HtmlRendererCore: HTML to PDF Rendering for .NET Core

Introduction

HtmlRendererCore is an essential library for .NET Core developers needing to convert HTML content into PDF documents. As a partial port of the well-known HtmlRenderer, it extends its powerful rendering capabilities to the modern .NET Core ecosystem. This project integrates seamlessly with PdfSharpCore, providing a straightforward solution for generating high-quality PDFs directly from HTML strings.

Installation

HtmlRendererCore is available as a NuGet package, making it easy to integrate into your .NET Core projects. You can add it using the NuGet Package Manager or via the .NET CLI:

dotnet add package HtmlRendererCore.PdfSharp

This package includes the necessary components for HTML to PDF conversion using PdfSharpCore.

Examples

The library provides simple and intuitive methods for generating PDFs. Here are a couple of common use cases:

Generate PDF from HTML

To convert an HTML string into a PDF document, you can use the PdfGenerator class:

var pdf = PdfGenerator.GeneratePdf(html, PdfSharpCore.PageSize.A4);
// 'pdf' is now a PdfDocument object that can be saved or manipulated.

Generating Base64 PDF from HTML

For scenarios where you need the PDF content as a Base64 encoded string, such as for API responses or embedding, you can do the following:

var result = string.Empty;

using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
{
    var pdf = PdfGenerator.GeneratePdf(html, PdfSharpCore.PageSize.A4);

    pdf.Save(stream);

    result = Convert.ToBase64String(stream.ToArray());
}
// 'result' now contains the Base64 encoded PDF string.

Why Use It?

HtmlRendererCore fills a crucial gap for .NET Core developers by offering a reliable and efficient way to convert HTML to PDF. Its benefits include:

• .NET Core Compatibility: Specifically designed for the modern .NET Core framework.
• Ease of Use: Simple API for quick integration and PDF generation.
• Leverages PdfSharpCore: Builds upon a robust and widely used PDF library.
• Open Source: Actively maintained and open to community contributions, ensuring flexibility and transparency.
• Versatile: Suitable for various applications, from generating reports and invoices to dynamic content archiving.

Links

• GitHub Repository: j-petty/HtmlRendererCore
• Original HtmlRenderer: HtmlRenderer (Codeplex Archive)
• PdfSharpCore: ststeiger/PdfSharpCore