Take Screenshots with Puppeteer

Overview

Exporting scraped data in screenshot format involves capturing visual representations of the scraped web pages or specific elements within them. Unlike structured data formats like JSON or CSV, screenshots provide a visual snapshot of the web page’s appearance during scraping.

Screenshot formats can include popular image formats such as PNG and JPEG. They offer a way to preserve the visual context of the scraped data, including text, images, styling, and layout.

When exporting scraped data in screenshot format, it’s essential to consider factors such as the resolution, quality, and file size of the captured images to ensure they meet our requirements and constraints.

When to use it?

Here are some situations where using screenshots for exporting data is advantageous:

• Visual confirmation: Screenshot exports are helpful when we need visual evidence or confirmation of the scraped web pages. It allows us to capture the exact appearance of the data on the website, preserving the visual context and layout of the information.

• Website monitoring: If we monitor changes or updates on a website, taking screenshots can help track visual differences over time. By comparing screenshots captured during different scraping sessions, we can identify visual changes or anomalies that may not be evident in structured data alone.

• Data presentation and documentation: Screenshots can enhance data presentation and documentation. Including visual representations of the scraped data alongside structured data formats provides a more comprehensive view and makes it easier for others to understand and interpret the information.

• Compliance and legal purposes: In some cases, capturing screenshots may be required for compliance or legal purposes. This could include documenting the appearance of specific web pages or user interfaces as evidence or for regulatory compliance reasons.

Taking screenshots in Puppeteer

The following code snippet shows how we can use the capabilities of Puppeteer to take screenshots. The screenshot function built into Puppeteer can be used for this purpose: