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Browser

A node to run a headless browser and take screenshots or PDF
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Overview

This n8n custom node automates the process of rendering a web page in a headless browser and exporting it as a PDF. It uses Puppeteer to load the specified URL, apply various rendering options (such as viewport size, injected scripts/styles, headers, etc.), and then generates a PDF file of the rendered page. This is particularly useful for:

  • Generating printable reports or invoices from web applications.
  • Archiving web pages as PDFs for compliance or record-keeping.
  • Automating the creation of documentation snapshots.
  • Creating paginated, styled exports of dashboards or data visualizations.

Example use cases:

  • Automatically save receipts from an online store as PDFs.
  • Generate a PDF report from a dynamic dashboard after injecting custom styles/scripts.
  • Archive a web page with specific user-agent and headers for legal purposes.

Properties

Name Type Meaning
Target URL string The web address of the page to render and export as PDF.
Options collection Additional settings for page rendering (see below for sub-options).
└ Timeout number Maximum time (ms) to wait for the browser/page to load.
└ User-Agent string Custom user agent string for the browser session.
└ Element string CSS selector to wait for before proceeding (ensures element is loaded/visible).
└ Clip to Element? boolean If true, restricts screenshot/PDF to the selected element only.
└ Full Page? boolean If true, captures the entire scrollable page; otherwise, only the visible part.
└ Disable Javascript? boolean If true, disables JavaScript execution on the page.
└ Scroll To string CSS selector of an element to scroll into view before rendering.
└ Javascript Code string Custom JavaScript code to execute in the page context before rendering.
└ Headers collection HTTP headers to send with the request (array of name/value pairs).
└ Styles collection List of style tags (by URL or content) to inject into the page before rendering.
└ Scripts collection List of script tags (by URL or content) to inject into the page before rendering.
Viewport collection Settings for the browser viewport (window size, device emulation, etc.).
└ Width number Width of the viewport in pixels.
└ Height number Height of the viewport in pixels.
└ Scale Factor number Device pixel ratio (for high-DPI screens).
└ Is Mobile boolean Emulate mobile device if true.
└ Is Touchscreen boolean Emulate touchscreen if true.
└ Is Landscape boolean Use landscape orientation if true.
PDF Options collection PDF-specific options (only shown for PDF operation).
└ Display Header and Footer? boolean Show header/footer in the generated PDF.
└ Paper Format options Standard paper size (A4, Letter, etc.).
└ Landscape? boolean Render PDF in landscape orientation.
└ Print Background? boolean Include background graphics/colors in the PDF.
└ Page Range string Specify which pages to print (e.g., "1-5, 8, 11-13").
└ Header Template string HTML template for the PDF header (supports named classes).
└ Footer Template string HTML template for the PDF footer (supports named classes).
└ Margins collection Set top, bottom, left, right margins for the PDF.

Output

  • binary.data: Contains the generated PDF file as binary data, typically named page.pdf.
  • json:
    • url: The URL that was rendered.
    • title: The title of the web page.
    • metrics: Performance and resource usage metrics from the browser.
    • evaluateResponse (optional): Result of any custom JavaScript code executed on the page.

Note: The primary output for this operation is the binary PDF file. The JSON output provides metadata about the rendering process.

Dependencies

  • External Library: puppeteer (bundled)
  • No API keys required.
  • n8n Configuration: No special configuration needed, but the environment must allow running headless Chrome (Puppeteer). In some environments (e.g., Docker), you may need to ensure necessary dependencies for Chromium are installed.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

  • Timeouts:

    • Error: "Navigation timeout of X ms exceeded"
      Solution: Increase the "Timeout" option or check network connectivity to the target URL.

  • Page Not Loading / Blank PDFs:

    • Possible causes: Incorrect URL, authentication required, or resources blocked by headers.
    • Solution: Double-check the URL, add necessary headers/cookies, or test the URL in a regular browser.

  • Missing Elements:

    • Error: "Element not found" or "waitForSelector timed out"
      Solution: Ensure the correct CSS selector is provided and the element exists on the page.

  • Binary Output Missing:

    • Cause: If the page fails to render or Puppeteer crashes, the binary field may be empty.
    • Solution: Check logs for errors, verify Puppeteer can run in your environment.

  • Chromium Launch Fails:

    • Error: "Failed to launch the browser process!"
      Solution: Make sure all system dependencies for Chromium are installed, especially in Docker or Linux environments.

Links and References

Discussion