HTML to PDF - HTTP POST Guide

This page serves as a guide for using the Pdfcrowd API to convert web pages and HTML content to PDF via HTTP POST. The API is HTTP-based and communicates through standard HTTP requests. You can call the API by sending an HTTP request to the API server address with options passed as POST data.

You can also check out our API client libraries if you want to implement the API in your favorite programming language.

Quick Start

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

curl -f -u "demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d" \
    -o "example.pdf" \
    -F "url=http://www.example.com" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/

curl -f -u "demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d" \
    -o "MyLayout.pdf" \
    -F "file=@/path/to/MyLayout.html" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/

curl -f -u "demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d" \
    -o "HelloWorld.pdf" \
    --form-string "text=<html><body><h1>Hello World!</h1></body></html>" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/

# or read HTML from a pipe
html_producer | curl -u "demo:ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d" \
    -o "HelloWorld.pdf" \
    -F "text=<-" \
    https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/

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, consider starting a free API trial or purchasing the API license.

The authentication method for user credentials is HTTP Basic Access Authentication. You provide your credentials every time you make a request.

Server Address

The primary server address is https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/

Alternative addresses include:

https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/latest/ for the latest converter version.
https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/20.10/ specifically for version 20.10.
https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/18.10/ specifically for version 18.10.
https://api.pdfcrowd.com/convert/ serves as a shortcut to version 18.10.

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.

API Output Preview

Quickly preview the API output by entering a URL or uploading an HTML file below. This will generate previews with different API settings. You can then choose the one you prefer and use the respective API settings in your application.

Below are sample PDFs generated by the API.

Customization

The API supports converting a webpage, an HTML file, or a string containing HTML.

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.

Page Size	Adjust the page size using page_size. To create a single-page, set -1 to page_height to consolidate all content onto one page.
Page Orientation	Change the page orientation to landscape using orientation.
Page Margins	Adjust the page margins with margin_top, margin_bottom, margin_left, and margin_right. To eliminate all margins use no_margins.
Headers and Footers	Add custom headers and footers using header_html and footer_html. To adjust the height of headers or footers, use footer_height and header_height respectively. For detailed guidance on implementing these features, refer to this tutorial.
Hide or Remove Contents	Utilize 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 explanations, 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; }`
Avoid Page Break	To prevent page breaks within specific elements, use the `page-break-inside:avoid;` CSS property. Apply this property to elements where you do not want a page break, such as tables, table cells, and images. Here is an example: `th, td, img { page-break-inside:avoid }`
Force Page Break	You can force a page break in your document by incorporating a specific style in an HTML div tag. Insert the following code where you want the page break to occur: `<div style="page-break-before:always"></div>`
Zoom	Adjust the zoom level of HTML contents by using scale_factor. This allows you to scale the content up or down according to your preferences or needs.
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	Utilize 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.
Add PDF Signature	Enable the creation of PDFs with a digital signature field. This feature allows the PDF to be digitally signed using applications such as Adobe Acrobat or Preview. For more detailed instructions refer to our Create Digital Signature in PDF guide.
Fillable PDF Form	Create fillable PDFs equipped with interactive fields and buttons. This functionality allows users to enter data directly into the PDF, making it ideal for applications such as forms and surveys. For detailed instructions on how to implement this feature, please refer to our Create Fillable PDF Form guide.
HTML Templates	Add data to your HTML templates for dynamic generation tailored to specific content needs, such as reports, invoices, and personalized documents. For details, refer to HTML Template to PDF.

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-pages	Total number of pages in the output document
x-pdfcrowd-total-pages	Total number of pages in the original document, including pages excluded by the print_page_range option
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.
Utilize 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.
Contact us if you need assistance or if there is a feature you are missing.

POST Parameter Reference

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