SlimerJS is a scriptable browser for web development and testing, similar to PhantomJS. It allows you to interact with web pages using JavaScript and execute scripts in a headless browser environment. SlimerJS is particularly useful for automating tasks like web scraping, testing, and screen capturing. It provides a high level of control over the browser environment and supports various web standards.
Zombie is a headless browser testing framework for Node.js, designed for automating browser interactions and testing web applications. It allows developers to simulate user actions like clicking, form filling, and navigation without the need for a graphical interface. Zombie provides a simple API for writing tests and supports various features like cookies, local storage, and HTTPS. It is particularly useful for testing client-side JavaScript applications and ensuring their functionality.
Alternatives:
puppeteer-+
playwright-+
selenium-webdriver-+
cypress-+
testcafe-+
nightwatch-+
webdriverio-+
taiko-+
protractor-+
casperjs-+
Tags: node.jstestingheadless-browserautomationweb
Fight!
Popularity
Both SlimerJS and Zombie are popular npm packages for headless browser automation, but Zombie has gained more popularity and has a larger community support.
Browser Compatibility
SlimerJS is a headless browser that uses Gecko, the rendering engine used by Firefox, while Zombie is a headless browser that uses jsdom, a JavaScript implementation of the DOM. This means that SlimerJS can provide better compatibility with Firefox-specific features, while Zombie may have better compatibility with web standards and other browsers.
API and Functionality
Both packages provide a similar set of features for browser automation, including DOM manipulation, form submission, and navigation. However, SlimerJS offers a more comprehensive API and supports more advanced features like taking screenshots and injecting custom JavaScript code into web pages.
Performance
In terms of performance, SlimerJS is generally faster than Zombie due to its use of the Gecko engine. However, the performance difference may vary depending on the specific use case and the complexity of the web pages being automated.
Documentation and Community Support
Both packages have documentation available, but Zombie has more extensive and well-maintained documentation. Zombie also has a larger community support with active contributors and a dedicated GitHub repository, making it easier to find help and resources.
Maintenance
SlimerJS has not seen active development since 2017 and is considered to be in a maintenance mode. On the other hand, Zombie is actively maintained and regularly updated, ensuring compatibility with the latest web technologies and bug fixes.
