Is it possible to intercept network requests with headless_chrome (Rust)?

Yes, it is possible to intercept network requests with headless Chrome in Rust. To do this, you would typically use a library like headless_chrome, which is a high-level web scraping library that allows you to control a real Chrome browser.

The library provides a way to listen to network requests and responses, and you can use this feature to intercept them. However, headless_chrome is not actively maintained and might lack some features or have bugs. Always check the current status of the library or look for alternatives like fantoccini which is a Rust library for controlling a browser via the WebDriver protocol.

Here is a basic example of how you might use headless_chrome to intercept network requests:

use headless_chrome::{Browser, protocol::network::events::RequestIntercepted};

async fn intercept_network_requests() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    // Launch a new browser instance
    let browser = Browser::new().expect("Failed to initialize headless browser");

    // Create a new tab
    let tab = browser.wait_for_initial_tab().expect("Failed to get initial tab");

    // Enable the Network domain
    tab.enable_network().expect("Failed to enable network");

    // Set up a request interception with a pattern
    tab.set_request_interception(&["*"], Box::new(|_transport, request_intercepted_params| {
        println!("Intercepted request: {:?}", request_intercepted_params);
        // You can determine here whether to continue, modify, or abort the request
        Box::pin(async move {
            Ok(())
        })
    })).expect("Failed to set up request interception");

    // Navigate to a website
    tab.navigate_to("http://example.com").expect("Failed to navigate");

    // Wait for the page to load or for network idle
    tab.wait_until_navigated().expect("Failed to wait for navigation");

    // Your code to work with the page goes here

    Ok(())
}

fn main() {
    // Since we are using async, we need an executor
    futures::executor::block_on(intercept_network_requests()).expect("Failed to run");
}

In this example: - We're starting a new headless Chrome browser instance. - We're enabling the network domain on the tab. - We're setting up request interception to listen to all requests. - We're navigating to a website and waiting for the navigation to complete.

Please note that the headless_chrome crate does not have strong documentation, and this example is a simplified illustration of what intercepting network requests might look like. The actual implementation might differ, and you may need to dive into the crate's source code or look for community examples for more complex use cases.

Additionally, the landscape of Rust libraries for web scraping and browser automation is evolving, and new libraries might be available that offer this functionality in a more robust or user-friendly way. Always check the latest resources and documentation for the most up-to-date methods.