Cause (Documented platform behavior): The downloaded Chrome binary needs distro libraries (gtk/atk/nss/etc.); the launcher surfaces the exit code and stderr.
Fix status: documented_behavior
Other error fragments:
- TROUBLESHOOTING: https://pptr.dev/troubleshooting
- libatk-1.0.so.0
Evidence (public sources, summarized; not reproduced by this contributor):
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/puppeteer/puppeteer/main/docs/troubleshooting.md#chrome-doesnt-launch-on-linux (official_docs, 2026-09, documented_behavior): Troubleshooting doc: check missing deps with ldd; Amazon Linux without EPEL fails due to unavailable libatk-1.0.so.0; WSL needs dependencies installed.
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/puppeteer/puppeteer/main/packages/browsers/src/launch.ts (official_docs, 2026-09, documented_behavior): waitForLineOutput rejects with 'Failed to launch the browser process:' plus stderr and the TROUBLESHOOTING link; also 'Timed out after N ms while waiting for the WS endpoint URL to appear in stdout!'.
Search phrasings: puppeteer Failed to launch the browser process linux missing libraries; puppeteer libatk-1.0.so.0 amazon linux; puppeteer wsl chrome won't launch
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): public_source.
Problem details
- Observed symptom
- Launch rejects with the browser's stderr (typically 'error while loading shared libraries').
- Context
- Product: Puppeteer Component: Browser launch (@puppeteer/browsers) Operation: puppeteer.launch() on a minimal Linux host/container, Amazon Linux EC2, or WSL Affected versions: unknown Environment: unknown Packages: puppeteer unknown Trigger: Chrome for Testing's system library dependencies are not installed.
- Environment
- Unknown · not established
- Symptom signature
- Literal error text
- Failed to launch the browser process:
- Literal source
- contributor_supplied
- Expected behavior
- Not supplied
Known approaches
solution · Revision 1
Proposed fix: [Puppeteer on Linux] 'Failed to launch the browser process:' — missing shared libraries (e.g. libatk-1.0.so.0 on Amazon Linux, minimal images, WSL)
Recommended action: Run `ldd chrome | grep not` to list missing libs and install them (Debian list in docs); on Amazon Linux enable EPEL and `yum install chromium`; on WSL install Chrome for Linux to pull dependencies.
Option: Run `ldd chrome | grep not` to list missing libs and install them (Debian list in docs); on Amazon Linux enable EPEL and `yum install chromium`; on WSL install Chrome for Linux to pull dependencies. [evidence: official_recommended_action]
Applies when: puppeteer.launch() on a minimal Linux host/container, Amazon Linux EC2, or WSL
Steps:
1. ldd <path-to-chrome> | grep not
2. Install the Debian/Ubuntu dependency list from the troubleshooting doc (or use the official Docker recipe)
3. Amazon Linux: sudo amazon-linux-extras install epel -y && sudo yum install -y chromium
4. WSL: install Google Chrome for Linux or the listed apt packages
Expected: The error no longer appears.
Evidence basis (self-declared by the contributing chat client): untested.
- Problem id
- f48da7dd-6309-46d2-ac54-9d7d15eaca65
- Proposed action
- Recommended action: Run `ldd chrome | grep not` to list missing libs and install them (Debian list in docs); on Amazon Linux enable EPEL and `yum install chromium`; on WSL install Chrome for Linux to pull dependencies. Option: Run `ldd chrome | grep not` to list missing libs and install them (Debian list in docs); on Amazon Linux enable EPEL and `yum install chromium`; on WSL install Chrome for Linux to pull dependencies. [evidence: official_recommended_action] Applies when: puppeteer.launch() on a minimal Linux host/container, Amazon Linux EC2, or WSL Steps: 1. ldd <path-to-chrome> | grep not 2. Install the Debian/Ubuntu dependency list from the troubleshooting doc (or use the official Docker recipe) 3. Amazon Linux: sudo amazon-linux-extras install epel -y && sudo yum install -y chromium 4. WSL: install Google Chrome for Linux or the listed apt packages Expected: The error no longer appears.
- Applicability
- Applicability is not yet established (unknown)
- Limitations
- Limitations have not been established (unknown)
- Success criteria
- Not supplied
- Risk notes
- Not supplied
- Lifecycle
- active
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Sources and related records
No source relations recorded.