Puppeteer vs Selenium: Core Differences

Compare Puppeteer and Selenium. Understand their strengths and use cases, and decide which is best for your testing strategy.

May 8, 2025 25 min read
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Puppeteer vs Selenium_ Core Differences
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Puppeteer vs Selenium: Core Differences

When it comes to browser automation, Puppeteer and Selenium are two widely used tools, each with distinct strengths.

Overview

What is Puppeteer?

Puppeteer is a Node.js library developed by Google to control headless or full Chrome/Chromium browsers via the Chrome DevTools Protocol.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is an open-source tool for automating web browsers, widely used for testing web applications and other browser tasks.

Key Differences: Puppeteer vs Selenium

  1. Developer & Release: Puppeteer, developed by Google, was released in 2017; Selenium, developed by the Selenium Project, was released in 2004.
    Core Language & Platform Support: Puppeteer supports Node.js and Chrome/Chromium; Selenium supports multiple languages and browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
  2. Automation Scope & Use Case: Puppeteer is focused on web automation, web scraping, and headless tasks, while Selenium is used for full-scale web and mobile automation (via Appium).
  3. API & Flexibility: Puppeteer offers a high-level API for Chromium; Selenium offers both high and low-level APIs for broad browser control.
  4. Screenshot Capability: Puppeteer captures screenshots and PDFs; Selenium provides similar functionality, with PDF generation available in Selenium 4.

This article explores the core differences between Puppeteer and Selenium to help you determine which tool aligns best with your project needs.

Puppeteer vs Selenium: Core Differences

Here is a key comparison between Puppeteer and Selenium:

ParameterPuppeteerSelenium
DeveloperDeveloped by GoogleDeveloped by the Selenium Project (originally by ThoughtWorks)
Release Year20172004
Core LanguageNode.js onlySupports multiple languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, C#, etc.
Platform SupportWorks only with Chrome and ChromiumCross-platform; supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer
TypeNode.js library for headless browser automationWeb testing framework for automating browser interactions
Browser CompatibilityChrome/Chromium onlyMulti-browser support
Automation ScopeWeb automation onlySupports both web and mobile automation (via Appium)
Screenshot CapabilityCan capture screenshots and generate PDFsSimilar support, but PDF generation is available from Selenium 4 onwards
Use Case FocusLightweight tasks, web scraping, headless automationFull-scale automated testing across browsers and platforms
API LevelHigh-level API built for ChromiumHigh-level and low-level APIs for broad control and flexibility across browsers

Introduction to Puppeteer

Puppeteer is a Node.js library developed by Google that provides a high-level API to control headless or full Chrome/Chromium browsers through the Chrome DevTools Protocol.

It’s primarily used for automating web page interactions such as testing, scraping, and generating screenshots or PDFs.

Key Features of Puppeteer

  • Controls headless and full Chrome/Chromium browsers
  • Captures screenshots and generates PDFs of web pages
  • Automates form submissions, UI interactions, and navigation
  • Performs web scraping with ease
  • Supports performance and rendering tests
  • Integrates easily into CI/CD workflows
  • Offers full access to Chrome DevTools features

Advantages of Puppeteer

Puppeteer stands out for its speed, simplicity, and direct integration with Chrome, making it a go-to tool for modern web automation tasks.

  • Direct access to Chrome’s DevTools Protocol, allowing precise control over browser behavior.
  • Single browser and language support streamlines performance, making automation faster and more efficient than multi-language, multi-browser setups.
  • No need for separate browser drivers, reducing setup complexity and maintenance overhead.
  • Built-in features for performance tracking, including automated screenshots and page load monitoring.

Limitations of Puppeteer

While Puppeteer offers speed and simplicity, it also has limitations that may not suit every automation need.

  • Limited to JavaScript/Node.js, which can be restrictive for teams working with other programming languages.
  • Supports only Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, making it less flexible for cross-browser testing.
  • Lacks broader ecosystem support, as tools like Selenium offer more versatility across browsers and platforms.
  • Firefox support is experimental, and full compatibility is still under development, limiting options for non-Chrome environments.

Read More: How to install and setup Puppeteer with npm (NodeJS)

Introduction to Selenium

Selenium is a powerful open-source tool designed to automate web browsers. While it is widely used for testing web applications, its capabilities extend to various browser automation tasks across different environments.

With support for multiple programming languages and operating systems, Selenium allows for flexible and scalable testing. It also enables cross browser compatibility by supporting major browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer.

Key Features of Selenium

  • Cross-browser testing on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and more
  • Multi-language support, including Java, Python, JavaScript, C#, Ruby, and Kotlin
  • Integration with testing frameworks like TestNG, JUnit, and NUnit
  • Support for parallel and distributed test execution via Selenium Grid
  • Active community and regular updates through the Selenium Project
  • Open-source and highly customizable for diverse automation needs

Advantages of Selenium

Selenium remains a leading choice in automation testing due to its flexibility, wide compatibility, and active community support.

  • Completely open-source and free to use, making it accessible for individuals and organizations alike
  • Easily integrates with CI/CD tools and supports Agile testing workflows for continuous development
  • Compatible with multiple browsers, operating systems, and programming languages, ensuring broad coverage
  • Backed by a large community, offering extensive libraries, plugins, and troubleshooting resources

Limitations of Selenium

Despite its versatility, Selenium has certain limitations that may impact ease of use and specific testing scenarios.

  • Requires a steep learning curve, especially for beginners or teams without prior automation experience
  • Lacks built-in support for image-based testing, such as visual regression or direct image comparison

Try Selenium Testing for Free

Market Trends on Selenium and Puppeteer

The graph below highlights Selenium’s long-standing and growing popularity in the automation testing space.

While Puppeteer also enjoys strong adoption, particularly for Chrome browser automation, Selenium maintains a broader user base and wider usage across different browsers and environments.

Each tool has its strengths, but Selenium remains the more universally adopted choice.

Puppeteer vs Selenium on Google Trends

Source: Google Trends

Setup and Test Implementation of Puppeteer and Selenium

Selenium and Puppeteer are the two automation testing tools that can be directly installed using npm.

  • To install Selenium, type the following command in the terminal:
npm install selenium-webdriver

Another way is to study and use the Selenium Installation here.

Here, creating a driver and using it is easy—the syntax is verbose compared to the alternatives but still pretty straightforward:

The example below located the Yahoo sign up page using the Xpath locator.

driver.get("https://login.yahoo.com/account/create");
driver.findElement(By.xpath("//input[@id='usernamereg-firstName']")).sendKeys("Your-Name"); // Will send values to First Name tab
driver.findElement(By.xpath("//input[@id='usernamereg-lastName']")).sendKeys("Your-Last_name"); //xpath for last name box
driver.findElement(By.xpath("//input[@id='usernamereg-yid']")).sendKeys("email@yahoo.com"); //xpath for email box
  • Now, on to Puppeteer. To install Puppeteer, type the command below in the terminal:
npm install puppeteer

Now, let’s locate the same sign-up page using the Puppeteer syntax:

await page.goto(‘https://login.yahoo.com/account/create’);

await page.click(‘button’);

await page.type(‘#sign-up’, ‘your_name’);

await page.type(‘[type=email]’, ‘your_email’);

People also read: How to Build and Execute Selenium Projects

Selenium or Puppeteer: Which is the preferred one?

Below is a clear bifurcation of when you should prefer Selenium and when Puppeteer is the better option.

Here are some key use cases of Puppeteer:

  • You’re working exclusively with Google Chrome or Chromium.
  • Deep Chrome integration for tasks like PDF generation, screenshots, or headless testing.
  • Project demands lightweight automation with a quick setup.

Below are the key situations where you need to use Selenium:

  • To perform cross-browser testing across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.
  • Your team works with multiple programming languages like Java, Python, C#, or Ruby.
  • You require features like record-and-playback, reusable test suites, or CI/CD integration.
  • You need a scalable, community-supported solution with rich documentation.

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Conclusion

In summary, Puppeteer is ideal for Chrome-specific testing, while Selenium stands out for its cross-browser and multi-language support, making it the preferred tool for comprehensive automation testing.

Leveraging BrowserStack Automate enhances Selenium’s capabilities by providing access to a vast cloud of real devices and browsers, enabling testers to achieve more accurate and scalable test coverage with minimal setup.

Together, these tools empower development and QA teams to deliver high-quality web applications efficiently.

Useful Resources for Puppeteer

Understanding Puppeteer:

Tools Comparisons:

Useful Resources for Selenium

Methods, Classes, and Commands

Configuration

XPath

Locators and Selectors

Waits in Selenium

Frameworks in Selenium

Miscellaneous

Best Practices, Tips and Tricks

Design Patterns in Selenium: Page Object Model and Page Factory

Action Class

TestNG and Selenium

JUnit and Selenium

Use Cases

Types of Testing with Selenium

Tags
Automation Testing Selenium

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