[🐛 Bug]: For HTTP based web applications spawnSync() is not spawning SeleniumManager process

[fmrahman]

What happened?

When using HTTP based applications the spawnSync() is not opening SeleniumManager process resulting in the below exception.

Failed to build driver for chrome
Supplied capabilities: {}
Server: none
Error: Error: Driver took too long to build. This is likely an issue with the browser or driver.

OS: darwin
Node: v23.1.0
Selenium-Webdriver: 4.25.0

This is breaking at the boundary of the following code in selenium-webdriver:

// BEGIN SELENIUM-WEBDRIVER CODE
const webdriver = require('selenium-webdriver')
const driver = new webdriver.Builder().withCapabilities({}).forBrowser('chrome').build()
// END SELENIUM-WEBDRIVER CODE

When using HTTPS applications this issue is not there.
This HTTP application doesn't require proxy. But when I run the test with proxy options I will not get the above exception and the execution fails as the page can't be loaded due to the presence of proxy (this is expected).
Now after this run when I re-run the same test without the proxy options the test passes with no exception. This will run fine without any exceptions but again after one hour (probably) again the exception will be thrown.

Below is the stack I am using in my mac.
OS : macOS Sequoia 15.1.1
node: v23.1.0
selenium-side-runner: 4.0.12
Selenium-Webdriver: 4.25.0
chromedriver: 131.0.6778.264
Chrome Browser: 131.0.6778.265

I am also facing this issue in the Docker container. Below is the stack used in container
OS: Oracle Linux v8
ChromeDriver: 125.0.6422.78
Google Chrome: 125.0.6422.112
selenium-side-runner: 4.0.12
Selenium-Webdriver: 4.25.0
node: v20.11.1

How can we reproduce the issue?

Please check the below repo for the http app and the side-script
https://github.com/fmrahman/nodejs

Relevant log output

console.error

              Failed to build driver for chrome
              Supplied capabilities: {}
              Server: none
              Error: Error: Driver took too long to build. This is likely an issue with the browser or driver.

              OS: darwin
              Node: v23.1.0
              Selenium-Webdriver: 4.25.0

              This is breaking at the boundary of the following code in selenium-webdriver:

              // BEGIN SELENIUM-WEBDRIVER CODE
              const webdriver = require('selenium-webdriver')
              const driver = new webdriver.Builder().withCapabilities({}).forBrowser('chrome').build()
              // END SELENIUM-WEBDRIVER CODE

              To ensure the bug is in selenium IDE, please attempt to run the above code in a script or node REPL.
              You may have to npm install selenium-webdriver first.

              If you are unable to proceed further, please raise a bug here:
              https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/issues/new?assignees=&labels=I-defect%2Cneeds-triaging&projects=&template=bug-report.yml&title=%5B%F0%9F%90%9B+Bug%5D%3A+

              If this code works in selenium-webdriver, but not the IDE or side-runner, please raise a bug here:
              https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium-ide/issues/new?assignees=&labels=&projects=&template=bug.md


      at WebDriverExecutor.getDriver (node_modules/@seleniumhq/side-runtime/src/webdriver.ts:222:25)
      at WebDriverExecutor.init (node_modules/@seleniumhq/side-runtime/src/webdriver.ts:267:6)
      at Playback.init (node_modules/@seleniumhq/side-runtime/dist/playback.js:69:9)
      at Playback.play (node_modules/@seleniumhq/side-runtime/src/playback.ts:171:7)
      at src/run.ts:184:10

Operating System

macOS Sequoia 15.1.1

Selenium version

selenium-side-runner: 4.0.12, Selenium-Webdriver: 4.25.0

What are the browser(s) and version(s) where you see this issue?

Chrome Browser: 131.0.6778.265

What are the browser driver(s) and version(s) where you see this issue?

chromedriver: 131.0.6778.264

Are you using Selenium Grid?

No response

[github-actions]

@fmrahman, thank you for creating this issue. We will troubleshoot it as soon as we can.

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Thank you!

[diemol]

The issue is that the system under test is inside your network and to download the browser and driver through Selenium Manager; you need internet access. If you add a proxy configuration, the script can access the internet, but you cannot access your local site.

It works for a while because Selenium Manager checks every hour to see if there is a new browser or driver version.

Options for you to fix it:

• Configure the proxy also to recognize your local site
• Run the script once with proxy, let it error, and configure the ttl to a higher value
• Copy all drivers and browsers to your internal network and change the mirror URL.

[fmrahman]

Hi @diemol
Thanks for the answer. I have gone through the Selenium Manager document.
Can I use --offline option in my case so that the Selenium Manager shouldn't check for any updates of browser and driver?

[diemol]

You can, yes. However you need to make sure there is a driver and a browser present.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity since it was closed. Please open a new issue for related bugs.