Executing Puppeteer scripts in Laravel: How to integrate JavaScript automation?

Other Questions Puppeteer
1

I’m trying to use Puppeteer for browser automation in my Laravel project. The problem is I can’t figure out how to run the JavaScript code from my controller. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

$puppeteerScript = <<<EOD
const browserBot = require('browserBot');
(async function() {
    const webWindow = await browserBot.open({visible: true});
    const webPage = await webWindow.createTab();
    await webPage.navigate('http://example-site.com');
    const clickMe = await webPage.findElement('button#action');
    await clickMe.trigger( btn => btn.press() );
    await webPage.pause(5000);
    // More actions...
    await webWindow.shutdown();
})();
EOD;

$task = new Task(['node', '-e', $puppeteerScript]);
$task->execute();
$result = $task->getResult();

When I run just the JavaScript part in Node, it works fine. I can see a browser open up and everything. But when I try to run the whole thing from Laravel, nothing happens. I think I’m not calling the JS code correctly from PHP. Any ideas on how to fix this?

2

I’ve encountered similar issues when integrating Puppeteer with Laravel. Instead of running the script directly, I’d recommend using a package like spatie/browsershot. It provides a Laravel-friendly wrapper around Puppeteer, making integration much smoother.

Here’s a basic example of how you might use it:

use Spatie\Browsershot\Browsershot;

$html = Browsershot::url('https://example.com')
    ->click('#action')
    ->waitForSelector('.result')
    ->bodyHtml();

This approach eliminates the need to manage Node processes directly from PHP. It’s more reliable and easier to maintain in a Laravel environment. Just make sure you have Node.js and npm installed on your server, and you’ve run npm install puppeteer in your project directory.

3

I’ve been down this road before, and trust me, it can be tricky. One approach that worked wonders for me was using Laravel’s built-in Process facade. It allows you to run shell commands, including Node scripts, directly from your Laravel app.

Here’s what I did:

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Process;

$puppeteerScript = 'path/to/your/puppeteer/script.js';
$result = Process::run('node ' . $puppeteerScript);

if ($result->successful()) {
    $output = $result->output();
    // Process the output as needed
} else {
    $error = $result->errorOutput();
    // Handle the error
}

This method lets you keep your Puppeteer script separate, making it easier to maintain. Plus, you can pass arguments to your script if needed. Just make sure your Node environment is properly set up on your server. It’s been a game-changer for my projects!

4

hey there! i’ve had some luck running puppeteer in laravel using node’s child_process module. basically u create a separate js file for ur puppeteer script, then use PHP’s exec() function to run it. something like:

$output = exec('node puppeteer_script.js');

it’s pretty straightforward nd keeps ur code clean. just make sure node is installed on ur server. good luck!