Built-in browser
The built-in browser is where you build and test tasks. It lets you open the target website, select elements, create actions, and preview extracted data. You can use it to:- Open target URLs
- Select text, links, images, and other elements
- Click buttons or menu items
- Handle pagination or infinite scroll
- Log in when a task requires session setup
- Test how a page loads during extraction
Select Mode vs Browse Mode
Octoparse uses different interaction modes when building a task.
Use Browse Mode when you need to manually interact with the page before continuing task setup, such as logging in, closing a popup, opening a menu, or reaching the page state you want to scrape.
Local-run browser choices
To choose which browser runs a Local run, or to sign in or pass a verification by hand during one, see User-Agent and browser modes.Dynamic pages
Many websites load data after the initial page load. The built-in browser helps you configure actions for these cases. Common dynamic behaviors include:- Infinite scroll
- “Load more” buttons
- Dropdown filters
- Tabs
- Popups
- JavaScript-rendered content
- Login walls
- Detail pages opened after clicking a list item
Best practices
- Wait until the page is fully loaded before selecting fields.
- Use Browse Mode for manual navigation, then switch back to Select Mode.
- Add wait steps when content loads slowly.
- Test a small sample before running the full task.
- Recheck field selection if a website changes its layout.
- Use logs when a task behaves differently during a run.
A browser-based task depends on the target website’s structure and behavior. After changing a browser mode, validate the final page, screenshot, and sample fields before you schedule or scale the task.