> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ultrafunkamsterdam/nodriver/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install nodriver and set up your environment for browser automation

## Prerequisites

Before installing nodriver, ensure you have:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Python 3.9 or higher">
    nodriver requires Python 3.9 or later. Check your version:

    ```bash theme={null}
    python --version
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="A Chromium-based browser">
    You need Chrome, Chromium, Edge, or Brave installed on your system, preferably in the default location.

    <Note>
      nodriver will automatically locate your browser in most cases. You can specify a custom path if needed.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Install with pip

The easiest way to install nodriver is using pip:

```bash theme={null}
pip install nodriver
```

<Tip>
  It's recommended to use a virtual environment to avoid dependency conflicts:

  ```bash theme={null}
  python -m venv venv
  source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
  pip install nodriver
  ```
</Tip>

## Update to the latest version

To update nodriver to the latest version:

```bash theme={null}
pip install -U nodriver
```

## Dependencies

nodriver has minimal dependencies that will be installed automatically:

* **mss** - For screen capture functionality
* **websockets** (>=14) - For CDP communication
* **deprecated** - For deprecation warnings

### Optional dependencies

For additional features, you may want to install:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="opencv-python (for Cloudflare verification)">
    Required for the `tab.cf_verify()` method to work:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pip install opencv-python
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Development dependencies">
    If you're contributing to nodriver:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pip install nodriver[dev]
    ```

    This includes: black, build, isort, sphinx, and other development tools.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Installation for headless environments

If you're running nodriver on a server or in a Docker container without a display, you have two options:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Headless mode">
    Run nodriver in headless mode (no visible browser window):

    ```python theme={null}
    import nodriver as uc

    async def main():
        browser = await uc.start(headless=True)
        # Your code here

    uc.loop().run_until_complete(main())
    ```

    <Warning>
      Headless mode may be more detectable by anti-bot systems. Use with caution.
    </Warning>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Virtual display (Xvfb)">
    Use Xvfb to emulate a screen on headless servers:

    **Install Xvfb:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    # Debian/Ubuntu
    apt-get install xvfb

    # Red Hat/CentOS
    yum install xorg-x11-server-Xvfb
    ```

    **Run your script with Xvfb:**

    ```bash theme={null}
    xvfb-run python your_script.py
    ```

    Or in Python:

    ```python theme={null}
    from xvfbwrapper import Xvfb

    with Xvfb():
        # Your nodriver code here
        pass
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Docker installation

For Docker environments, here's a sample Dockerfile:

```dockerfile theme={null}
FROM python:3.11-slim

# Install Chrome
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    wget \
    gnupg \
    && wget -q -O - https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub | apt-key add - \
    && echo "deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google.list \
    && apt-get update \
    && apt-get install -y google-chrome-stable \
    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Install nodriver
RUN pip install nodriver

# Copy your script
COPY your_script.py .

CMD ["python", "your_script.py"]
```

## Verify installation

Verify that nodriver is installed correctly:

```python theme={null}
import nodriver as uc

print(f"nodriver version: {uc.__version__}")
```

Or run a quick test:

```python theme={null}
import nodriver as uc

async def test():
    browser = await uc.start()
    tab = await browser.get('https://www.google.com')
    print(f"Page title: {await tab.get_title()}")
    browser.stop()

uc.loop().run_until_complete(test())
```

If this runs without errors and prints a page title, you're all set!

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Browser not found">
    If nodriver can't find your browser, specify the path manually:

    ```python theme={null}
    browser = await uc.start(
        browser_executable_path="/path/to/chrome"
    )
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Permission errors">
    On Linux/Mac, you may need to make the browser executable:

    ```bash theme={null}
    chmod +x /path/to/chrome
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Port already in use">
    If you get a port conflict error, nodriver will usually find another port automatically. If issues persist, you can specify a port:

    ```python theme={null}
    from nodriver import Config

    config = Config()
    config.port = 9223  # Use a different port
    browser = await uc.start(config=config)
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Websockets connection failed">
    Ensure you have websockets version 14 or higher:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pip install --upgrade websockets
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<Card title="Quickstart guide" icon="play" href="/quickstart">
  Now that you have nodriver installed, learn how to build your first automation script
</Card>