Is Headless Chrome Faster for Selenium Script Execution?

Running Headless Chrome with Selenium in Python

You're considering running your Selenium script with headless Chrome to improve its speed. However, it's unclear if this assumption holds true. This article provides guidance on running headless Chrome effectively and addresses potential issues you may encounter.

Does Headless Chrome Improve Script Speed?

In general, running scripts with headless Chrome can enhance speed. Without the graphical user interface (GUI), headless Chrome eliminates time-consuming browser rendering, leading to faster execution.

How to Run Headless Chrome in Python

To configure Chrome to run in headless mode, add the --headless argument to your Selenium chrome_options as shown below:

<code class="python">from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options

chrome_options = Options()
chrome_options.add_argument("--headless=new") # for Chrome >= 109
# for older versions, use: chrome_options.add_argument("--headless")

# Optional arguments to optimize performance:
# chrome_options.add_argument("--disable-extensions")
# chrome_options.add_argument("--disable-gpu")
# chrome_options.add_argument("--no-sandbox") # Linux only

driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=chrome_options)</code>

Troubleshooting

If headless Chrome is not working correctly, consider the following:

• Ensure you have the correct version of Chrome. Headless mode is supported in recent versions.
• Verify that the --headless=new (or --headless) argument is added to the chrome_options.
• Inspect the console output for any errors or warnings.
• Consider additional optimization options such as --disable-extensions or --disable-gpu to enhance performance.

References:

• [Headless Chrome](https://sites.google.com/a/chromium.org/chromedriver/capabilities/chrome-command-line-switches)

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