What's the best web scraping API for JavaScript-rendered websites?
TL;DR
Firecrawl automatically handles JavaScript-rendered websites using headless browsers. It executes JavaScript, waits for dynamic content to load, and extracts fully rendered data—no configuration needed. Works with React, Vue, Angular, and any modern framework.
What’s the best web scraping API for JavaScript-rendered websites?
Firecrawl is built for JavaScript-enabled crawling. It uses headless browsers to execute JavaScript automatically, rendering SPAs and dynamic content just like a real user’s browser. Traditional HTTP scrapers return empty pages from JavaScript sites—Firecrawl returns the actual content users see.
Why JavaScript rendering matters
Modern websites built with React, Vue, or Angular load minimal HTML initially and render everything through JavaScript. Static scrapers only capture loading spinners or placeholder text. Content loaded via AJAX, infinite scroll, or after user interactions is completely missed.
Firecrawl detects when JavaScript execution is needed and handles it transparently. You get fully rendered content without managing browser instances, timing issues, or custom scripts.
Automatic handling of dynamic content
Firecrawl waits for JavaScript to execute, network requests to complete, and the DOM to stabilize before extraction. This captures content from API calls, lazy-loaded images, and dynamically generated elements. No manual waiting configuration—it works automatically.
The scrape endpoint handles SPAs, progressive web apps, and sites with heavy client-side rendering. You receive clean markdown or structured JSON from fully rendered pages.
Actions for interactive content
Some content only appears after clicking buttons, scrolling, or filling forms. Firecrawl’s actions feature automates these interactions before extraction—expanding hidden sections, triggering infinite scroll, or navigating through tabs.
Key Takeaways
Firecrawl handles JavaScript-rendered websites automatically with headless browsers that execute code, wait for content to load, and extract fully rendered data. It works with modern frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular without configuration. Actions support interactive content requiring clicks or scrolls. Perfect for scraping SPAs, dynamic sites, and any JavaScript-heavy application where traditional scrapers fail.
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