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Choose the execution model first
| Approach | Runs where | Best fit | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
Puppeteer page.pdf() |
Node.js with automated Chromium | Server-side reports, invoices and documents | Uses print CSS by default; supports paper, margins, ranges, backgrounds and font readiness options |
Playwright page.pdf() |
Node.js with a Playwright-controlled browser | Projects already using Playwright | Returns a PDF buffer and uses print CSS by default |
| html2pdf.js | The end user’s browser | A download button for one page element | Uses html2canvas and jsPDF; its documentation states it does not run in Node.js |
Neither the available documentation nor a controlled benchmark establishes that one approach is universally faster or more accurate. Validate the generated PDF with the actual fonts, images, charts and CSS used by your application.
Generate a PDF with Puppeteer in Node.js
Install and create a minimal document
Install Puppeteer in your project. Its bundled Chromium makes the example self-contained, although your deployment must still allow the browser process to start.
npm install puppeteerThis complete script loads HTML, waits for the page to settle, chooses screen or print styling, and writes a PDF:
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const puppeteer = require('puppeteer');
(async () => {
const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setContent(`
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<style>
@page { size: A4; margin: 16mm; }
body { font: 14px/1.5 Arial, sans-serif; color: #222; }
h1 { break-after: avoid; }
.invoice { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 24px; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<article class="invoice">
<h1>Quarterly report</h1>
<p>Rendered from HTML in Node.js.</p>
</article>
</body>
</html>`, { waitUntil: 'networkidle0' });
// page.pdf() uses print media by default. Uncomment when screen CSS is required.
// await page.emulateMediaType('screen');
await page.pdf({
path: 'report.pdf',
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true,
preferCSSPageSize: true,
margin: { top: '16mm', right: '16mm', bottom: '16mm', left: '16mm' },
waitForFonts: true,
timeout: 90000
});
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Run it with node generate-pdf.js. The result is report.pdf in the current directory.
Print CSS versus screen CSS
Puppeteer generates with the print CSS media type by default. If your layout is designed for the screen, call await page.emulateMediaType('screen') immediately before page.pdf(). Do not assume that a responsive screen layout will paginate correctly without print rules.
Use print-specific CSS for page behavior:
@page {
size: Letter;
margin: 12mm;
}
@media print {
.no-print { display: none !important; }
.keep-together { break-inside: avoid; }
h2 { break-after: avoid; }
}Key Puppeteer options
- format selects a paper preset such as A4 or Letter.
- width and height provide custom dimensions; use these instead of
formatwhen the document has a nonstandard size. - margin controls each page edge.
- printBackground includes CSS background colors and images.
- preferCSSPageSize honors the document’s
@pagesize instead of scaling it to the selected format. - pageRanges limits output to ranges such as
1-3. - landscape rotates the selected paper orientation.
- waitForFonts waits for fonts used by the page before printing.
- timeout prevents a request from hanging indefinitely.
Set only the options your document requires, then inspect the PDF in the target paper size. A page that looks correct in a browser window can still overflow or split at an undesirable point when printed.
Generate a PDF with Playwright
Playwright’s page.pdf() returns a PDF buffer rather than requiring a file path. It also uses print CSS by default, and screen styling can be selected with media emulation.
const { chromium } = require('playwright');
const fs = require('node:fs/promises');
(async () => {
const browser = await chromium.launch();
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setContent(`
<html><head>
<style>@page { size: A4; margin: 15mm; } body { font-family: sans-serif; }</style>
</head><body><h1>Playwright PDF</h1><p>Generated as a buffer.</p></body></html>`,
{ waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
// Print CSS is the default. Use this line for screen CSS instead.
// await page.emulateMedia({ media: 'screen' });
const pdf = await page.pdf({
format: 'A4',
printBackground: true,
preferCSSPageSize: true,
margin: { top: '15mm', right: '15mm', bottom: '15mm', left: '15mm' }
});
await fs.writeFile('playwright-report.pdf', pdf);
} finally {
await browser.close();
}
})();Use Playwright when the rest of your test or automation stack already controls pages with it. The documented API does not establish categorical superiority over Puppeteer.
Generate a PDF in the browser with html2pdf.js
html2pdf.js is for a different job: a browser page converts an element through html2canvas and jsPDF, then saves the result. Its project documentation states that it runs in a browser, not Node.js.
<button id="download">Download PDF</button>
<article id="document">
<h1>Client-side report</h1>
<p>Only this element is converted.</p>
</article>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/html2pdf.js/0.10.1/html2pdf.bundle.min.js"></script>
<script>
document.querySelector('#download').addEventListener('click', () => {
const element = document.querySelector('#document');
const options = {
margin: 12,
filename: 'client-report.pdf',
image: { type: 'jpeg', quality: 0.95 },
html2canvas: { scale: 2, useCORS: true },
jsPDF: { unit: 'mm', format: 'a4', orientation: 'portrait' },
pagebreak: { mode: ['css', 'legacy'] }
};
html2pdf().set(options).from(element).save();
});
</script>This route is convenient when no server-side browser is available and the user should initiate the download. It is not a drop-in replacement for Puppeteer or Playwright: it renders through a canvas/image pipeline rather than Chromium’s print operation. Keep images same-origin or configure CORS, and test long documents for page-break behavior.
Make the output reliable
Wait for content that is not immediately available
- Use
waitUntil: 'networkidle0'(Puppeteer) orwaitUntil: 'networkidle'(Playwright) for pages that load data before printing. - Wait for a specific selector when it is a stronger readiness signal than network idleness.
- Wait for fonts; otherwise fallback metrics can change line wrapping and page count.
- Ensure images have loaded and have stable dimensions before calling the PDF API.
Control page breaks and backgrounds
Define @page, margins and print rules explicitly. Use break-inside: avoid for cards or table rows where supported, and include printBackground: true when color or background images carry meaning. Always open the resulting PDF, not just the source HTML.
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Security and deployment
Never pass untrusted HTML directly into a privileged browser context without considering script execution and network access. In production, restrict navigation targets, use resource limits, close every browser in a finally block, and set a timeout. Containerized Chromium may require the runtime dependencies documented for your base image.
Troubleshooting
The PDF is blank
The page may still be rendering, may have navigated to an error page, or may be hidden by application logic. Wait for a known content selector, verify the URL and inspect the page text before calling pdf().
Fonts or icons look wrong
Wait for fonts, serve font files successfully, and check that the PDF process can reach them. A network request that works on your laptop may fail in a restricted server.
Background colors are missing
Enable Puppeteer’s or Playwright’s printBackground. For print CSS, also verify that a rule is not disabling color adjustment.
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That is the default print-media behavior. Emulate screen media before generating the PDF, then add print-specific pagination rules.
Content is clipped or scaled
Check the paper format, custom dimensions, margins and preferCSSPageSize. A wide element can force scaling or overflow; constrain it in print CSS.
html2pdf.js fails on images or produces unexpected breaks
Check CORS and image loading, reduce the canvas scale for memory-heavy documents, and use CSS page-break rules on the selected element. For very large or sensitive documents, move conversion to a controlled server-side browser.
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FAQ
Can I call html2pdf.js from a Node.js backend?
No. Its documentation describes a browser-only workflow. Use Puppeteer or Playwright for Node.js rendering.
Which API returns bytes I can send in an HTTP response?
Playwright’s page.pdf() returns a PDF buffer. Puppeteer writes to a path when path is supplied, while you can adapt its output handling to your server response.
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Should I use print or screen media?
Use print media for a document designed for paper and screen media only when the PDF must preserve the screen presentation. Both choices require checking pagination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can html2pdf.js preserve selectable text?
Its documented pipeline renders through html2canvas and jsPDF; validate text selection and accessibility requirements in your generated file before adopting it for formal documents.
Can these tools create a PDF from a URL instead of an HTML string?
Yes. Navigate the automated page to the URL before calling the PDF method, or set the page content directly when your application owns the HTML.
The Bottom Line
Use Puppeteer or Playwright when a Node.js service controls Chromium; use html2pdf.js when the conversion must happen in the browser. Make media type, page dimensions, readiness waits and print CSS explicit, then inspect the actual PDF.
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