Introduction

Capturing website screenshots is a crucial part of web monitoring, documentation, and reporting. Using n8n's PDF Toolkit node, you can automate this process and capture screenshots of websites in real time.

Website Screenshot Template

Link to n8n Workflow

Website Screenshot Template

Link to n8n Workflow

Why Automate Website Screenshots?

  • Monitor website changes dynamically
  • Generate visual archives for reports
  • Capture website previews for analysis or design reviews

Prerequisites

  • A self-hosted n8n instance
  • CustomJS PDF Toolkit node installed
  • A list of URLs to capture screenshots from

Workflow Overview

  1. Fetch URLs – Get the list of websites to capture
  2. Website Screenshot Node – Generate screenshots automatically
  3. Store or Send Screenshots – Save images to a storage service or send via email

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Fetch URLs for Screenshot Capture

  • Use the Google Sheets node to retrieve website URLs
  • Alternatively, fetch URLs from an API request

2. Generate Screenshots Using PDF Toolkit

  • Add the Website Screenshot node from the PDF Toolkit
  • Configure the URL input and select the output format (PNG, JPG, or PDF)
  • Set up screenshot delay if necessary for dynamic pages

3. Store or Distribute Screenshots

  • Save the screenshots to Google Drive, Dropbox, or an S3 bucket
  • Send the screenshots via email using the SMTP node

Final Thoughts

Automating website screenshots with n8n is a game-changer for web monitoring, marketing, and research teams. By integrating the PDF Toolkit node, you can ensure that screenshots are captured and stored efficiently without manual effort.