How can I simplify Puppeteer element selection? Rather than using a long chain, try this concise query:
const targetEl = await page.$('.content-table tbody tr:first-child td:first-child p:nth-of-type(2)');
In my experience, using page.evaluate in conjunction with document.querySelector has been an effective alternative. This method allows execution of browser DOM methods directly, providing a cleaner approach especially when the element structure is complex or dynamic. It also offers flexibility if the page layout changes, since any updates can be handled within the evaluate callback. This approach minimizes reliance on deeply nested Puppeteer commands and can improve code readability and maintainability compared to traditional chained selectors.
i’ve used page.waitForSelector(‘your-selector’) with great results. it avoids some chain errors and seems a bit more certably to use when content loads dynamically
Based on my experience, leveraging XPath selectors with waitForXPath has been a reliable method when traditional CSS selectors become unwieldy. It allows for a shift in strategy; you gain improved stability against subtle DOM changes. In one project, using XPath to pinpoint elements by attributes helped streamline code and mitigate brittle selectors. Once the element was located, transferring it to a page.evaluate call was straightforward. This method reduced complexity in element selection, particularly in dynamic pages where HTML structure could be unpredictable.