Word to PDF in JavaScript and Node.js
How to convert DOCX to PDF programmatically in Node.js using mammoth, jsPDF, and Puppeteer.
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Tags: Word to PDF JavaScript Node.js, DOCX to PDF Node.js, mammoth jsPDF conversion
Word to PDF in JavaScript and Node.js Converting DOCX to PDF programmatically in JavaScript follows a two-step pipeline: parse the Word document to HTML using mammoth.js, then render the HTML to PDF using Puppeteer (headless Chrome). This gives faithful output with full CSS control and scales to thousands of documents. --- The DOCX to PDF Pipeline Each step is independent and replaceable: mammoth.js handles the DOCX → HTML conversion with semantic HTML output Puppeteer handles the HTML → PDF rendering using Chrome's print engine CSS handles the visual presentation mammoth.js documentation and Puppeteer documentation are the primary references. Step 1: Install Dependencies Puppeteer downloads a compatible Chromium binary on first install (~180 MB). For production use in CI or Docker, use…
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert DOCX to PDF in Node.js?
The most reliable approach: use mammoth.js to convert DOCX to HTML, apply a CSS stylesheet, then use Puppeteer (headless Chrome) to render and export the HTML as a PDF. This gives high-fidelity output with full CSS support.
What is mammoth.js?
mammoth.js is an open-source JavaScript library that converts DOCX files to clean HTML. It maps Word paragraph styles (Heading 1 → h1, Normal → p) to semantic HTML elements and can be extended with custom style mappings. It works in both Node.js and the browser.
How do I use Puppeteer to generate PDFs?
Launch a headless Chrome browser with puppeteer.launch(), create a page, set its content with page.setContent(), then call page.pdf() with format and printBackground options. Puppeteer uses Chrome's print pipeline, so the output matches exactly what you'd see with Ctrl+P.
How do I convert Word to PDF in the browser?
Use mammoth.js (via CDN or bundled) to convert the DOCX ArrayBuffer to HTML, apply CSS, render in a hidden iframe or div, then use window.print() or html2canvas + jsPDF for PDF output. The browser-based approach is best for single-file conversions without a server.
What is headless Chrome PDF generation?
Headless Chrome (via Puppeteer or Playwright) renders HTML in a real browser context without displaying a window. The page.pdf() method invokes Chrome's print-to-PDF pipeline, which supports full CSS including @media print rules, custom fonts, and background graphics.
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