In a report collated in 2020, 94% of all major enterprises interviewed admitted that data was crucial to their growth and expansion.
Two years later, not only does that observation remain true, but data has even increased in both importance and application.
A data-driven culture is critical to differentiate thriving companies from failing enterprises. And because of the explosion in data generation, people are inventing more ways to harvest the data they need to grow their business.
One of these inventions is Puppeteer, a popular automation and testing tool developed by the same team behind Google Chrome.
Using Puppeteer eliminates writing bulky codes while scraping the web for any data. And in this brief guide, we will understand what Puppeteer is and how to use it effectively through the Puppeteer tutorial.
What Is Puppeteer?
Puppeteer can be defined as a type of library that works with Node.js to develop a sophisticated API that can be fused with a headless Chrome or Chromium browser to interact with different programs and protocols seamlessly.
The API provided by Puppeteer can remotely control a headless browser to render data in an unusual format.
The browsers are called headless because they lack a Graphical User Interface. And what makes Puppeteer more preferable is that it can render JavaScript for automated cases such as web scraping with very minimal code.
A unique feature of Puppeteer is how it can work with headless and non-headless browsers while still providing a working API.
This means it can be used not only to interact with programs, whether they allow a User Interface or not but can also be used to interact with protocols that support APIs directly.
What Is The Importance of Puppeteer and Puppeteer Tutorial?
As a library, Puppeteer can be used for several purposes and so many reasons. Below are some of the major importance of Puppeteer and why it is important to develop the skills on how to use the library through Puppeteer tutorial:
- It Provides A Lightweight Package
One of the most important things about Puppeteer is that it provides some of the best and lightest package load.
The package, however, contains the node library, a high-level API, standard DevTools protocols used to run Chrome, and headless browser functionalities.
- It Can Be Used For Automation Testing
Puppeteer is also popular because it can be easily used to run automation and testing websites and web applications.
This means this tool can identify website flaws and verify each feature before final deployment and launching.
Identifying website issues this way is cheaper than launching it to see how the final users react to it. Not only will this cost you more to fix, but it also poses the risk of driving your customers and users away.
- Web Scraping
Because of the increased importance of data in a business lifecycle, tools that help us collect data in the most convenient and affordable ways are also becoming increasingly important.
Puppeteer can interact with data sources in several ways to harvest their content quickly and automatically.
- Rendering JavaScript
Most web scraping tools are built to interact with data sources and harvest data in HTML format. While this has worked great for years, there is the thought that this alone will no longer suffice.
This is because more modern websites are now built with JavaScript. This means that their content will no longer be available in HTML formats.
Tools like Puppeteer that render JavaScript very easily are necessary to help scrape modern websites.
- Capturing Screenshots
Taking a screenshot of a web page is important for several reasons. It is another method of web scraping where the user does not want to collect too much data, especially if there is no provision for storage.
Secondly, taking screenshots can test your website and identify critical issues. During website testing, screenshots can be taken at intervals to compare and see progress. The testing can include page navigation and visibility, as well as checking feature behaviors and responsiveness across different device types.
What Are The Examples of Puppeteer?
There are several examples of Puppeteer, and below are some of the most common:
- Puppeteer Core
This is known as the Puppeteer lightweight package that can be run through its programmatic interface without downloading or installing applications such as Chromium.
- Chromium
Alternatively, if you wish to download and install applications to use Puppeteer, you can use the Chromium example.
This is also known as the end-user interface and allows you to use the library with very little code.
- Debugging
But like any other tool or program, Puppeteer is also prone to errors and bugs, and it is important to be aware of the many ways these issues can be debugged.
You can debug the tool using the browser or during the Node.js process. The command known as the debugger is available for this sole purpose.
Conclusion
Puppeteer is a very powerful tool that can collect data in more ways than one. You may use the browser of the API it provides.
Either way works with a decent amount of code, but you will need to visit this website and take a Puppeteer tutorial to manipulate this tool properly.
Aftab Hussain is a versatile journalist who covers a wide range of news topics with depth and precision. His commitment to delivering unbiased reporting ensures that readers stay well-informed about the most significant events and stories shaping India and the world.