Best Node.js HTML to PDF Libraries for 2026

Most real-world applications encounter the requirement of generating PDFs based on some content. This includes generating PDFs from custom HTML content or even generating PDFs directly from a website URL.

Earlier, we needed to write a lot of custom code to get this done, and it used to take a lot of time. But now, there are many great libraries and tools that can do this with just a few lines of code.

In this article, we will look into popular approaches such as Puppeteer and Playwright and other alternative Node.js PDF generators that we can take to generate PDFs from HTML using Node.js.

If you are looking for ways to generate PDF documents on the client side or in the browser, we have an article for you: Generate PDFs in JavaScript (Browser) with 4 Popular Methods.

Lets get started.

1. Best Node.js libraries for HTML to PDF

Converting HTML pages to PDF is a common task that developers encounter, whether it’s for generating reports, invoices, or contracts. In this article, we will delve into two popular Node.js libraries for converting HTML to PDF:

• Puppeteer
• Playwright

We’ll explore their features, benefits, and limitations, along with code examples to help you make an informed choice for your next project. So if you’re looking for a reliable way to convert HTML to PDF in a Node.js environment, read on.

Prerequisites

Before going into the implementations, first make sure that you have a Node.js environment ready. If not, you can install Node.js from the official website nodejs.org/en.

Also, we will be using the npm package manager to handle our dependencies.

i. Puppeteer

Puppeteer is a Node library that provides a high-level API to control headless browsers via the DevTools Protocol. It is commonly used for web scraping, automated testing, and generating PDFs or screenshots. It can perform actions such as clicking buttons, filling out forms, and capturing screenshots or PDFs.

If you are familiar with serverless such as AWS Lambda, we have a detailed article about using serverless with Puppeteer and you can find out more here.

Install Puppeteer

npm install puppeteer

Generate PDF from a website URL

const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');

async function generatePDF(url, outputPath) {
  const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto(url);
  await page.pdf({ path: outputPath, format: 'A4' });
  await browser.close();
}

// Usage
generatePDF('https://google.com', 'google.pdf')
  .then(() => console.log('PDF generated successfully'))
  .catch(err => console.error('Error generating PDF:', err));

In the above code, if you look at the method generatePDF, we are doing the following things:

1. First, we launch Puppeteer, which launches a headless browser.

2. We create a new page and navigate to our specific url

3. Now, the important part is page.pdf(), which takes the path to the PDF and the format for the PDF.

4. Finally, we can close the browser once the PDF is generated.

Generate PDF from Custom HTML content

const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');

async function generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, outputPath) {
  const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.setContent(htmlContent);
  await page.pdf({ path: outputPath, format: 'A4' });
  await browser.close();
}

// Usage
const htmlContent = '<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is custom HTML content.</p>';
generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, 'custom.pdf')
  .then(() => console.log('PDF generated successfully'))
  .catch(err => console.error('Error generating PDF:', err));

In the above code, you can see that in the method generatePDFfromHTML:

1. First, we launch a headless browser and create a new page.
2. Now, we only need to set our custom HTML content, which will be used to generate the PDF.
3. Finally, we generate the PDF and close the browser.

ii. Playwright

Playwright is a Node.js library that allows for automation of Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit browsers.

Playwright not only offers capabilities to perform actions on a browser programmatically, but it is also useful for tasks such as web scraping, testing, and generating PDFs from web content. In this section, we will be using Playwright to generate PDF documents from a website URL.

Install Playwright

First, please install playwright. Playwright requires Chrome(or Firefox) browser to run. To install browsers, please run the following command

npx playwright install

Generate PDF from a Website URL

The following snippet is to generate a PDF from a Website URL using Playwright

const { chromium } = require('playwright');

async function generatePDFfromURL(url, outputPath) {
  let browser;

  try {
    browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });

    const page = await browser.newPage();

    await page.goto(url, {
      waitUntil: 'networkidle',
      timeout: 60000,
    });

    await page.pdf({
      path: outputPath,
      format: 'A4',
      printBackground: true,
      margin: {
        top: '20px',
        right: '20px',
        bottom: '20px',
        left: '20px',
      },
    });

    console.log(`PDF generated successfully: ${outputPath}`);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Failed to generate PDF:', error.message);
  } finally {
    if (browser) {
      await browser.close();
    }
  }
}

// Usage
generatePDFfromURL('https://google.com', 'custom.pdf');

Playwright directly supports PDF generation from website URLs, unlike libraries like jsPDF that require fetching the webpage content first.

Playwright’s PDF method captures the full page rendering, making it suitable for generating high-fidelity PDF documents from web pages.

Generate PDF from Custom HTML Content

const playwright = require('playwright');

async function generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, outputPath) {
  const browser = await playwright.chromium.launch();
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.setContent(htmlContent);
  await page.pdf({ path: outputPath });
  console.log('PDF generated successfully');
  await browser.close();
}

// Usage
const htmlContent = '<p>Hello World. This is custom HTML content.</p>';
generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, 'custom.pdf');

Generating a PDF from custom HTML content using Playwright is as straightforward as generating it from a live webpage.

By using page.setContent(), you can load any HTML content directly into the browser context and then generate a PDF, making it a versatile tool for creating PDF documents from dynamically generated HTML content.

2. Alternative Libraries for Node.js PDF Generation

While Puppeteer and Playwright are often the top choices for HTML-to-PDF conversion in Node.js, they are not always the best fit for every use case. If you need a simpler setup, faster implementation, or a more lightweight solution, there are several other Node.js PDF generation libraries worth exploring.

These libraries may not deliver the same level of rendering accuracy as browser-based tools, especially for complex HTML, CSS, or JavaScript-heavy pages. However, they can still work very well for generating simpler PDF documents such as invoices, receipts, reports, certificates, and text-based files.

i. jsPDF

jsPDF is a popular JavaScript library for generating PDF files directly in code. It works well when you want to create simple PDFs from structured content such as text, tables, labels, or basic layouts without relying on a headless browser.

Unlike Puppeteer or Playwright, jsPDF is not designed to render modern HTML and CSS with full browser accuracy. Instead, it is better suited for generating PDF documents programmatically.

Install jsPDF

npm install jspdf

Generate a PDF in Node.js

const { jsPDF } = require('jspdf');
const fs = require('fs');

async function generatePDF() {
  const doc = new jsPDF();

  doc.setFontSize(22);
  doc.text('Hello world!', 20, 20);

  doc.setFontSize(12);
  doc.text('This PDF was generated using jsPDF in Node.js.', 20, 35);

  const pdfBuffer = Buffer.from(doc.output('arraybuffer'));
  fs.writeFileSync('jspdf-example.pdf', pdfBuffer);
}

// Usage
generatePDF();

In the above code, we are doing the following:

1. First, we import jsPDF and create a new PDF document.
2. Then, we add text content to the PDF and set different font sizes.
3. After that, we export the PDF as an arraybuffer.
4. Finally, we save the generated PDF to a file using Node.js.

jsPDF is a good choice if you want to generate lightweight PDF files from structured data or build simple custom documents directly in JavaScript.

However, if your goal is to convert a full HTML page into PDF with accurate CSS styling, layout, and JavaScript rendering, then Puppeteer or Playwright will usually be a better fit.

ii. PDFKit

PDFKit is a JavaScript PDF generation library for Node.js and the browser. It is designed for creating complex, multi-page printable documents and supports features such as text layout, vector graphics, font embedding, image embedding, annotations, forms, outlines, and PDF security.

Install PDFKit

npm install pdfkit

Generate a PDF from custom content

const PDFDocument = require('pdfkit');
const fs = require('fs');

function generatePDF(outputPath) {
  const doc = new PDFDocument();

  doc.pipe(fs.createWriteStream(outputPath));

  doc.fontSize(20).text('Invoice', { underline: true });
  doc.moveDown();
  doc.fontSize(12).text('Customer: John Doe');
  doc.text('Order ID: 12345');
  doc.text('Total: $99.00');

  doc.end();
}

// Usage
generatePDF('invoice.pdf');

In the above code, we are doing the following things:

1. First, we create a new PDFDocument instance.
2. Then, we pipe the generated PDF output into a file stream.
3. After that, we add text content to the document with different font sizes.
4. Finally, we call doc.end() to finish writing the PDF.

PDFKit is a great choice if you want precise control over the PDF layout and content. However, it is not a full HTML-to-PDF browser renderer like Puppeteer or Playwright. It is better suited for generating PDFs programmatically from structured data.

iii. React-pdf

React-pdf is a React renderer for creating PDF files on the browser and server. It also provides a Node API with helpers such as renderToFile, renderToString, and renderToStream.

Install React-pdf

npm install @react-pdf/renderer

Generate PDF in Node.js

const React = require('react');
const { renderToFile, Document, Page, Text, StyleSheet } = require('@react-pdf/renderer');

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  page: {
    padding: 30,
  },
  title: {
    fontSize: 20,
    marginBottom: 10,
  },
  text: {
    fontSize: 12,
  },
});

const MyDocument = () =>
  React.createElement(
    Document,
    null,
    React.createElement(
      Page,
      { size: 'A4', style: styles.page },
      React.createElement(Text, { style: styles.title }, 'Monthly Report'),
      React.createElement(Text, { style: styles.text }, 'This PDF was generated with React-pdf.')
    )
  );

async function generatePDF() {
  await renderToFile(React.createElement(MyDocument), 'react-pdf-example.pdf');
}

// Usage
generatePDF();

In the above example:

1. We define a PDF document using React components.
2. Then, we use renderToFile() to generate the PDF file in Node.js.
3. We can also use renderToString() or renderToStream() depending on our application needs.

React-pdf is a good choice if your application already uses React and you prefer building PDF layouts with components instead of raw PDF drawing commands. It is not meant to render arbitrary HTML pages directly, but it can be a very clean option for reports, invoices, and branded documents generated from React-based templates.

iv. html-pdf: Deprecated and best to avoid

html-pdf is a Node.js library that generates PDFs from HTML using PhantomJS. It is a simple yet powerful tool that allows for easy PDF generation from HTML templates.

Note from the Author: This repo isn’t maintained anymore as phantomjs got deprecated a long time ago. Please migrate to headless chrome/puppeteer.

* You may find out more about Puppeteer in the first section of the libraries

Install html-pdf

npm install html-pdf

Generate PDF from a website URL

const axios = require('axios');
const pdf = require('html-pdf');

async function generatePDFfromURL(url, outputPath) {
  try {
    const response = await axios.get(url);
    const htmlContent = response.data;
    pdf.create(htmlContent).toFile(outputPath, (err, res) => {
      if (err) return console.log(err);
      console.log('PDF generated successfully:', res);
    });
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching URL:', error);
  }
}

// Usage
generatePDFfromURL('https://google.com', 'google.pdf');

html-pdf does not support generating PDFs from website URLs out of the box, which is why we first need to extract the website content using axios. Once we have the content from the webpage, we can then use the html-pdf library to generate a PDF from the website content.

Generate PDF from Custom HTML content

const pdf = require('html-pdf');

function generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, outputPath) {
  pdf.create(htmlContent).toFile(outputPath, (err, res) => {
    if (err) return console.log(err);
    console.log('PDF generated successfully:', res);
  });
}

// Usage
const htmlContent = '<h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is custom HTML content.</p>';
generatePDFfromHTML(htmlContent, 'custom.pdf');

Now, if you look at the code above, we are using the .create() method from the library, which takes our custom HTML content and generates a PDF file to the output path.

3. Comparison of Node.js Libraries

Now that we have explored the different libraries, let us compare them side by side so that it becomes easier to decide which one to use in your Node.js project.

Each library has its own strengths and limitations. Some are better for rendering full web pages with accurate CSS and JavaScript support, while others are more suitable for generating simple PDF documents from structured data.

In this section, we will compare Puppeteer, Playwright, jsPDF, PDFKit, React-pdf, and html-pdf based on their rendering capabilities, ease of use, performance, and ideal use cases. The article currently covers these libraries in earlier sections, and html-pdf is specifically presented as deprecated and best avoided for new projects.

Feature	Puppeteer	Playwright	jsPDF	PDFKit	React-pdf	html-pdf
Rendering approach	Headless browser	Headless browser	Programmatic PDF generation	Programmatic PDF generation	React component-based PDF generation	HTML to PDF via PhantomJS
Best for	Full HTML pages and websites	Full HTML pages and websites	Simple documents from structured data	Custom PDF layouts with precise control	React-based reports and templates	Legacy HTML-to-PDF workflows
CSS support	Full	Full	Limited	No real HTML/CSS rendering	Component styling only	Basic
JavaScript support	Full	Full	No	No	No browser-style JS rendering	Limited
Output quality	High	High	Moderate	Moderate to High	High for designed templates	Limited for modern websites
Ease of use	Moderate	Moderate	Easy	Moderate	Moderate	Easy
Performance	Good, but can be resource-heavy	Good, but can be resource-heavy	Fast and lightweight	Fast and efficient	Good	Moderate
Environment	Server-side	Server-side	Node.js and browser	Node.js	Node.js and React apps	Server-side
Recommended for new projects	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

If you want to convert a full HTML page, a public URL, or a JavaScript-heavy web page into PDF, then Puppeteer and Playwright are usually the best choices. Both libraries use real browser engines, which means they can render modern HTML, CSS, and JavaScript more accurately before generating the PDF. The article’s earlier sections present both as the main browser-based options for HTML-to-PDF in Node.js

If your use case is more about creating PDF files directly from structured data, such as invoices, receipts, labels, summaries, or basic reports, then jsPDF and PDFKit can be a better fit. They are lighter than browser-based tools and give you more direct control over the PDF content, but they are not designed to render full HTML pages with the same visual accuracy as Puppeteer or Playwright. The article describes jsPDF as a good choice for lightweight PDFs from structured data, and PDFKit as better suited for generating PDFs programmatically from structured content.

If your application already uses React and you prefer defining layouts with components, React-pdf can be a clean and maintainable option. It is especially useful for reports, branded documents, and reusable document templates built inside a React-based workflow. The article notes that React-pdf is not intended to render arbitrary HTML pages directly, but works well for reports, invoices, and branded PDFs created with React components.

As for html-pdf, it may still work for some older projects, but it is not recommended for new development. The article explicitly labels it as deprecated and notes that it relies on PhantomJS, which has been deprecated for a long time. For modern applications, it is usually better to use Puppeteer or Playwright instead.

So, if you are wondering which library to choose, here is a simple rule of thumb:

• Use Puppeteer or Playwright if you need accurate HTML-to-PDF rendering.
• Use jsPDF or PDFKit if you want to generate PDFs directly from data.
• Use React-pdf if your project is already built around React components.
• Avoid html-pdf for new projects because it is deprecated.

This comparison should give you a better idea of which Node.js PDF library fits your project requirements before moving on to a more managed solution such as APITemplate.io, which is covered in the next section of the article.

4. HTML to PDF Methods / Pros and Cons

When you want to convert HTML to PDF in Node.js, there are several methods you can choose from. Each method has its own pros and cons, and the best option depends on your project requirements.

Some developers need to generate a PDF from a full web page with modern CSS and JavaScript. Others only need to create simple documents such as invoices, reports, or receipts from structured data. In some cases, teams may also prefer to use an HTML to PDF API instead of managing the rendering infrastructure themselves.

In general, there are three main HTML to PDF methods in Node.js:

1. Headless browser-based HTML to PDF
2. Programmatic PDF generation
3. API-based HTML to PDF generation

Let us look at each method and compare the pros and cons.

4.1 Headless browser-based HTML to PDF

One of the most popular ways to convert HTML to PDF in Node.js is to use a headless browser. Libraries such as Puppeteer and Playwright open and render HTML in a real browser engine, then export the result as a PDF.

This is often the best method when you need accurate rendering of web pages, including CSS styles, fonts, layouts, and JavaScript-generated content. If you are searching for the best Node.js HTML to PDF library for complex web pages, this method is usually the first option to consider.

Pros:

• Supports modern HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• High-quality PDF output
• Good for converting full web pages or URLs to PDF
• Ideal for invoices, reports, dashboards, and styled documents
• Works well when visual accuracy is important

Cons:

• Uses more CPU and memory than lightweight PDF libraries
• Slower than simpler PDF generation methods
• Requires browser binaries and extra deployment setup
• Can be harder to run in serverless or limited environments

If your goal is to generate PDF from HTML with full browser rendering, then Puppeteer or Playwright is usually the best choice.

4.2 Programmatic PDF generation

Another way to generate PDF in Node.js is to create the document directly with libraries such as jsPDF or PDFKit. Instead of rendering HTML in a browser, these libraries build the PDF from code.

This method is better for structured documents where the content is already available as JSON, database records, or backend data. It is often a good choice for developers who do not need to convert a full HTML page to PDF.

Pros:

• Fast and lightweight
• No browser engine required
• Better control over PDF structure
• Good for receipts, forms, labels, and simple reports
• Easier to use for data-driven document generation

Cons:

• Limited support for full HTML and CSS rendering
• Not suitable for complex web pages
• Requires more manual layout work
• Existing frontend HTML cannot always be reused directly

If you only need to generate PDF from structured data in Node.js, this method can be faster and simpler than browser-based rendering.

4.3 API-based HTML to PDF generation

A third option is to use an HTML to PDF API. With this method, you send your HTML, template data, or document content to a third-party service, and the service generates the PDF for you.

This approach is useful for teams that want to automate PDF generation without managing headless browsers, rendering pipelines, or scaling infrastructure. It can also be a good option when you need reusable templates and a more production-ready workflow.

Pros:

• Faster implementation
• No need to maintain browser infrastructure
• Easier to scale for production workloads
• Good for recurring document generation
• Helpful for invoices, certificates, reports, and business documents
• Can reduce engineering effort for PDF automation

Cons:

• Less control over the underlying infrastructure
• Usually involves subscription or usage-based pricing
• Adds a dependency on an external service
• May require adapting to the API format or template workflow

If you want a simpler way to convert HTML to PDF at scale, using an API can be a practical solution.

4.4 Which HTML to PDF method is best?

The best HTML to PDF method depends on what you are trying to build.

• Use headless browsers like Puppeteer or Playwright if you need to convert a full HTML page to PDF in Node.js with accurate CSS and JavaScript rendering.
• Use jsPDF or PDFKit if you want to generate PDF files from structured data without running a browser.
• Use an HTML to PDF API if you want to automate PDF generation with less maintenance and better scalability.

So, if you are looking for the best way to convert HTML to PDF in Node.js, headless browsers are usually the best fit for complex web pages, programmatic libraries are better for simple data-driven PDFs, and APIs are useful when you want a more scalable and managed solution.

Understanding these HTML to PDF methods and their pros and cons will help you choose the right solution for your Node.js application.

5. Create PDF from HTML using APITemplate.io

Above are some examples of how we can use libraries to convert HTML to PDF and web pages to PDF in Node.js. However if you want to avoid maintaining headless browsers, templates, and rendering infrastructure yourself, a managed API can be a better option.

APITemplate.io is an API-based PDF generation platform that offers the perfect solution for all of the above use cases. In addition, APITemplate.io’s PDF generation API uses a Chromium-based rendering engine that supports JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.

Let’s see how we can use APITemplate.io to generate PDFs.

i. Generate Template-based PDF

APITemplate.io allows you to manage your templates. Go to Manage Templates from the dashboard.

From Manage Template, you can create your own templates. The following is a sample invoice template. There are many templates available that you can choose from and customize based on your requirements.

To start using APITemplate.io APIs, you need to obtain your API Key, which can be obtained from the API Integration tab.

Now that you have your APITemplate account ready, let’s take some action and integrate it with our application. We will use the template to generate PDFs.

const axios = require('axios');

// Initialize HTTP client
const client = axios.create();

// API URL
const url = "https://rest.apitemplate.io/v2/create-pdf?template_id=YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID";

// Payload data
const payload = {
  date: "15/05/2022",
  invoice_no: "435568799",
  sender_address1: "3244 Jurong Drive",
  sender_address2: "Falmouth Maine 1703",
  sender_phone: "255-781-6789",
  sender_email: "hello@logos.com",
  rece_addess1: "2354 Lakeside Drive",
  rece_addess2: "New York 234562",
  rece_phone: "34333-84-223",
  rece_email: "business@apitemplate.io",
  items: [
    {item_name: "Oil", unit: 1, unit_price: 100, total: 100},
    {item_name: "Rice", unit: 2, unit_price: 200, total: 400},
    {item_name: "Mangoes", unit: 3, unit_price: 300, total: 900},
    {item_name: "Cloth", unit: 4, unit_price: 400, total: 1600},
    {item_name: "Orange", unit: 7, unit_price: 20, total: 1400},
    {item_name: "Mobiles", unit: 1, unit_price: 500, total: 500},
    {item_name: "Bags", unit: 9, unit_price: 60, total: 5400},
    {item_name: "Shoes", unit: 2, unit_price: 30, total: 60},
  ],
  total: "total",
  footer_email: "hello@logos.com",
};

// Set headers
const headers = {
  "X-API-KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY",
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
};

// Make the POST request
client.post(url, payload, { headers })
  .then(response => {
    // Read the response
    const responseString = JSON.stringify(response.data);

    // Print the response
    console.log(responseString);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  });

And if we check the response_string, we have the following:

{
    "download_url":"PDF_URL",
    "transaction_ref":"8cd2aced-b2a2-40fb-bd45-392c777d6f6",
    "status":"success",
    "template_id":"YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID"
}

In the above code, it’s very easy to use ApiTemplate to convert HTML to PDF because we don’t need to install any other library. We just need to call one simple API and use our data as a request body, and that’s it!

You can use the download_url from the response to download or distribute the generated PDF.

ii. Generate PDF from website URL

ApiTemplate also supports generating PDFs from website URLs.

const axios = require('axios');

async function main() {
  const api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY";
  const template_id = "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID";

  const data = {
    url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceloporus_malachiticus",
    settings: {
      paper_size: "A4",
      orientation: "1",
      header_font_size: "9px",
      margin_top: "40",
      margin_right: "10",
      margin_bottom: "40",
      margin_left: "10",
      print_background: "1",
      displayHeaderFooter: true,
      custom_header: `<style>#header, #footer { padding: 0 !important; }</style>
      <table style="width: 100%; padding: 0px 5px;margin: 0px!important;font-size: 15px">
        <tr>
          <td style="text-align:left; width:30%!important;"><span class="date"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:center; width:30%!important;"><span class="pageNumber"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:right; width:30%!important;"><span class="totalPages"></span></td>
        </tr>
      </table>`,
      custom_footer: `<style>#header, #footer { padding: 0 !important; }</style>
      <table style="width: 100%; padding: 0px 5px;margin: 0px!important;font-size: 15px">
        <tr>
          <td style="text-align:left; width:30%!important;"><span class="date"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:center; width:30%!important;"><span class="pageNumber"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:right; width:30%!important;"><span class="totalPages"></span></td>
        </tr>
      </table>`
    }
  };

  try {
    const response = await axios.post(
      "https://rest.apitemplate.io/v2/create-pdf-from-url",
      data,
      {
        headers: {
          "X-API-KEY": api_key
        }
      }
    );
    console.log('PDF generated successfully:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  }
}

main();

In the above code, we can provide the URL in the request body along with the settings for the PDF. APITemplate will use this request body to generate a PDF and return a download URL for your PDF.

iii. Generate PDF from custom HTML content

If you want to generate PDFs using your own custom HTML content, ApiTemplate also supports that.

const axios = require('axios');

async function main() {
  const api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY";
  const template_id = "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID";

  const data = {
    body: "<h1> hello world {{name}} </h1>",
    css: "<style>.bg{background: red};</style>",
    data: {
      name: "This is a title"
    },
    settings: {
      paper_size: "A4",
      orientation: "1",
      header_font_size: "9px",
      margin_top: "40",
      margin_right: "10",
      margin_bottom: "40",
      margin_left: "10",
      print_background: "1",
      displayHeaderFooter: true,
      custom_header: `<style>#header, #footer { padding: 0 !important; }</style>
      <table style="width: 100%; padding: 0px 5px;margin: 0px!important;font-size: 15px">
        <tr>
          <td style="text-align:left; width:30%!important;"><span class="date"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:center; width:30%!important;"><span class="pageNumber"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:right; width:30%!important;"><span class="totalPages"></span></td>
        </tr>
      </table>`,
      custom_footer: `<style>#header, #footer { padding: 0 !important; }</style>
      <table style="width: 100%; padding: 0px 5px;margin: 0px!important;font-size: 15px">
        <tr>
          <td style="text-align:left; width:30%!important;"><span class="date"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:center; width:30%!important;"><span class="pageNumber"></span></td>
          <td style="text-align:right; width:30%!important;"><span class="totalPages"></span></td>
        </tr>
      </table>`
    }
  };

  try {
    const response = await axios.post(
      "https://rest.apitemplate.io/v2/create-pdf-from-html",
      data,
      {
        headers: {
          "X-API-KEY": api_key
        }
      }
    );
    console.log('PDF generated successfully:', response.data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error:', error);
  }
}

main();

Similar to generating a PDF from a website URL, the API request above takes the body and CSS as part of the payload to generate a PDF.

6. Performance Considerations

Open-source third-party libraries work fine in most cases. However, when it comes to generating PDFs from HTML at scale, you need to handle all the scaling and edge cases yourself.

By using APITemplate.io, you don’t need to worry about any performance or scaling issues as it handles them for you and the best part is that it supports Javascript and CSS.

7. Conclusion

PDF generation features are now a part of every business application. We have seen how we can use third-party libraries to generate PDFs if our use case is simple.

However, if we have complex use cases, such as maintaining templates, APITemplate.io provides a solution just for that using simple API calls.

Sign up for a free account with us now and start automating your PDF generation or click here to learn more about our PDF generation.

Before you build your own HTML to PDF workflow in Node.js, it can be helpful to test your markup with a simple online converter. APITemplate.io provides a free HTML to PDF tool that makes it easy to preview your HTML, check formatting, and generate a PDF quickly without setting up any code locally.

Libraries:

• REST API Reference
• Javascript Client Library
• Python Client Library
• Java Client Library
• PHP Client Library
• C# Client Library

8. FAQ

What is the best Node.js library for HTML to PDF?

The best Node.js library for HTML to PDF usually depends on your use case. If you need to convert full HTML pages, live URLs, or modern web content with CSS and JavaScript into PDF, Puppeteer and Playwright are usually the strongest choices. Your article currently presents them as the main HTML-to-PDF libraries in Node.js.

How do I convert HTML to PDF in Node.js?

A common way to convert HTML to PDF in Node.js is to use a headless browser library such as Puppeteer or Playwright. These tools can load a website URL or raw HTML content and then export the rendered page as a PDF. The article includes examples using both page.goto() for URLs and page.setContent() for custom HTML.

Which is better for PDF generation in Node.js: Puppeteer or Playwright?

Both Puppeteer and Playwright are good options for generating PDFs in Node.js. Puppeteer is a popular choice for Chrome-based browser automation, while Playwright is a modern alternative that also supports multiple browser engines. In your article, both are positioned as high-fidelity options for HTML-to-PDF conversion.

Can I convert a website URL to PDF in Node.js?

Yes. You can convert a website URL to PDF in Node.js by opening the page in a headless browser and then exporting it as a PDF. Your article includes examples for both Puppeteer and Playwright that generate a PDF directly from a public website URL.

Can I convert an HTML string to PDF in Node.js?

Yes. If you already have raw HTML content, you can use Puppeteer or Playwright to load that HTML into a browser page with setContent() and then generate a PDF. Your article already demonstrates this workflow for both libraries.

What is the best Node.js library for invoices and reports?

For invoices, reports, receipts, and other structured documents, the best choice depends on how the document is built. If the layout already exists in HTML and CSS, Puppeteer or Playwright are usually better. If you want to generate the PDF directly from code and data, jsPDF or PDFKit can be a better fit. Your article describes jsPDF and PDFKit as alternatives better suited for structured PDF generation rather than full browser rendering.

Is jsPDF good for HTML to PDF in Node.js?

jsPDF can be useful for creating simple PDF documents from structured content, but it is not the best choice for rendering full HTML pages with modern CSS and JavaScript. In the article, jsPDF is positioned as a lightweight option for programmatic PDF creation rather than full-fidelity HTML-to-PDF conversion.

Is PDFKit better than Puppeteer for PDF generation?

PDFKit is better when you want precise programmatic control over the content and layout of a PDF. Puppeteer is better when you need to render full HTML pages accurately. Your article describes PDFKit as suitable for structured documents, while Puppeteer is presented as a browser-based renderer for HTML pages.

When should I use React-pdf?

You should use React-pdf when your application already uses React and you want to build PDF documents using React components. It is a good fit for reusable templates, branded documents, and component-driven report layouts. Your article includes React-pdf as one of the alternative Node.js PDF generation approaches.

Do I need Chrome or a headless browser to generate PDFs in Node.js?

Not always. Libraries such as jsPDF, PDFKit, and React-pdf can generate PDFs directly without rendering a full web page in a browser. But if you want accurate HTML-to-PDF output for complex pages, then browser-based libraries such as Puppeteer or Playwright are usually the better option. Your article reflects this split between browser-based rendering and programmatic PDF generation.

What is the easiest way to generate PDFs in Node.js without managing browser infrastructure?

If you want to avoid managing browser automation, rendering environments, and template infrastructure yourself, using a managed PDF generation API can be easier. Your article already transitions from local libraries into APITemplate.io as a managed option for PDF generation.

What is the best Node.js HTML to PDF library in 2026?

Based on the way your article is currently structured, Puppeteer and Playwright are the strongest choices in 2026 for converting modern HTML pages into PDF, while jsPDF, PDFKit, and React-pdf are better for more controlled or programmatic document generation workflows. That matches the article’s current title and organization.