How to migrate from standard puppeteer to puppeteer-real-browser?

Other Questions Puppeteer
1

I’m trying to upgrade my web scraper from the regular puppeteer library to puppeteer-real-browser. I’ve attempted several approaches but keep running into errors. I’m not too experienced with Node.js and could use some guidance on making this switch.

Here’s a simplified version of my current setup:

const puppeteer = require('puppeteer-extra');
const StealthPlugin = require('puppeteer-extra-plugin-stealth');
puppeteer.use(StealthPlugin());

async function scrape() {
  const browser = await puppeteer.launch({ headless: 'new' });
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto('https://example.com');
  // Scraping logic here
  await browser.close();
}

scrape();

What changes do I need to make to use puppeteer-real-browser instead? Are there any major differences in how I should structure my code or handle browser/page operations? Any tips on avoiding common pitfalls during this migration would be really helpful. Thanks!

2

As someone who’s recently gone through this migration, I can share some insights. The switch to puppeteer-real-browser definitely improved my scraping success rate, especially on sites with advanced bot detection. The key is to adjust your launch configuration.

Instead of puppeteer.launch(), you’ll use RealBrowser.launch(). Pay attention to the browserType option - I found ‘chrome’ works best for most scenarios. Also, set headless to false initially for debugging.

One gotcha I encountered was with page navigation. Real browsers can be slower, so you might need to increase your wait times or use more robust waiting strategies.

Lastly, don’t forget to update your error handling. Real browsers can throw different types of errors, so make sure your try-catch blocks are prepared for these new scenarios. It took some trial and error, but the results were worth it in the end.

3

yo, i switched to puppeteer-real-browser recently. its pretty straightforward. just install the package and change ur import.

the main difference is using RealBrowser.launch() instead of puppeteer.launch(). watch out for longer load times tho, real browsers take a bit. also, u might need to tweak ur waittimes. good luck!

4

Migrating from standard puppeteer to puppeteer-real-browser isn’t as daunting as it might seem. The core concepts remain similar, but there are a few key differences to keep in mind. First, you’ll need to install the puppeteer-real-browser package instead of puppeteer-extra. Then, modify your import statement accordingly.

The main change in your code will be how you launch the browser. Instead of puppeteer.launch(), you’ll use RealBrowser.launch(). This method accepts similar options, but may have some additional parameters specific to real browser instances.

One potential pitfall to watch out for is that puppeteer-real-browser might have slightly different syntax for some operations. Always refer to its documentation for the most up-to-date API. Also, be prepared for potentially longer startup times, as launching a real browser instance can take more time than a headless one.

Lastly, ensure your system meets all the requirements for running a real browser instance, including having the necessary dependencies installed.