Wkhtmltopdf
is now abandonware

Modern development depends on a huge ecosystem of libraries. They save time, accelerate delivery, and help teams avoid rebuilding the same tooling from scratch.

But there is a downside: some widely used tools stop evolving and quietly become "abandonware." wkhtmltopdf is one example. If you have looked for a way to generate PDFs from HTML, you have probably come across it or one of the many wrappers built around it.

So should you still use a library based on wkhtmltopdf? What are the risks, and what should you replace it with?

This article covers the trade-offs and the migration path.

Wkhtmltopdf, a deprecated library for converting HTML to PDF ​

Wkhtmltopdf is an open-source command-line tool that converts HTML content to PDF using the WebKit rendering engine. It became popular because it was easy to adopt and simple to script.

Despite that popularity, using it has become harder to justify because the project is no longer maintained. In practical terms, wkhtmltopdf is now abandonware: software that is no longer updated or actively supported by its original maintainers.

The challenge with obsolete libraries ​

Many tools eventually reach end of life, but the abandonment of a widely used dependency like wkhtmltopdf creates a specific set of problems.

The primary issue is the potential for security vulnerabilities.

Since wkhtmltopdf is no longer receiving updates, it does not benefit from patches for bugs or newly discovered security weaknesses. That increases the long-term risk for any system that still depends on it.

As the web platform evolves, new standards, tools, and practices keep moving forward. Abandoned tools like wkhtmltopdf can fall behind, become harder to integrate, and produce rendering results that no longer match modern browsers.

Despite these risks, many libraries on the internet still depend on wkhtmltopdf, largely because replacing it takes time and effort. Migration usually means updating code, reviewing output quality, and testing workflows end to end.

The state of wkhtmltopdf is a reminder that long-term maintenance matters just as much as short-term convenience.

Widely used tools need ongoing support to stay effective and to reduce the security risk for the systems that depend on them.

As the web evolves, teams need to be more careful about the dependencies they keep in production.

Libraries using wkhtmltopdf that you should quickly replace ​

We looked for libraries that still use wkhtmltopdf as a dependency and may deserve closer review if they are still part of your stack.

This is not an exhaustive list, but these are the most commonly used.

Libraries for Python using wkhtmltopdf ​

• pdfkit: A Python wrapper for wkhtmltopdf.
• wkhtmltopdf-wrapper: Another Python wrapper for wkhtmltopdf.

Libraries for Ruby using wkhtmltopdf ​

• wkhtmltopdf-binary: Provides binaries for WKHTMLTOPDF project in an easily accessible package.
• wicked_pdf: A Ruby wrapper for wkhtmltopdf.
• pdfkit: PDFKit is a Ruby HTML to PDF converter powered by wkhtmltopdf.

Libraries for PHP using wkhtmltopdf ​

• knplabs/knp-snappy: PHP library allowing thumbnail, snapshot or PDF generation from a url or a html page. Wrapper for wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage.
• mikehaertl/phpwkhtmltopdf: A slim PHP wrapper around wkhtmltopdf with an easy to use and clean OOP interface
• h4cc/wkhtmltopdf-amd64: Convert html to pdf using webkit (qtwebkit). Static linked linux binary for amd64 systems.

Libraries for Node.js using wkhtmltopdf ​

• node-wkhtmltopdf: A Node.js wrapper for wkhtmltopdf.

Libraries for .NET using wkhtmltopdf ​

• NReco.PdfGenerator: HTML to PDF converter for C#/.NET (WkHtmlToPdf wrapper).
• DinkToPdf: .NET Core P/Invoke wrapper for wkhtmltopdf library that uses Webkit engine to convert HTML pages to PDF.
• Wkhtmltopdf.NetCore: This project implements the library wkhtmltopdf for asp net core and a view engine, working in windows, macos, linux and docker.
• Haukcode.WkHtmlToPdfDotNet: .NET Core P/Invoke wrapper for wkhtmltopdf library that uses Webkit engine to convert HTML pages to PDF.
• TuesPechkin: A .NET wrapper for wkhtmltopdf.

How to replace wkhtmltopdf in 2026 ​

If you have built a web product on top of a wkhtmltopdf-based library, it is a good time to plan its replacement.

So what are the alternatives to wkhtmltopdf?

If you work with Node.js, one common option is Puppeteer, a browser automation tool that can convert a web page URL or raw HTML into PDF.

But there is a trade-off: using Puppeteer on your own can become challenging when you need to handle scaling, security, Docker compatibility, or larger volumes.

Another option is to use a managed API service that handles the rendering infrastructure for you and works with any language that can send HTTP requests.

Doppio is our take on that model: a developer-friendly API based on Puppeteer that lets you convert HTML to PDF or PNG without running the browser infrastructure yourself.

Our basic plan lets you generate up to 400 documents per month for free, without entering a credit card.