Exploring Online HTML to PDF Conversion

When it comes to converting HTML to PDF, wkhtmltopdf is often a popular choice. However, there are many other powerful tools and libraries available that can meet a range of needs. Whether you’re working in PHP, Python, or another language, there’s likely an alternative that can fit your specific requirements. In this blog post, we’ll explore several of these alternatives, including both PHP libraries and external tools, and discuss how you can integrate them into your projects.

PHP Libraries for PDF Generation

1. TCPDF

   • Description: TCPDF is a comprehensive PHP library for creating PDF documents. It supports a wide range of features including text, images, and tables.

   • Website: TCPDF

   • Installation: Can be installed via Composer or manually.

2. FPDF

   • Description: FPDF is a straightforward PHP class for generating PDF files. It’s lightweight and easy to use, making it a good choice for simpler PDF needs.

   • Website: FPDF

   • Installation: Available as a standalone package.

3. Dompdf

   • Description: Dompdf converts HTML and CSS into PDF. It supports a broad array of CSS properties, making it suitable for more styled documents.

   • Website: Dompdf

   • Installation: Install via Composer with composer require dompdf/dompdf.

4. mPDF

   • Description: mPDF generates PDFs from UTF-8 encoded HTML. It supports complex HTML and CSS, making it a versatile choice.

   • Website: mPDF

   • Installation: Install via Composer with composer require mpdf/mpdf.

5. Snappy (wkhtmltopdf wrapper)

   • Description: Snappy is a PHP wrapper for the wkhtmltopdf command-line tool, providing a more PHP-friendly interface.

   • Website: Snappy

   • Installation: Install via Composer with composer require knplabs/knp-snappy.

6. Html2Pdf

   • Description: Html2Pdf converts HTML to PDF using FPDF and TCPDF as core engines.

   • Website: Html2Pdf

   • Installation: Available as a standalone library.

7. Zend PDF

   • Description: Zend PDF is a component of Zend Framework that provides functionalities for creating and manipulating PDF documents.

   • Website: Zend PDF

   • Installation: Install via Composer with composer require zendframework/zendpdf.

8. PDFLib

   • Description: PDFLib is a commercial library offering extensive features for PDF generation and customization.

   • Website: PDFLib

   • Installation: Requires a license for use.

External Tools for HTML to PDF Conversion

1. WeasyPrint

   • Overview: WeasyPrint is a visual rendering engine that converts HTML and CSS to PDF. It’s known for its excellent CSS support and modern web standards compliance.

Installation:
bash
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sudo apt-get install python3-pip python3-cffi libffi-dev

pip3 install weasyprint

Usage:

weasyprint input.html output.pdf

2. Puppeteer with Puppeteer-cluster

   • Overview: Puppeteer is a Node.js library that controls Chrome or Chromium to render HTML/CSS to PDF with high fidelity.

Installation:

sudo apt-get install nodejs npm

npm install puppeteer

Usage:

const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');

(async () => {

    const browser = await puppeteer.launch();

    const page = await browser.newPage();

    await page.goto('file:///path/to/your/input.html', {waitUntil: 'networkidle2'});

    await page.pdf({path: 'output.pdf', format: 'A4'});

    await browser.close();

})();

2. • 
     

3. Headless Chrome

   • Overview: Use Chrome’s headless mode for direct HTML to PDF conversion.

Installation:
bash
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sudo apt-get install google-chrome-stable

Usage:

google-chrome --headless --print-to-pdf=output.pdf file:///path/to/your/input.html

4. PrinceXML

   • Overview: PrinceXML is a powerful commercial tool with high-quality output and extensive CSS3 support.

   • Installation: Download from the PrinceXML website and follow installation instructions.

Usage:

prince input.html -o output.pdf

5. DocRaptor

Overview: DocRaptor is an online API service that provides high-quality HTML to PDF conversion.

Usage:

<?php

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use GuzzleHttp\Client;

$client = new Client();

$response = $client->post('https://api.docraptor.com/v1/documents?user_credentials=YOUR_API_KEY', [

    'json' => [

        'document_type' => 'pdf',

        'name' => 'output.pdf',

        'document_content' => file_get_contents('input.html'),

    ]

]);

file_put_contents('output.pdf', $response->getBody());

?>

Conclusion

The choice of tool for HTML to PDF conversion depends on your specific requirements and environment. PHP libraries like TCPDF and mPDF are robust options for server-side PDF generation, while external tools like Puppeteer and WeasyPrint offer advanced rendering capabilities and modern CSS support. Each tool has its strengths and trade-offs, so consider your project’s needs and choose the solution that best fits your use case.