What are the limitations of chrome headless browser?

Question

We have written bunch of test cases for code coverage using jasmine javascript. First of all, we are using phantom JS to run the test cases. While test case counts are persistently increased test cases are caused fatal memory exception in phantom JS. so finally we are jumped into the chrome headless browser. but we have ensured that all of the test cases(500) are running successfully in chrome and phantom JS. but 50 of test cases failed in chrome headless. could any one tell me, the drawbacks or any limitations is available for chromeheadless?.

Please provide some suggestion for this?

Answer 1

Headless Chrome is not stable yet in comparison to "full" Chrome.

In my opinion there will always be problems with headless vs phantomjs (and others) vs full versions. And so there will always be place for phantomjs (and others) in the world of automated testing. Consider your choice wisely.

Few possible limitations of Headless Chrome:

• Headless mode is available on Mac and Linux in Chrome 59. Windows support is coming in Chrome 60. To check what version of Chrome you have, open chrome://version.

• Rendering, race conditions, resizing, page height, async code and binding issues.

There are quite too many of them to just list.

The best idea for me is to just go through all bugs listed on Chromium headless bug lists and follow test automation blogers:

• Chromium headless bugs
• Using headless Chrome as an automated screenshot tool
• Headless-dev Google Group

Answer 2

I am using headless chrome in version 65 in protractor test execution and I find it pretty stable for a suite of 500+ tests and even for the failed tests screenshots captured are of decent quality and useful.

Answer 3

I have been very happy with Chrome Headless, I found one issue when running the tests headless. The issue is that the browser errors are not rendered when chrome runs headless.

For example the below error is shown, but during the test if you take a screenshot of a situation like this you get an empty blank page. This confused me a lot. The chrome developers said it was behaviour as intended.