[1.11] Add support for the new Chrome headless mode

[sanderdlm]

Fixes #498

Reference: https://developer.chrome.com/articles/new-headless/

Imlemented just like Puppeteer:

To opt in to the new Headless mode in Puppeteer:

import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';

const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
  headless: 'new',
  // `headless: true` (default) enables old Headless;
  // `headless: 'new'` enables new Headless;
  // `headless: false` enables “headful” mode.
});

const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://developer.chrome.com/');

// …

await browser.close();

Passing true or not setting the flag at all still enables the old mode. False still disables the headless mode. Passing "new" enables the new headless mode.

From the blog post:

Currently, passing the --headless command-line flag without an explicit value still activates the old Headless mode — but we plan to change this default to new Headless over time.

This code will work during the transition period and allow users to test their applications against the new set-up

We plan to completely remove the old Headless from the Chrome binary and stop supporting this mode in Puppeteer later this year. As part of this removal, we’ll make the old Headless available as a separate standalone binary for those users who can’t upgrade yet.

When the old headless mode is removed, the default in this library might have to be switched to "new" (or Chrome will simply map --headless to --headless=new internally, we don't know yet)

[GrahamCampbell]

Thanks for looking into this. This looks like a great solution. Are you able to add test coverage and update the documentation too, please?

[sanderdlm]

Sure. Having a hard time coming up with a test though. From what I can tell Chrome has no way of differentiating between the old and new headless mode. Do you know about some flag I could check? Or is there a way I could read the parsed options from a BrowserProcess and check the mode there?

[GrahamCampbell]

Fair enough. I'd merge with just the updated docs, then. ;)

[buismaarten]

I just tested the new headless mode using the following code in a Docker container:

$browser = $browserFactory->createBrowser([
    'noSandbox' => true,
    'headless' => false,
    'customFlags' => [
        '--headless=new',
    ],
]);

I received the following error using Google Chrome 112.0.5615.165:

Fatal error: Uncaught RuntimeException: Chrome process stopped before startup completed. Additional info: mkdir: cannot create directory '/var/www/.local': Permission denied touch: cannot touch '/var/www/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list': No such file or directory chrome_crashpad_handler: --database is required Try 'chrome_crashpad_handler --help' for more information. [109:109:0427/084518.084594:ERROR:socket.cc(120)] recvmsg: Connection reset by peer (104) in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php:418 Stack trace:
#0 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Utils.php(60): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->HeadlessChromium\Browser\{closure}(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process))
#1 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(458): HeadlessChromium\Utils::tryWithTimeout(30000000, Object(Generator))
#2 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(139): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->waitForStartup(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process), 30000000)
#3 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/BrowserFactory.php(82): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->start('google-chrome', Array)
#4 /var/www/html/public/html.php(10): HeadlessChromium\BrowserFactory->createBrowser(Array)
#5 {main} thrown in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php on line 418

Using the normal headless mode works fine without any issues.

[enricodias]

I just tested the new headless mode using the following code in a Docker container:

$browser = $browserFactory->createBrowser([
    'noSandbox' => true,
    'headless' => false,
    'customFlags' => [
        '--headless=new',
    ],
]);

I received the following error using Google Chrome 112.0.5615.165:

Fatal error: Uncaught RuntimeException: Chrome process stopped before startup completed. Additional info: mkdir: cannot create directory '/var/www/.local': Permission denied touch: cannot touch '/var/www/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list': No such file or directory chrome_crashpad_handler: --database is required Try 'chrome_crashpad_handler --help' for more information. [109:109:0427/084518.084594:ERROR:socket.cc(120)] recvmsg: Connection reset by peer (104) in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php:418 Stack trace:
#0 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Utils.php(60): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->HeadlessChromium\Browser\{closure}(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process))
#1 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(458): HeadlessChromium\Utils::tryWithTimeout(30000000, Object(Generator))
#2 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(139): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->waitForStartup(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process), 30000000)
#3 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/BrowserFactory.php(82): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->start('google-chrome', Array)
#4 /var/www/html/public/html.php(10): HeadlessChromium\BrowserFactory->createBrowser(Array)
#5 {main} thrown in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php on line 418

Using the normal headless mode works fine without any issues.

That's similar to #401. If you create that file manually, does the error change?

[buismaarten]

When I manually create /var/www/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list, it gives the following error:

Fatal error: Uncaught RuntimeException: Chrome process stopped before startup completed. Additional info: chrome_crashpad_handler: --database is required Try 'chrome_crashpad_handler --help' for more information. [227:227:0427/145755.211751:ERROR:socket.cc(120)] recvmsg: Connection reset by peer (104) in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php:418 Stack trace:
#0 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Utils.php(60): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->HeadlessChromium\Browser\{closure}(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process))
#1 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(458): HeadlessChromium\Utils::tryWithTimeout(30000000, Object(Generator))
#2 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php(139): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->waitForStartup(Object(Symfony\Component\Process\Process), 30000000)
#3 /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/BrowserFactory.php(82): HeadlessChromium\Browser\BrowserProcess->start('google-chrome', Array)
#4 /var/www/html/public/html.php(10): HeadlessChromium\BrowserFactory->createBrowser(Array)
#5 {main} thrown in /var/www/html/vendor/chrome-php/chrome/src/Browser/BrowserProcess.php on line 418

[buismaarten]

Chrome is switching by default to the new headless version later this year, this is not working in Docker (yet).

We could allow the following configuration values:

1. new: enables new Headless;
2. old: enables the old Headless for backwards compatibility;
3. true: (default) enables old Headless;
4. false: enables “headful” mode.

---

Reference: https://developer.chrome.com/articles/new-headless/

[buismaarten]

FYI, the new Headless mode seems to work in version 113 and 114 using Docker.

[sanderdlm]

I don't really see the need for the "old" option. Setting the flag to true already enables the old headless mode, and by the time the default switches to the new one, they'll likely remove the old mode altogether. Keeping true/false backwards compatible and adding the "new" option is the way to go IMOm (just like Puppeteer has it)

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because there has been no recent activity. It will be closed after 30 days if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because there has been no recent activity. It will be closed after 30 days if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.