To receive a PDFShift conversion result later, send a JSON conversion request to https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf with a webhook URL, authenticated using the X-API-Key header. PDFShift responds first with HTTP 202 to indicate the job was accepted or queued; when conversion finishes, it sends a separate POST to your webhook endpoint. The 202 response is not the completed PDF.
How the PDFShift webhook flow works
Your application makes two HTTP exchanges with different purposes:
- Conversion request: Your server sends the PDF conversion parameters, including the callback destination in
webhook. PDFShift returns HTTP 202 and the example body{"success":true,"queued":true}. - Completion callback: After conversion, PDFShift POSTs a result to the configured webhook URL. Your endpoint parses the result and then stores or retrieves the PDF URL for the next step in your workflow.
PDFShift’s documentation describes the callback as a POST for each source that is converted. The PDFShift FAQ says parallel conversions are queued independently; each completed source generates its own callback. PDFShift Node webhook guide · PDFShift FAQ
Set up the receiving endpoint
Make a server-accessible POST route
Configure a URL that PDFShift can reach over HTTP(S), and have it accept POST requests. The route should read a JSON request body, validate that it belongs to a conversion your application requested, and hand the result to the appropriate job or workflow. Keep the endpoint available while conversions are in progress; a URL on a developer’s local machine is not a publicly reachable callback destination unless exposed through an appropriate tunnel or deployment.
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Choose what to do with the result
- Persist the callback’s conversion metadata and associate it with the job or source URL.
- Save or fetch the PDF from the returned
urlif your application needs its own durable copy or storage location. - Make downstream work—such as notifying a user or continuing an automation—depend on the callback result rather than the initial 202 response.
Send an authenticated conversion request
PDFShift’s Node guide sends JSON to https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf and sets the destination using the webhook field. Authenticate with X-API-Key; PDFShift’s Help Center says the move to this header took effect on 2025-05-06. The webhook feature requires a valid API key. PDFShift Node webhook guide · PDFShift Help Center: API key authentication
Example with Node.js built-in fetch (Node.js 18 or later):
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const response = await fetch('https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': process.env.PDFSHIFT_API_KEY,
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
source: 'https://example.com/report',
webhook: 'https://your-domain.example/webhooks/pdfshift'
})
});
const result = await response.json();
if (response.status !== 202) {
throw new Error(`PDFShift request failed (${response.status}): ${JSON.stringify(result)}`);
}
console.log('Accepted or queued:', result);Replace the source and webhook values with your conversion input and deployed callback URL. Keep the API key in server-side configuration, such as an environment variable; do not expose it in browser code. See the PDFShift Node webhook guide for the vendor’s request example and supported conversion parameters.
Handle the completion POST
Parse the documented successful result
The successful callback example includes these fields:
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success— conversion success indicator.url— URL for the resulting PDF.filesizeandpdf_pages— output size and page count.durationandexecuted— conversion timing/execution metadata.response— nested response metrics.
Read fields defensively: accept only the documented success state for the success path, check that the PDF URL is present before attempting to fetch it, and tolerate additional fields so a new metadata field does not break the receiver. The guide’s example does not establish a failure payload schema. PDFShift Node webhook guide
Do not confuse acceptance with completion
The initial HTTP 202 with {"success":true,"queued":true} says PDFShift accepted or queued the request. It does not contain the completed PDF result. Mark a job complete only after your callback handler has received and processed the conversion result.
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Choose callbacks or synchronous waiting
| Approach | What happens | Best fit | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webhook callback | Submit the conversion and continue; PDFShift posts to your endpoint when it finishes. | Server integrations and workflows that should not hold a request open while conversion runs. | You must operate a reachable POST endpoint and correlate each callback to its job. |
| Wait for conversion response | The caller waits for conversion work within PDFShift’s documented wait limit. | Short, simple flows where the caller can remain active until the result is available. | Long waits can tie up a request; a timeout is not the same as webhook delivery behavior. |
PDFShift’s FAQ lists default conversion waits of up to 30 seconds on free plans and 100 seconds on paid plans; a request taking too long returns JSON with HTTP 408. These are conversion wait limits, not documented webhook delivery timeouts or retry guarantees. The FAQ also says the default maximum is 50 simultaneous parallel conversions; contact PDFShift about higher needs. PDFShift FAQ
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use n8n if the callback is part of a workflow
n8n is optional; a direct server integration does not require it. PDFShift’s official n8n guide demonstrates making a POST request to the conversion endpoint with X-API-Key and a JSON body, and using a later webhook request in an automation flow. This can suit workflows that need to continue after the conversion finishes, while a custom endpoint gives your application direct control over storage and job handling. PDFShift Help Center: n8n integration
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Troubleshoot common problems
- You receive HTTP 202 but no PDF result in that response: This is expected. Treat the response as acceptance/queue status and wait for the configured callback.
- The callback never reaches your application: Verify that the exact
webhookURL is publicly accessible and accepts POST requests. Check your server or platform request logs. The reviewed PDFShift materials do not specify callback retry guarantees, so do not assume a failed delivery will be repeated. - The conversion fails: PDFShift says conversion can fail when it cannot access the source page or loading fails. Check source reachability and load behavior. The documented guide’s failure-payload example is blank, so consult current PDFShift documentation before coding against a particular failure schema.
- The request returns HTTP 408: The FAQ associates this with a conversion taking longer than the applicable default wait. Consider whether callback-based processing better suits the workflow; do not interpret 408 as a stated webhook timeout.
- Authentication is rejected: Send a valid key in the
X-API-Keyheader, not as a substitute for the documented header mechanism. Confirm the key is available to the server making the request. - Several jobs complete: The FAQ says parallel jobs are queued independently and each converted source produces a POST. Correlate each callback with the right job in your integration rather than assuming one callback represents a batch.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does PDFShift send the completed PDF in the initial 202 response?
No. The 202 indicates acceptance or queuing; the completion result arrives later as a POST to the configured webhook URL.
Does PDFShift document automatic retries for webhook delivery?
The reviewed PDFShift guide does not establish retry behavior. Confirm current vendor documentation before relying on retries.
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