> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.octoparse.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Scraping browsers

> Understand how Octoparse uses browser-based extraction to load pages, interact with websites, and build scraping workflows.

Octoparse uses a browser-based environment to open websites, interact with page elements, and build extraction workflows. This helps handle websites where data appears after clicks, scrolling, login, or JavaScript loading.

## 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

## Selection mode vs Browse Mode

Octoparse uses different interaction modes when building a task.

| Mode             | Use it for                                             |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Selection mode   | Select page elements and create extraction actions     |
| Browse Mode      | Interact with the page like a normal browser           |
| Workflow testing | Watch the task execute actions and collect sample data |

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.

## Chrome Mode

Chrome Mode uses a Chrome browser to open pages and collect data instead of the built-in browser. Because Chrome Mode uses a fully featured browser with a complete fingerprint and behavior profile that closely mirrors a real user, it is more stable than the built-in browser and less likely to be detected or blocked by websites with strict anti-bot measures.

Use Chrome Mode when:

* The built-in browser fails to load the target page correctly
* The website detects and blocks non-standard browsers
* A more complete browser environment is needed to replicate real user behavior

## 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

For these pages, the task may need waits, scroll actions, clicks, or pagination steps.

## Best practices

* Wait until the page is fully loaded before selecting fields.
* Use Browse Mode for manual navigation, then switch back to selection 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](/docs/platform/logs-and-events) when a task behaves differently during a run.

<Note>
  A browser-based task depends on the structure and behavior of the target website. If the website changes, the task may need to be updated.
</Note>