gPdf render/edge
Use cases · PDF generation API

PDF Generation API for dynamic business documents

Looking for a PDF generator? gPdf is a JSON-to-PDF API for developers who need automated, batch PDF generation for labels, invoices, reports and archived documents.

Job to be done

Turn business data into production PDFs automatically: shipping labels, invoices, reports, certificates and customer-facing documents generated from JSON inside your application, without asking users to manually upload files to an online PDF generator.

Why gPdf for this

  • JSON-to-PDF generation: define pages, text, images, tables, barcodes and metadata in one structured DocumentRequest.
  • API-first workflow: call POST /api/v1/pdf/render from your backend, job runner, warehouse system or SaaS product.
  • Batch-ready rendering: generate thousands or millions of PDFs without managing a browser fleet.
  • Built-in fonts for Latin, CJK, Arabic, Devanagari, Bengali, Thai and Cyrillic content.
  • Vector barcodes and fixed-size labels for logistics, ecommerce and inventory documents.
  • PDF/A, metadata and e-invoice options when the generated document needs archival or compliance handling.

Sample request

POST /api/v1/pdf/render — a minimal dynamic PDF generated from JSON.

{
  "pages": [
    {
      "size": "a4",
      "elements": [
        {
          "type": "text",
          "x": 24,
          "y": 28,
          "content": "Order #A-10042",
          "style": {
            "font_size": 18,
            "font_family": "NotoSans-Regular"
          }
        },
        {
          "type": "text",
          "x": 24,
          "y": 44,
          "content": "Generated automatically from application data.",
          "style": {
            "font_size": 10,
            "font_family": "NotoSans-Regular"
          }
        },
        {
          "type": "barcode",
          "format": "code128",
          "content": "A-10042",
          "x": 24,
          "y": 70,
          "width": 80,
          "height": 18
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Compliance and conformance

  • PDF/A profiles are available when generated PDFs must be archived or attached to audit evidence.
  • Document metadata can be set directly in the same request so generated PDFs keep a stable title, author, subject and language.
  • The same structured model can be used from the API or the visual editor at https://studio.gpdf.com.

If you only need a one-off PDF generator

If you want to convert a Word document, merge two files, or export a single page as PDF, a regular online PDF generator is enough. Those tools are built for manual work: upload a file, click a button, download the result.

gPdf is for a different job. It is for teams that need their own software to generate PDFs automatically.

When “PDF generator” really means “PDF generation API”

The search term is broad, but the production requirement is usually specific:

  1. A customer places an order and your system must generate a shipping label.
  2. A SaaS product needs to create monthly statements or reports.
  3. A finance workflow needs invoices with predictable metadata and archival settings.
  4. A warehouse system needs 50,000 labels before carrier pickup.
  5. A support tool needs a branded PDF receipt, certificate or export.

In all of these cases, the key question is not “which button generates a PDF?” The question is: can your backend generate the right PDF from data, repeatedly, quickly and cheaply?

The gPdf model: JSON in, PDF out

gPdf uses a structured JSON document model. Your application sends:

  • page size and layout coordinates,
  • text blocks and font choices,
  • images and vector barcodes,
  • tables, metadata and document settings,
  • optional PDF/A or e-invoice configuration.

The API returns a PDF. There is no browser server to warm, no Chromium version to pin, and no HTML/CSS layout engine sitting in the hot path.

Why this matters for batch generation

Generic PDF generator tools are convenient for a person. They are not built for a system that creates documents all day.

For batch generation, the important properties are:

  • deterministic output for reprints and audit trails,
  • low p99 latency when a queue spikes,
  • predictable cost per generated page,
  • fonts and barcode geometry that do not change with container images,
  • a request shape that developers can version and test.

That is the workload gPdf targets.

Start with a simple API call

Open the playground if you want to try the JSON model before wiring code. When you are ready to integrate, use the JSON Render API reference and send the same request from your backend.

If your first workload is logistics, also read the shipping-label use case. It shows the same pattern applied to 4×6 thermal labels, carrier barcodes and peak-volume generation.

FAQ

Is gPdf an online PDF generator?
Not in the consumer upload-and-convert sense. gPdf is a developer API for automated PDF generation inside products, backends and operational systems.
Can I generate PDFs dynamically from JSON?
Yes. A DocumentRequest describes pages, text, images, barcodes, tables, metadata and settings. Your application sends JSON and receives a PDF.
When should I use gPdf instead of a headless browser?
Use gPdf when the document is structured, repeated and high-volume: labels, invoices, reports, certificates and generated business documents. Browser rendering is still useful for arbitrary HTML screenshots.
Can non-developers design the PDF?
Yes. The visual editor at https://studio.gpdf.com works with the same JSON model, so an operations or design teammate can adjust layout while developers keep the API workflow.

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