Approximates the current location of the Chrome browser across platforms.

chrome-location2

• By default checks only stable. Optionally can cascade to beta / dev / canary.
• Supports macOS / Windows / Linux
• Works both as an ES module or CommonJS

Installation

npm i chrome-location2

Usage

Via Node.js (strict by default):

import chromeLocation from 'chrome-location2'

// Strict (Stable only)
console.log(chromeLocation())
// => "/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome" or null

// Enable fallback (Stable / Beta / Dev / Canary; includes Chromium on macOS/Windows; Chromium/Chromium-browser on Linux)
console.log(chromeLocation(true))
// => first found among Stable/Beta/Dev/Canary (or Chromium) or null

// Throw with an install guide when not found (path-only resolution; never executes the browser)
import {locateChromeOrExplain, getInstallGuidance, getChromeVersion} from 'chrome-location2'
try {
  const path = locateChromeOrExplain({allowFallback: true})
  console.log(path)

  // Cross-platform version (no exec by default)
  const v = getChromeVersion(path)
  console.log(v) // e.g. "120.0.6099.109" or null

  // Opt-in: allow executing the binary to fetch version on platforms without metadata (e.g. Linux)
  const v2 = getChromeVersion(path, {allowExec: true})
  console.log(v2)
} catch (e) {
  console.error(String(e))
  // Or print getInstallGuidance() explicitly
}

CommonJS:

const api = require('chrome-location2')
const locateChrome = api.default || api

Via CLI:

npx chrome-location2
# Strict (Stable only)

npx chrome-location2 --fallback
# Enable cascade (Stable / Beta / Dev / Canary)

# Short flag
npx chrome-location2 -f

# Respect environment overrides
CHROME_FOR_TESTING_PATH=/custom/path/to/chrome npx chrome-location2

# Print Chrome version instead of path (no exec by default)
npx chrome-location2 --chrome-version

# Allow executing the binary if metadata is unavailable (mainly Linux)
npx chrome-location2 --chrome-version --allow-exec

Exit behavior:

• Prints the resolved path on success
• Exits with code 1 and prints a guidance message if nothing suitable is found
• When --chrome-version is used: prints version or exits with code 2 if not determinable without exec and --allow-exec was not provided

Notes:

• Output is colorized when printed to a TTY (green success, red error)
• After you run npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stable once, we auto-detect Chrome for Testing from Puppeteer's cache on all platforms. No env vars needed.

When nothing is found

When nothing is found, the helper throws with this message:

We couldn't find a Chrome/Chromium browser on this machine.

To install one:

1) Install Chrome for Testing (recommended)
   npx @puppeteer/browsers install chrome@stable

Re-run your command afterward and it will be detected automatically.

Alternatively, install Chromium via your system's package manager and re-run.

Support table

By default, only the Stable channel is checked. When fallback is enabled, Beta, Dev, and Canary (plus Chromium where applicable) are also checked (in that order) and the first existing path is returned.

Returns the first existing path found (given selected channels), or null if none are found.

API

• default export locateChrome(allowFallback?: boolean): string | null

  • Returns the first existing path among the selected channels or null.
  • When allowFallback is true, checks Stable → Beta → Dev → Canary. May also consider Chromium depending on platform.

• locateChromeOrExplain(options?: boolean | { allowFallback?: boolean }): string

  • Returns a path if found, otherwise throws an Error with a friendly installation guide.
  • Path resolution never executes the browser.

• getChromeVersion(bin: string, opts?: { allowExec?: boolean }): string | null

  • Cross-platform version resolver that does not execute the browser by default.
  • Windows: reads PE file metadata via PowerShell (no GUI spawn).
  • macOS: reads Info.plist (no GUI spawn).
  • Linux/other: attempts to infer from Puppeteer cache path; if not available, returns null unless allowExec is true.

• getInstallGuidance(): string

  • Returns the same guidance text used by locateChromeOrExplain().

Environment overrides

If any of these environment variables are set and point to an existing binary, they take precedence:

• CHROME_FOR_TESTING_PATH
• CHROMIUM_BINARY
• CHROME_BINARY

Related projects

• brave-location
• chromium-location
• edge-location
• firefox-location2
• safari-location2
• opera-location2
• vivaldi-location2
• waterfox-location
• librewolf-location
• yandex-location

License

MIT (c) Cezar Augusto.