Capture a Webpage Screenshot in Tamil Using Java Selenium on Ubuntu

Use Selenium’s TakesScreenshot interface to save the browser’s visible viewport as a PNG. On Ubuntu, Tamil text will appear correctly only if the browser environment has a Tamil-capable font and can shape the script; Selenium can save an image successfully even when glyphs render as boxes. The code below uses ChromeDriver and Java, closes the browser reliably, and saves the capture to a chosen path.

1. What this captures

A standard WebDriver screenshot captures the top-level browsing context’s visual viewport as a lossless PNG. It does not promise a stitched image of the entire long page. An element screenshot covers the visible region of the element’s bounding rectangle after WebDriver scrolls it into view. These scopes come from the WebDriver specification; browser-specific full-page options should be treated separately.

For this procedure, use a working Java installation, Selenium Java dependencies, Chrome, and a ChromeDriver setup compatible with the Chrome installation and Ubuntu release. ChromeDriver is a separate executable used by Selenium to control Chrome. The exact installation steps depend on your Ubuntu, browser, Java, and Selenium versions, so record those versions and follow the official setup documentation for the environment.

2. Add Selenium and create the capture

Add Selenium Java to your project using its official installation guidance. With a project that already resolves Selenium on its classpath, save the following as CaptureTamilPage.java. This example uses Path.of, available from Java 11 onward.

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Path;

import org.openqa.selenium.OutputType;
import org.openqa.selenium.TakesScreenshot;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;

public class CaptureTamilPage {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
        String targetUrl = args.length > 0 ? args[0] : "https://example.com";
        Path output = Path.of(args.length > 1 ? args[1] : "tamil-page.png");

        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        try {
            driver.manage().window().setSize(
                    new org.openqa.selenium.Dimension(1365, 900));
            driver.get(targetUrl);

            File screenshot = ((TakesScreenshot) driver)
                    .getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE);
            Files.copy(screenshot.toPath(), output);
            System.out.println("Saved screenshot to " + output.toAbsolutePath());
        } finally {
            driver.quit();
        }
    }
}

Run it with the target URL and output path as optional arguments, using the classpath or build tool configured for Selenium:

java CaptureTamilPage https://example.com /tmp/tamil-page.png

The fixed window size makes the intended viewport explicit. It does not define a universal rendering size: choose dimensions that match the page or test case. Selenium’s official browser documentation demonstrates the same WebDriver, ChromeDriver, TakesScreenshot, and OutputType.FILE pattern, then copies the temporary screenshot file to a destination.

Save-path and lifecycle details

getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE) returns a temporary file. Copy it before the WebDriver session ends.
Files.copy fails if the destination already exists. Delete or choose a new destination if you want to overwrite it, or use an explicit replacement strategy.
Create parent directories before the copy if the output path includes a directory that does not exist.
The finally block calls quit() even if navigation or saving throws an exception. This prevents a browser process from being left behind.
For Java earlier than 11, replace Path.of(...) with Paths.get(...) and import java.nio.file.Paths.

3. Make sure Tamil renders before capture

Missing Tamil glyphs are usually a font or text-shaping problem, separate from screenshot capture. Ubuntu Desktop language support can include fonts and input methods, but support varies among applications. Noto Sans Tamil is a font for the Tamil script, and Tamil requires software support for complex text layout. Browsers can fall back to another font when the selected font lacks a character; that fallback must still cover the needed glyphs and render the script correctly.

Use a page or test fixture containing representative Tamil text, including the characters and combinations relevant to your content.
Confirm that a Tamil-capable font is installed and available to the browser process. Check the browser’s rendered page, not just the host’s font list.
Wait for the page content and fonts to finish loading before capture. A navigation return does not necessarily mean every late-loaded resource is ready.
Inspect the saved PNG at its actual size. Check for missing glyph boxes, incorrect shaping, clipping, and whether the page has reached the intended state.
For repeatable output, record Ubuntu release, Java version, Selenium version, Chrome version, ChromeDriver version, viewport size, and font setup.

Ubuntu’s language-support documentation describes desktop language components, and Noto’s documentation describes script coverage and shaping. Neither guarantees identical rendering for every browser package and release. Validate the exact browser environment used for capture.

4. Wait for the page to be ready

For a static page, driver.get() followed by capture may be sufficient. Dynamic pages can populate content, apply fonts, or load images after navigation. Use an explicit condition relevant to the page rather than relying on an arbitrary long sleep. For example, wait for a known content element:

import java.time.Duration;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.ExpectedConditions;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.WebDriverWait;

// After driver.get(targetUrl):
new WebDriverWait(driver, Duration.ofSeconds(20))
        .until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(
                By.cssSelector("main .article-content")));

File screenshot = ((TakesScreenshot) driver)
        .getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE);

Replace the selector with one that identifies the actual page content. If font loading matters, the page can expose a readiness signal or the capture code can wait for a suitable browser condition; do not assume that a visible container proves every custom font has loaded. Keep a bounded timeout and report a timeout as a page-readiness failure instead of silently saving an early or blank view.

5. Viewport, element, and full-page choices

Goal	Meaning	Practical choice
Viewport screenshot	The visible browser area at the current scroll position.	Use the `TakesScreenshot` code above. Set the window size and scroll position intentionally.
Element screenshot	The visible region of an element’s bounding rectangle after it is scrolled into view.	Use the Selenium element screenshot API when the target is one component; verify how the chosen driver handles the element dimensions.
Full document	The complete long page, including content beyond the visible viewport.	The standard screenshot call does not promise this. Choose a browser-specific capture method or a deliberate scroll-and-stitch workflow, then validate it in the target browser.

A scroll-and-stitch approach needs extra care: sticky headers can repeat, lazy-loaded content may appear only after scrolling, and page layout can shift between segments. If the requirement is a single full-page image, validate that the resulting dimensions and all Tamil text are complete. There is no portable full-page Java recipe established by the sources for this guide.

6. Common problems and fixes

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Tamil appears as squares or empty boxes	The browser cannot find a font with the required glyphs, or shaping support is unavailable in that environment.	Install or make available a Tamil-capable font such as Noto Sans Tamil, confirm browser font fallback, and inspect a representative test page. Check the actual browser package and Ubuntu release.
Tamil characters appear disconnected or incorrectly ordered	Complex text shaping is not working as expected, or the selected font/browser path is unsuitable.	Verify shaping support and the chosen font in the same browser environment used for capture. Compare the rendered page before investigating Selenium’s file-saving code.
The image is blank or content is missing	The page is still loading, a script failed, or the capture occurred before the target content appeared.	Wait for a page-specific element or readiness signal with a bounded timeout; inspect browser and driver logs for navigation errors.
The result shows only the top part of a long page	The standard WebDriver screenshot is a viewport capture.	Use a browser-specific full-page method or a tested scroll-and-stitch workflow.
`Files.copy` reports that the file exists	The destination already exists and the default copy does not replace it.	Choose another path, remove the prior file, or use a deliberate replacement option.
Chrome does not start or the session cannot be created	ChromeDriver is missing, inaccessible, or incompatible with the installed browser setup.	Check the official ChromeDriver Linux setup instructions and verify the browser and driver versions and executable availability.
The screenshot is clipped or has unexpected dimensions	The browser window or viewport is not the intended size, or the page changed layout.	Set the window size before navigation, confirm the resulting image dimensions, and account for responsive breakpoints and browser chrome.

A community report describes missing Tamil glyphs in Chrome and Edge on Ubuntu and mentions font and browser-setting workarounds. Treat that as anecdotal troubleshooting, not a guaranteed fix; verify current package names and settings for the Ubuntu release in use.

7. Performance, reliability, and cost

A local Selenium capture uses browser and driver processes and waits on the target site’s navigation and rendering. Capture time therefore depends on the page, environment, and readiness condition; the research sources provide no benchmark. Keep sessions scoped to the work, always quit the driver, use explicit bounded waits, and avoid repeatedly capturing before the page is ready. For reproducibility, pin or record the browser, driver, Selenium, Java, font, and viewport configuration.

Local capture has no per-screenshot ScreenshotNeo charge, but it does require maintaining the browser automation environment and its dependencies. If operating cost or infrastructure matters, compare the maintenance required for your deployment with a hosted screenshot service’s plan and billing rules.

Or skip the browser setup

ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server from Yorker Media. One GET request returns a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF; see the API documentation for parameters and response details. For a simple capture, use this Java example:

import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.util.Map;

import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.OutputType;
import org.openqa.selenium.TakesScreenshot;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.ExpectedConditions;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.WebDriverWait;
import java.time.Duration;

public class CaptureTamilPage {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
        String targetUrl = args.length > 0 ? args[0] : "https://example.com";
        Path output = Path.of(args.length > 1 ? args[1] : "tamil-page.png");
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
        try {
            driver.manage().window().setSize(
                    new org.openqa.selenium.Dimension(1365, 900));
            driver.get(targetUrl);
            new WebDriverWait(driver, Duration.ofSeconds(20))
                    .until(ExpectedConditions.presenceOfElementLocated(By.tagName("body")));
            Files.copy(((TakesScreenshot) driver).getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE).toPath(), output);
        } finally {
            driver.quit();
        }
    }
}

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8. FAQ

Does Selenium save a screenshot as PNG?

Yes. The WebDriver screenshot mechanism returns PNG data; Selenium’s Java example uses OutputType.FILE to provide a file you can copy.

Can a screenshot contain Tamil text if the page has Tamil HTML?

Only if the browser can render the script with suitable font coverage and shaping. Inspect the saved image to confirm the output.

Does this Java code work on every Ubuntu release?

The capture API is Selenium’s Java pattern, but browser, driver, Java, and package compatibility depends on the specific versions installed. Follow the official Linux setup guidance for that environment.

Does the basic call capture a PDF or the entire page?

No. The example saves a viewport PNG. PDF and full-page capture are separate requirements that need their own supported method.