browser.window.open('tab') error in incognito "Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"

[reallymello]

Description of the bug/issue

When I run my test suite using

chromeOptions: {
          args: ['--incognito'],
        },

and I open a new tab in my test using browser.window.open('tab') I expect a new tab to open, but instead I receive error

Error   Error while running .openNewWindow() protocol action: unknown error: unhandled inspector error: {"code":-32000,"message":"Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"}   │
│     (Session info: chrome=126.0.6478.61)     

Steps to reproduce

Run npx nightwatch with your nightwatch.conf.js using the chrome incognito args

Sample test

import { NightwatchTests } from 'nightwatch';

const home: NightwatchTests = {
  'New tab test': () => {
    browser.url('https://google.com/ncr').assert.titleEquals('Google');

    browser.window.open('tab');
  },
  after: () => {
    browser.end();
  },
};

export default home;

Command to run

npx nightwatch

Verbose Output

npx nightwatch --verbose
 Launching up to 1 concurrent test worker processes...

Running   default: google.ts  

DevTools listening on ws://127.0.0.1:56419/devtools/browser/f38c44f4-86da-4ad3-8462-a04d8fa448b5
┌ ────────────────── √  default: google.ts  ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default [Nightwatch\google] Test Suite                                                                                                                                                     │
│   default ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────                                                                                                                       │
│   default Starting ChromeDriver...                                                                                                                                                           │
│   default (node:28968) [DEP0040] DeprecationWarning: The `punycode` module is deprecated. Please use a userland alternative instead.                                                         │
│   default (Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)                                                                                                         │
│   default   Request POST /session                                                                                                                                                            │
│   default {                                                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default      capabilities: {                                                                                                                                                               │
│   default        firstMatch: [ {} ],                                                                                                                                                         │
│   default        alwaysMatch: {                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default          browserName: 'chrome',                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default          'goog:chromeOptions': {                                                                                                                                                   │
│   default            args: [ '--incognito' ],                                                                                                                                                │
│   default            binary: 'C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe'                                                                                                    │
│   default          }                                                                                                                                                                         │
│   default        }                                                                                                                                                                           │
│   default      }                                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   }                                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default   Response 200 POST /session (461ms)                                                                                                                                               │
│   default {                                                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default      value: {                                                                                                                                                                      │
│   default        capabilities: {                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default          acceptInsecureCerts: false,                                                                                                                                               │
│   default          browserName: 'chrome',                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default          browserVersion: '126.0.6478.61',                                                                                                                                          │
│   default          chrome: {                                                                                                                                                                 │
│   default            chromedriverVersion: '126.0.6478.61 (8dc092df54ce9b93406cb7fec530eb297bc0b332-refs/branch-heads/6478_56@{#3})',                                                         │
│   default            userDataDir: 'C:\\Users\\agent\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\scoped_dir6032_680883214'                                                                                         │
│   default          },                                                                                                                                                                        │
│   default          'fedcm:accounts': true,                                                                                                                                                   │
│   default          'goog:chromeOptions': { debuggerAddress: 'localhost:56419' },                                                                                                             │
│   default          networkConnectionEnabled: false,                                                                                                                                          │
│   default          pageLoadStrategy: 'normal',                                                                                                                                               │
│   default          platformName: 'windows',                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default          proxy: {},                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default          setWindowRect: true,                                                                                                                                                      │
│   default          strictFileInteractability: false,                                                                                                                                         │
│   default          timeouts: { implicit: 0, pageLoad: 300000, script: 30000 },                                                                                                               │
│   default          unhandledPromptBehavior: 'dismiss and notify',                                                                                                                            │
│   default          'webauthn:extension:credBlob': true,                                                                                                                                      │
│   default          'webauthn:extension:largeBlob': true,                                                                                                                                     │
│   default          'webauthn:extension:minPinLength': true,                                                                                                                                  │
│   default          'webauthn:extension:prf': true,                                                                                                                                           │
│   default          'webauthn:virtualAuthenticators': true                                                                                                                                    │
│   default        },                                                                                                                                                                          │
│   default        sessionId: 'b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a'                                                                                                                               │
│   default      }                                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   }                                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default Using: chrome (126.0.6478.61) on WINDOWS.                                                                                                                                          │
│   default Received session with ID: b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a                                                                                                                         │
│   default                                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default → Running [before]:                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default → Completed [before].                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default – New tab test                                                                                                                                                                     │
│   default → Running [beforeEach]:                                                                                                                                                            │
│   default → Completed [beforeEach].                                                                                                                                                          │
│   default → Running command: url ('https://google.com/ncr')                                                                                                                                  │
│   default - Loading url: https://google.com/ncr                                                                                                                                              │
│   default   Request POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/url                                                                                                                       │
│   default { url: 'https://google.com/ncr' }                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default   Response 200 POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/url (798ms)                                                                                                          │
│   default { value: null }                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default ℹ Loaded url https://google.com/ncr in 800ms                                                                                                                                       │
│   default → Completed command: url ('https://google.com/ncr') (800ms)                                                                                                                        │
│   default → Running command: assert.titleEquals ('Google')                                                                                                                                   │
│   default → Running command: title ([Function])                                                                                                                                              │
│   default   Request GET /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/title                                                                                                                      │
│   default   Response 200 GET /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/title (3ms)                                                                                                           │
│   default { value: 'Google' }                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default √ Testing if the page title equals 'Google' (15ms)                                                                                                                                 │
│   default → Completed command: title ([Function]) (4ms)                                                                                                                                      │
│   default → Completed command: assert.titleEquals ('Google') (28ms)                                                                                                                          │
│   default → Running command: window.open ('tab')                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   Request POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new                                                                                                                │
│   default { type: 'tab' }                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default Error                                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      Response 500 POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new (2ms)                                                                                                  │
│   default {                                                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default      value: {                                                                                                                                                                      │
│   default        error: 'unknown error',                                                                                                                                                     │
│   default        message: 'unknown error: unhandled inspector error: {"code":-32000,"message":"Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"}\n' +                                            │
│   default          '  (Session info: chrome=126.0.6478.61)',                                                                                                                                 │
│   default        stacktrace: ''                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      }                                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   }                                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default   Request POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new  (retry 1)                                                                                                     │
│   default { type: 'tab' }                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default Error                                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      Response 500 POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new (3ms)                                                                                                  │
│   default {                                                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default      value: {                                                                                                                                                                      │
│   default        error: 'unknown error',                                                                                                                                                     │
│   default        message: 'unknown error: unhandled inspector error: {"code":-32000,"message":"Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"}\n' +                                            │
│   default          '  (Session info: chrome=126.0.6478.61)',                                                                                                                                 │
│   default        stacktrace: ''                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      }                                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   }                                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default   Request POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new  (retry 2)                                                                                                     │
│   default { type: 'tab' }                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default Error                                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      Response 500 POST /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a/window/new (8ms)                                                                                                  │
│   default {                                                                                                                                                                                  │
│   default      value: {                                                                                                                                                                      │
│   default        error: 'unknown error',                                                                                                                                                     │
│   default        message: 'unknown error: unhandled inspector error: {"code":-32000,"message":"Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"}\n' +                                            │
│   default          '  (Session info: chrome=126.0.6478.61)',                                                                                                                                 │
│   default        stacktrace: ''                                                                                                                                                              │
│   default      }                                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default   }                                                                                                                                                                                │
│   default Error   Error while running .openNewWindow() protocol action: unknown error: unhandled inspector error: {"code":-32000,"message":"Failed to open new tab - no browser is open"}    │
│   default   (Session info: chrome=126.0.6478.61)                                                                                                                                             │
│   default                                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default → Completed command: window.open ('tab') (2045ms)                                                                                                                                  │
│   default → Running [afterEach]:                                                                                                                                                             │
│   default → Completed [afterEach].                                                                                                                                                           │
│   default √ default [Nightwatch\google] New tab test (2.881s)                                                                                                                                │
│   default → Running [after]:                                                                                                                                                                 │
│   default → Running command: end ()                                                                                                                                                          │
│   default → Running command: session ('delete', [Function])                                                                                                                                  │
│   default   Request DELETE /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a                                                                                                                         │
│   default   Response 200 DELETE /session/b93b691d526b8a71df120a848a4a929a (51ms)                                                                                                             │
│   default { value: null }                                                                                                                                                                    │
│   default → Completed command: end () (69ms)                                                                                                                                                 │
│   default → Completed command: session ('delete', [Function]) (53ms)                                                                                                                         │
│   default → Completed [after].                                                                                                                                                               │
│                                                                                                                                                                                              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
 Wrote HTML report file to: C:\Users\agent\Desktop\unhandledBug\tests_output\nightwatch-html-report\index.html

 Wrote Rerun Json report file to: C:\Users\agent\Desktop\unhandledBug\tests_output\minimal_report.json
 Wrote JSON report file to: C:\Users\agent\Desktop\unhandledBug\tests_output\nightwatch\CHROME_126.0.6478.61__google.json
 Wrote XML report file to: C:\Users\agent\Desktop\unhandledBug\tests_output\nightwatch\CHROME_126.0.6478.61__google.xml
 Analytics send event:
   {
     client_id: 'c070c219-2910-4cc5-ae77-09dd2e262df0',
     non_personalized_ads: true,
     timestamp_micros: 1718319663066000,
     events: [
       {
         name: 'nw_test_run',
         params: {
           arg_parallel: 'undefined',
           browser_name: 'chrome',
           test_workers_enabled: true,
           use_xpath: false,
           is_bstack: false,
           test_runner: 'default',
           event_time: 1718319658741000,
           env_os: 'win32/10.0.22631/Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-14700KF',
           env_lang: 'en_US.UTF-8',
           env_nw_version: '3.6.3',
           env_node_version: 'node v21.6.2',
           test_env: 'default',
           run_id: 'e06269e6-7d44-4ddf-b38c-c6a0b3a7ad94'
         }
       },
       {
         name: 'nw_test_run',
         params: {
           arg_parallel: 'undefined',
           browser_name: 'chrome',
           test_workers_enabled: true,
           use_xpath: false,
           is_bstack: false,
           test_runner: 'default',
           event_time: 1718319659050000,
           env_os: 'win32/10.0.22631/Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-14700KF',
           env_lang: 'en_US.UTF-8',
           env_nw_version: '3.6.3',
           env_node_version: 'node v21.6.2',
           test_env: 'default',
           run_id: '0b1d131f-6d80-488c-9e42-5d0e5c23990b'
         }
       }
     ]
  }

Nightwatch Configuration

// Refer to the online docs for more details:
// https://nightwatchjs.org/gettingstarted/configuration/
//

//  _   _  _         _      _                     _          _
// | \ | |(_)       | |    | |                   | |        | |
// |  \| | _   __ _ | |__  | |_ __      __  __ _ | |_   ___ | |__
// | . ` || | / _` || '_ \ | __|\ \ /\ / / / _` || __| / __|| '_ \
// | |\  || || (_| || | | || |_  \ V  V / | (_| || |_ | (__ | | | |
// \_| \_/|_| \__, ||_| |_| \__|  \_/\_/   \__,_| \__| \___||_| |_|
//             __/ |
//            |___/

module.exports = {
  // An array of folders (excluding subfolders) where your tests are located;
  // if this is not specified, the test source must be passed as the second argument to the test runner.
  src_folders: ['test', 'nightwatch'],

  // See https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/concepts/page-object-model.html
  page_objects_path: [],

  // See https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/extending-nightwatch/adding-custom-commands.html
  custom_commands_path: [],

  // See https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/extending-nightwatch/adding-custom-assertions.html
  custom_assertions_path: [],

  // See https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/extending-nightwatch/adding-plugins.html
  plugins: [],

  // See https://nightwatchjs.org/guide/concepts/test-globals.html
  globals_path: '',

  webdriver: {},

  test_workers: {
    enabled: true,
  },

  test_settings: {
    default: {
      disable_error_log: false,
      launch_url: 'http://localhost',

      screenshots: {
        enabled: false,
        path: 'screens',
        on_failure: true,
      },

      desiredCapabilities: {
        browserName: 'chrome',
        chromeOptions: {
          args: ['--incognito'],
        },
      },

      webdriver: {
        start_process: true,
        server_path: '',
      },
    },

    chrome: {
      desiredCapabilities: {
        browserName: 'chrome',
        'goog:chromeOptions': {
          // More info on Chromedriver: https://sites.google.com/a/chromium.org/chromedriver/
          args: [
            //'--no-sandbox',
            //'--ignore-certificate-errors',
            //'--allow-insecure-localhost',
            //'--headless=new'
          ],
        },
      },

      webdriver: {
        start_process: true,
        server_path: '',
        cli_args: [
          // --verbose
        ],
      },
    },
  },

  usage_analytics: {
    enabled: true,
    log_path: './logs/analytics',
    client_id: 'c070c219-2910-4cc5-ae77-09dd2e262df0',
  },
};

Nightwatch.js Version

3.6.3

Node Version

21.6.2

Browser

Chrome 126.0.6478.61

Operating System

Windows 11

Additional Information

browser.window.open('window'); appears to work fine, browser.window.open('tab'); does not and it only seems to occur under incognito mode operation

[garg3133]

This seems to be a chromedriver issue, so it might help to raise it directly on their issue tracker with minimal reproducible steps.

Also, I'd suggest sharing a Selenium example snippet with them for opening a new tab instead of a Nightwatch one: https://www.selenium.dev/documentation/webdriver/interactions/windows/#create-new-window-or-new-tab-and-switch