HTML to PDF

Use when: integrating with PDF API Hub REST APIs for document automation — HTML/URL to PDF, merge, split, compress, OCR, watermark, sign, lock/unlock, convert, screenshot, parse, and file management via pdfapihub.com.

When to Use

User needs to call PDF API Hub endpoints (pdfapihub.com/api/v1/...) for document automation: generating PDFs from HTML/URLs, merging, splitting, compressing, OCR, watermarking, signing, encrypting/decrypting, converting between PDF and images, parsing/extracting text and tables, or managing uploaded files.

Scope

This skill ONLY:

• Provides endpoint reference, request/response contracts, and integration patterns for the PDF API Hub REST API
• Shows code examples in multiple languages (cURL, Python, Node.js, etc.)
• Explains authentication, error handling, and output format options

This skill NEVER:

• Executes API calls or generates files directly
• Stores or transmits API keys
• Accesses files outside the user's working directory

All code examples are reference patterns for the user to implement.

Quick Reference

Topic	File
All endpoints & parameters	endpoints.md
Code examples by use case	examples.md
Advanced workflows	advanced.md

Authentication

Every request requires the CLIENT-API-KEY header.

text

CLIENT-API-KEY: <your-api-key>
Content-Type: application/json

Get your API key at pdfapihub.com/signup.

Base URL

text

https://pdfapihub.com/api/v1/

All endpoints use POST with JSON body.

Endpoint Map

#	Category	Endpoint	Path	What it does
1	Document	Generate PDF	/generatePdf	Render HTML or capture any webpage as a PDF
2	Document	Parse PDF	/pdf/parse	Extract text, tables, or structured layout data
3	Document	Merge PDFs	/pdf/merge	Combine multiple PDFs into one
4	Document	Split PDF	/pdf/split	Split a PDF into pages, ranges, or chunks
5	Document	Compress PDF	/compressPdf	Shrink file size (4 compression levels)
6	Document	PDF Info	/pdf/info	Get metadata and page info from a PDF
7	Document	Watermark	/watermark	Overlay text/logo watermarks on pages
8	Document	Sign PDF	/sign-pdf	Stamp a signature image on PDF pages
9	Security	Lock PDF	/lockPdf	AES-256 encryption with granular permissions
10	Security	Unlock PDF	/unlockPdf	Remove password protection
11	Conversion	Generate Image	/generateImage	Capture URL/HTML as PNG image
12	Conversion	Compress Image	/compressImage	Reduce image file size
13	Conversion	PDF to Image	/pdfToImage	Render PDF pages as PNG/JPG/WebP
14	Conversion	Image to PDF	/imageToPdf	Combine images into a PDF
15	OCR	PDF OCR	/pdfOcr	Extract text from scanned PDF documents
16	OCR	Image OCR	/imageOcr	Extract text from photos/images
17	Utility	URL to HTML	/urlToHtml	Fetch fully-rendered HTML via headless browser
18	File Mgmt	Upload File	/uploadFile	Upload a file to cloud storage
19	File Mgmt	List Files	/listFiles	List uploaded files
20	File Mgmt	Delete File	/deleteFile	Delete an uploaded file
21	Templates	Create Template	/createTemplate	Save a reusable HTML template
22	Templates	List Templates	/listTemplates	List saved templates
23	Templates	Delete Template	/deleteTemplate	Delete a saved template

Output Formats

Most endpoints support the output_format parameter:

Value	Description
url	Returns a hosted CDN URL (default)
file	Returns the file as a download
base64	Returns base64-encoded content
binary	Returns raw binary stream
pdf	Returns PDF file directly

Error Handling

HTTP Code	Meaning	Action
400	Invalid Request	Check JSON body shape and required fields
401	Unauthorized	Verify CLIENT-API-KEY header
422	Validation Failed	Check URL/HTML/options for conflicts
429	Rate Limited	Back off and retry with exponential delay
500	Internal Error	Retry; contact support if persistent

Common Response Shape

json

{
  "success": true,
  "pdf_url": "https://cdn.pdfapihub.com/pdf/a1b2c3d4.pdf",
  "file_size_bytes": 84321,
  "file_deletion_date": "2026-05-04",
  "source_type": "html"
}

Core Rules

1. Always Set output_format Explicitly

json

{ "output_format": "url" }

Don't rely on defaults — be explicit about whether you need a URL, file, or base64.

2. Use html_content for Dynamic Documents

json

{
  "html_content": "<h1>Invoice #{{number}}</h1>",
  "css_content": "h1 { color: #333; }",
  "dynamic_params": { "number": "INV-001" }
}

3. Use url for Webpage Capture

json

{
  "url": "https://example.com/report",
  "wait_until": "networkidle",
  "paper_size": "A4"
}

4. Handle Files via URL or Upload

For endpoints that operate on existing PDFs (merge, split, compress, etc.), provide files via:

• Direct URL to the PDF
• Previously uploaded file reference via the Upload File endpoint

5. Validate Responses

Always check success: true in the response before using the result.

Common Traps

Trap	Consequence	Fix
Missing CLIENT-API-KEY header	401 error	Always include the header
Sending both url and html_content	Undefined behavior	Use one or the other
Not setting wait_until for SPAs	Incomplete capture	Use networkidle for JS-heavy pages
Ignoring file_deletion_date	Broken links after expiry	Download/store files before deletion
Large HTML without pagination	Timeout or huge PDF	Use page_size to limit output

Security & Privacy

• All API calls go to pdfapihub.com over HTTPS
• API keys should be stored in environment variables, never hardcoded
• Files hosted on CDN have an expiration date — download promptly
• This skill provides reference patterns only; it does not execute code or store credentials

Feedback

• Full docs: pdfapihub.com/docs
• Get API key: pdfapihub.com/signup