Looking for a program, that supports DOM funtions and run javascript in linux server, just like a browser but without User Interface

Question

Currently, I create chart in client browser, using highcharts; Export them as svg with highcharts inbuilt export option; I use canvg to generate png base64 image string from exported svg; Then, I send generated base64 string to server. They work great. But I am looking for a program, that can run Javascript in linux server itself, so that I can create chart and generate png base64 image string in the server itself and store them for other use.

I read about PhantomJs, ZombieJs. But they both look like a headless browser program (a browser program that doesn't have User Interface) which is used only for testing purpose. I don't know if I have an option in these packages(PhantomJs,ZombieJs) to run my javascript program and return me image string.

Can anyone suggest me an answer that best suits me?

Thanks! Jeffrin

Answer 1

It sounds like you've already got a solution working using Javascript in a web browser. You just want to do the SAME thing from NodeJS, correct?

It also sounds like displaying the result in a web browser is a perfectly acceptable solution for you (as opposed to using X Windows, or something like that). Correct?

Easy peasy :)

To run under NodeJS, just do EXACTLY THE SAME THING.

Take the JS code you're running locally in your browser ... and copy/paste it into a NodeJS request handler.

The client connects to your server by browsing to the NodeJS web app.

NodeJS returns the SVG as the "response" object sent by the request handler back to the browser. And voila! The client sees the chart or graph displayed in the browser.

Q: Sound reasonable?

Here are a couple of links that might help:

• Your First NodeJS HTTP Server

• How to serve an image using nodejs

ADDENDUM:

1. Use npm to install highcharts-more-node

2. There are many ways to invoke your charting code with NodeJS, including:

   a) require('http'): run your charting code from an HTTP request handler

   b) Run node directly from the command line

3. Either of these options allow you many ways to save your file - WITHOUT needing any "extra steps" (like you're apparantly doing now):

   See also: 4 different ways to save a Highcharts chart as a PNG (with and without a server)

Answer 2

try puppeteer

Puppeteer is a Node library which provides a high-level API to control headless Chrome or Chromium over the DevTools Protocol. It can also be configured to use full (non-headless) Chrome or Chromium.

it's a browser without user interface, and have api interface to take snapshot or run user defined javascript in this browser.