http://host:port/json/list containing the tab
list.When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.List(function (err, tabs) {
if (!err) {
console.log(tabs);
}
});
Create a new tab in the remote Chrome instance.
options is an object with the following optional properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222.url: URL to load in the new tab. Defaults to about:blank.callback is executed when the tab is created, it gets the
following arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;tab: the object returned by http://host:port/json/new containing the tab.When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.New(function (err, tab) {
if (!err) {
console.log(tab);
}
});
Activate an open tab of the remote Chrome instance.
options is an object with the following properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222.id: Tab id. Required, no default.callback is executed when the response to the activation request is
received. It gets the following arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.Activate({'id': 'CC46FBFA-3BDA-493B-B2E4-2BE6EB0D97EC'}, function (err) {
if (!err) {
console.log('success! tab is closing');
}
});
Close an open tab of the remote Chrome instance.
options is an object with the following properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222.id: Tab id. Required, no default.callback is executed when the response to the close request is
received. It gets the following arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.Close({'id': 'CC46FBFA-3BDA-493B-B2E4-2BE6EB0D97EC'}, function (err) {
if (!err) {
console.log('success! tab is closing');
}
});
Note that the callback is fired when the tab is queued for removal, but the actual removal will occur asynchronously.
Request version information from the remote Chrome instance.
options is an object with the following optional properties:
host: HTTP frontend host. Defaults to localhost;port: HTTP frontend port. Defaults to 9222.callback is executed when the version information is correctly received, it
gets the following arguments:
err: a Error object indicating the success status;info: a JSON object returned by http://host:port/json/version containing
the version information.When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
For example:
var Chrome = require('chrome-remote-interface');
Chrome.Version(function (err, info) {
if (!err) {
console.log(info);
}
});
function (message) {}
Emitted when Chrome sends a notification through the WebSocket.
message is the object received, it has the following properties:
method: a string describing the notification (e.g.,
'Network.requestWillBeSent').params: an object containing the payload.Refer to the Remote Debugging Protocol specifications for more information.
For example:
on('event', function (message) {
if (message.method === 'Network.requestWillBeSent') {
console.log(message.params);
}
});
<method>'function (params) {}
Emitted when Chrome sends a notification for <method> through the WebSocket.
params is an object containing the payload.
This is just a utility event which allows to easily listen for specific notifications (see the above event), for example:
chrome.on('Network.requestWillBeSent', console.log);
function () {}
Emitted every time that there are no more pending commands waiting for a
response from Chrome. Note that the interaction with Chrome is asynchronous so
the only way to serialize a sequence of commands is to use the callback provided
by the chrome.send method. This event acts as a barrier and it is useful to
avoid the callback hell in certain simple situations.
For example to load a URL only after having enabled the notifications of both
Network and Page domains:
Network.enable();
Page.enable();
once('ready', function () {
Page.navigate({'url': 'https://github.com'});
});
In this particular case, not enforcing this kind of serialization may cause that Chrome doesn't properly deliver the desired notifications the client.
Issue a command to Chrome.
method is a string describing the command.
params is an object containing the payload.
callback is executed when Chrome sends a response to this command, it gets the
following arguments:
error: a boolean value indicating the success status, as reported by Chrome;response: an object containing either the response sent from Chrome
(result field, if error === false) or the indication of the error (error
field, if error === true).When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned instead, with the
fulfilled/rejected states implemented according to the error parameter.
Note that the field id mentioned in the Remote Debugging Protocol
specifications is managed internally and it's not exposed to the user.
For example:
chrome.send('Page.navigate', {'url': 'https://github.com'}, console.log);
<domain>.<method>([params], [callback])Just a shorthand for:
chrome.send('<domain>.<method>', params, callback);
For example:
chrome.Page.navigate({'url': 'https://github.com'}, console.log);
<domain>.<event>(callback)Just a shorthand for:
chrome.on('<domain>.<event>', callback);
For example:
chrome.Network.requestWillBeSent(console.log);
Close the connection to Chrome.
callback is executed when the WebSocket is successfully closed.
When callback is omitted a Promise object is returned.
FAQs
Chrome Debugging Protocol interface
The npm package chrome-remote-interface receives a total of 0 weekly downloads. As such, chrome-remote-interface popularity was classified as not popular.
We found that chrome-remote-interface demonstrated a healthy version release cadence and project activity because the last version was released less than a year ago. It has 1 open source maintainer collaborating on the project.
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