React, Vue, AngularJS or Svelte user? #

Or why does backend help to generate professional PDF with frontend frameworks?

Frontend frameworks like React, Vue, AngularJS, and Svelte are fantastic for building modern web apps. They make your sites interactive and user-friendly. But when it comes to turning web pages into PDFs, things get tricky.

When using PDF generation libraries like pdfkit or react-pdf, it's important to be aware of their limitations. These libraries may not fully support complex CSS animations, external API calls, interactive web forms, custom web fonts, third-party JavaScript libraries, dynamic content loading, responsive layouts, Canvas-based graphics, multimedia elements, and browser-specific features in the PDF output.

You see, some frontend tools struggle to keep your web page's style and content intact in the PDF. This means your PDF might look different on different devices or browsers. That's not great.

Enter Chrome headless tool powered tools #

Chrome headless solutions like Doppio are here to save the day. They use a smart tool called Chrome headless, which is like a behind-the-scenes browser. It's really good at turning web pages into PDFs while keeping everything just the way it should be – the colors, the layout, the fancy stuff – everything!

And if you need to customize typical PDF elements like margins, page numbers, headers, and more, you can rely on the powerful Paged.js tool. It's based on a future W3C specification for printing (we have several articles on Pages.JS with frameworks in our documentation).

How to make it work with frontend frameworks? #

To use Doppio or similar tools with your frontend framework, you need a middleman, and that's your backend server. It helps your frontend talk to Doppio and get those perfect PDFs. You can code this backend in the language of your choice, whether it's Node.js, PHP, Rust, or even use serverless functions.

Why Doppio and backend are a dream team? #

1. Things look the same everywhere #

Doppio makes sure your PDFs look the same on any device or browser. That means no surprises for your users – just consistent and good-looking PDFs.

2. More power, less stress #

Backend servers have more power than browsers. They can handle big tasks without breaking a sweat. So you can turn even the fanciest web pages into PDFs without any problems.

3. No browser hassles #

Doppio doesn't care which browser you use. It's like a language everyone understands, so your PDFs will always look right, no matter what.

4. Big and Strong #

Need to make PDFs from lots of data? No worries! Doppio and backend can handle it. They're great at dealing with lots of stuff.

5. Keep It Safe #

Your important data stays safe with backend PDF generation. It's like having a guard watching over your PDFs.

In short, whether you're using React, Vue, AngularJS, or Svelte, a Chrome headless tool like Doppio is a smart choice for making PDFs. It keeps things consistent, handles big tasks, works with any browser, and adds an extra layer of security to your documents.

By connecting your frontend framework to a backend server, you unlock all the benefits of Doppio and make sure your web pages turn into beautiful PDFs every time.

If you need advice or assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team regarding this matter.