How to build a browserless application with Edge Functions

This guide demonstrates how to create a browserless application using Azion Edge Functions. Browserless applications allow you to perform web automation tasks, scraping, and browser-based operations without the overhead of running a full browser instance, making them ideal for edge computing environments.

Requirements

Before you begin, ensure you have:

An Azion account
Azion CLI installed and configured
Node.js version 18 or higher
pnpm package manager installed
Basic understanding of JavaScript and Edge Functions

Getting started

Step 1: Set up your development environment

Clone the browserless example repository:

git clone https://github.com/egermano/edge-functions-examples.git
cd edge-functions-examples/packages/browserless

Install the project dependencies:

pnpm install

Review the project structure to understand the implementation:

ls -la

You should see the main files including the Edge Function implementation and configuration files.

Step 2: Configure environment variables

Create a .env file based on the example:

cp .env.example .env

Edit the .env file to include any required configuration values for your browserless implementation.

Step 3: Build the project

Compile your Edge Function for deployment:

pnpm dlx edge-functions@latest build

This command builds your Edge Function and prepares it for deployment to Azion’s edge network.

Step 4: Test locally

Before deploying, test your browserless function locally:

pnpm dlx edge-functions@latest dev

This starts a local development server where you can test your browserless application functionality.

Deploying to Azion

Step 1: Authenticate with Azion

azion login

Follow the authentication prompts to connect your CLI with your Azion account.

Step 2: Create storage bucket (if required)

If your browserless application needs to store files or data, create a storage bucket:

azion create bucket my-browserless-storage

Step 3: Deploy the Edge Function

Deploy your browserless application to Azion’s edge network:

azion deploy

The deployment process will:

Upload your Edge Function code
Configure the edge application
Set up the necessary routing rules
Provide you with a unique domain

Step 4: Access your application

After deployment, you’ll receive a domain like https://xxxxxxx.map.azionedge.net. Your browserless application will be available at this URL within a few minutes after DNS propagation.

Understanding the implementation

Edge Function structure

The browserless Edge Function typically includes:

Request handling: Processing incoming HTTP requests
Browser automation logic: Implementing browserless operations
Response formatting: Returning results in the appropriate format
Error handling: Managing failures and edge cases

Key benefits

Performance: Runs at the edge, reducing latency
Scalability: Automatically scales with demand
Cost-effective: No need to maintain browser instances
Security: Isolated execution environment

Common use cases

Web scraping and data extraction
PDF generation from HTML
Screenshot capture
Form automation
API testing and monitoring

Testing your browserless application

Functionality testing: Verify all automation features work correctly
Performance testing: Ensure response times meet your requirements
Error handling: Test edge cases and error scenarios
Security testing: Validate input sanitization and output security

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions

Deployment failures: Check your environment variables and build process
Runtime errors: Review Edge Function logs in Azion Console
Performance issues: Optimize your browserless operations for edge execution
Memory limitations: Ensure your operations stay within Edge Function memory limits

Next steps

Explore advanced browserless automation techniques
Implement monitoring and logging for your application
Consider integrating with other Azion products like Edge Storage
Scale your application based on usage patterns