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  5. OpenPDF vs wkhtmltopdf

OpenPDF vs wkhtmltopdf

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

wkhtmltopdf
wkhtmltopdf
Stacks60
Followers110
Votes0
GitHub Stars14.4K
Forks1.9K
OpenPDF
OpenPDF
Stacks3
Followers29
Votes0
GitHub Stars4.1K
Forks673

OpenPDF vs wkhtmltopdf: What are the differences?

Introduction

OpenPDF and wkhtmltopdf are two different tools used for generating PDFs from HTML content. There are several key differences between the two tools that are important to consider when deciding which one to use.

  1. Cost: OpenPDF is a free and open-source library, which means you can use it without any cost. On the other hand, wkhtmltopdf is also free to use, but it requires a paid license if you want to use it in a commercial setting.

  2. Installation: OpenPDF is a Java library that needs to be added to your Java project as a dependency. It can be easily installed using Maven or Gradle. On the other hand, wkhtmltopdf is a standalone command-line tool that needs to be installed separately on your system.

  3. HTML Rendering: OpenPDF uses Flying Saucer to render HTML and CSS, which means it supports HTML5 and CSS3 features to a certain extent. Wkhtmltopdf, on the other hand, uses the WebKit rendering engine, which provides better support for modern web standards, including advanced CSS features and JavaScript.

  4. Flexibility: OpenPDF provides a high level of control and customization options through its API. It allows you to manipulate the PDF document, add watermarks, bookmarks, and other interactive elements. Wkhtmltopdf, on the other hand, is a command-line tool and does not provide as much flexibility for customization.

  5. Performance: OpenPDF is known for its performance and memory efficiency, making it a good choice for generating PDFs in high volume scenarios. On the other hand, wkhtmltopdf is slower compared to OpenPDF due to its reliance on the WebKit rendering engine.

  6. Platform: OpenPDF is a Java library, which means it can be used on any platform that supports Java. Wkhtmltopdf, on the other hand, is a command-line tool available for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms.

In summary, OpenPDF is a free and open-source Java library that provides good performance and flexibility for generating PDFs, while wkhtmltopdf is a command-line tool that offers better support for modern web standards but requires a paid license for commercial usage.

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Advice on wkhtmltopdf, OpenPDF

Cesar
Cesar

Jun 24, 2020

Needs advice

Users are uploading huge PDF files of more than 100MB on our platform. We are creating several tools to manage those files, but keeping the raw file will eat up space, as we are handling several of them. After upload, they will be mainly keep stored for future use.

I am looking for a tool to compress and optimize those PDFs, like a library or an external API that can process that for us.

Thanks

20.8k views20.8k
Comments

Detailed Comparison

wkhtmltopdf
wkhtmltopdf
OpenPDF
OpenPDF

wkhtmltopdf and wkhtmltoimage are command line tools to render HTML into PDF and various image formats using the QT Webkit rendering engine. These run entirely "headless" and do not require a display or display service.

OpenPDF is a free Java library for creating and editing PDF files with a LGPL and MPL open source license. OpenPDF is based on a fork of iText.

Statistics
GitHub Stars
14.4K
GitHub Stars
4.1K
GitHub Forks
1.9K
GitHub Forks
673
Stacks
60
Stacks
3
Followers
110
Followers
29
Votes
0
Votes
0
Integrations
No integrations available
Java
Java

What are some alternatives to wkhtmltopdf, OpenPDF?

DocRaptor

DocRaptor

DocRaptor makes it easy to convert HTML to PDF and XLS format. Choose your document format, select configuration options and make an HTTP POST request to our server. DocRaptor returns your file in a matter of seconds. We provide extensive documentation and examples to get you started, and our API makes it easy to use DocRaptor to generate PDF and Excel files in your own web applications.

Pandoc

Pandoc

It is a free and open-source document converter, widely used as a writing tool and as a basis for publishing workflows. It converts files from one markup format into another. It can convert documents in (several dialects of) Markdown, reStructuredText, textile, HTML, DocBook, LaTeX, MediaWiki markup, TWiki and many more.

Inkfluence AI

Inkfluence AI

Plan, write, and publish books, PDF guides, workbooks, and audiobooks with AI workflows. Customize branding and export instantly.

PDFGate

PDFGate

PDFGate is a developer-focused PDF API for generating and managing PDFs from applications. It supports HTML-to-PDF conversion, fillable PDF form fields, and a growing set of PDF utilities designed for backend workflows. The API is built for reliability and precision, making it suitable for invoices, contracts, reports, and other transactional documents. PDFGate emphasizes modern API design, predictable rendering, and features often missing from simpler HTML-to-PDF services, such as native support for interactive form fields. It is designed for teams that need more than basic PDF generation, with a roadmap that includes digital signatures, SDKs, and additional PDF processing endpoints.

Shared with VideoCompress

Shared with VideoCompress

Fast, free, and easy-to-use video compressor with no watermark and no usage limits.Reduce file size without losing quality for MP4, MOV, AVI, and more.

ReelScribe — AI Transcription

ReelScribe — AI Transcription

Transcribe videos and audio to text instantly with ReelScribe – the fast, accurate, and unlimited AI transcription tool. Convert MP4, MP3, or any video to text and subtitles in 145+ languages. 99.8% accuracy. Download transcripts as DOCX, PDF, TXT, or SRT.

Test

Test

Test

JPG to WebP Converter

JPG to WebP Converter

Convert JPG to WebP online free. Modern image format for faster websites. Reduce JPEG file size by 25-35%. Batch convert up to 20 files.

PixelPress — Convert Images to WebP Instantly

PixelPress — Convert Images to WebP Instantly

PixelPress is a fast, free, and secure online image converter. Convert PNG, JPEG, and AVIF to WebP instantly with 100% client-side processing. No uploads, maximum privacy, lightning-fast results.

ConvertFT

ConvertFT

Free online photo editor and image tools. Batch resize, compress, convert, crop, blur, sharpen, rotate, grayscale, remove EXIF, and more—no installation required.

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