HTML to Image / HTTP API Guide

Overview

This page serves as a guide for using the PDFCrowd API to capture web pages and HTML content to image screenshots. You can call the API by sending an HTTP request to the API server address with options passed as POST data.

Quick Start

Below are examples to help you quickly get started with the API. Explore our additional examples for more insights. 

curl -f -u demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d \
    -o MyLayout.png \
    -F output_format=png \
    -F file=@/path/to/MyLayout.html \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/
curl -f -u demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d \
    -o HelloWorld.png \
    -F output_format=png \
    --form-string "text=<html><body><h1>Hello World!</h1></body></html>" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/

## or read HTML from a pipe
html_producer | curl -u demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d \
    -o HelloWorld.png \
    -F output_format=png \
    -F "text=<-" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/

Authentication

To access the API, you will need to use your PDFCrowd username and API key. For initial testing, you may use the following demo credentials without registering:

  • Username: demo
  • API key: ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d

To obtain your personal API credentials, start a free trial or purchase the API license.

The authentication method is HTTP Basic authentication.

Server Address

The server address: https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/24.04/

The content type for POST requests must be `multipart/form-data` if the request uploads any local files. Otherwise, `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` can also be used.

Show older API versions.

Customization

The table below highlights the most common customizations you might find useful. Refer to the Option Reference for a detailed description of all available options. For an interactive experience, explore these options in the API Playground.

For additional customization options and Troubleshooting, please visit the FAQ section of our website where you can find answers and help related to frequent queries and common issues.

Image size Customize the dimensions of the captured images using the screenshot_width and screenshot_height.
Image format Change the ouput image format using output_format.
Hide or Remove Contents Use the following classes in your HTML code to hide or remove elements from the output:
  • `pdfcrowd-remove`: This class applies `display:none!important` to the element, effectively removing it from the layout.
  • `pdfcrowd-hide`: This class applies `visibility:hidden!important` to the element, making it invisible but still occupying space in the layout.
For additional methods and detailed explanation, refer to this FAQ article.
Custom CSS Styling To customize CSS styling specifically for the conversion, use custom_css to inject additional styles.

Alternatively, you can directly incorporate conversion-specific styling into your main stylesheet. Just prefix your CSS selectors with `.pdfcrowd-body` to ensure the styles apply only during the conversion process. For example:
.pdfcrowd-body h1 { font-size: 48px; }
.pdfcrowd-body footer { display: none; }
Use `@media print` Activate the print version of a webpage (if available) using use_print_media. This function instructs the API to apply the CSS rules defined within the `@media print` stylesheet, ensuring the output mirrors the print-optimized version of the webpage.
Inject Custom JavaScript Use custom_javascript or on_load_javascript to modify HTML content using custom JavaScript scripts. These scripts run when the page loads, allowing you to dynamically alter elements, styles, or behavior. In addition to the standard browser JavaScript APIs, your scripts can leverage helper functions provided by our JavaScript library.
HTML Templates Add data to your HTML templates for dynamic generation tailored to specific content needs. For details, refer to HTML Template to Image.

Response Headers

The HTTP response contains the following headers.

Name Description
x-pdfcrowd-debug-log URL of the debug log
x-pdfcrowd-remaining-credits The number of conversion credits remaining in your account
x-pdfcrowd-consumed-credits The number of credits used for the conversion
x-pdfcrowd-job-id The unique identifier for the conversion
x-pdfcrowd-output-size Size of the output data in bytes

Troubleshooting

  • If you are receiving an error, refer to the API Status Codes for more information.
  • Use debug_log to obtain detailed information about the conversion process, including load errors, load times, browser console output, etc.
  • Consult the FAQ for answers to common questions.
  • The maximum size for any created image is 65 megapixels. Images exceeding this size are cropped vertically to meet this limit.
  • Contact us if you need assistance or if there is a feature you are missing.

POST Parameter Reference

Refer to the HTML to Image POST Reference for a description of all options.