PDF Generation Libraries for React/Next.js

There are several excellent libraries for generating PDFs in React and Next.js applications. Here are the top recommendations based on different needs:

1. react-pdf

react-pdf is one of the most popular libraries for creating PDFs in React applications. It provides a declarative way to define PDF documents using React components.

Pros:

• Declarative React-like syntax
• Rich styling options similar to CSS
• Supports images, SVGs, and complex layouts
• Works well with Next.js

Cons:

• Can be memory-intensive for large documents
• Requires client-side rendering for preview

2. jsPDF

jsPDF is a more imperative library that gives you fine-grained control over PDF generation.

Pros:

• Lightweight and fast
• Works well on both client and server
• Has plugins like jspdf-autotable for tables
• Good for simpler documents

Cons:

• More imperative API (less React-like)
• More complex to create highly styled documents

3. PDFKit (with Next.js API Routes)

For server-side PDF generation in Next.js, PDFKit is an excellent option:

Client-side usage:

Pros:

• Server-side generation (better performance)
• No client-side JavaScript needed for generation
• Works well with Next.js API routes
• Good for larger documents

Cons:

• No live preview without additional work
• More complex setup

4. Puppeteer (for HTML to PDF)

If you already have a well-designed HTML page, Puppeteer can convert it to a PDF:

Pros:

• Converts existing HTML/CSS to PDF
• Excellent rendering quality (uses Chrome's engine)
• Perfect for complex layouts already designed in HTML
• Can include charts, images, and complex styling

Cons:

• Heavier resource usage
• Slower than other methods
• Requires more server resources

5. Next.js Server Components with react-pdf

For Next.js 13+ with App Router, you can use Server Components with react-pdf:

Recommendations Based on Use Case

1. For simple PDFs with React-like syntax: Use react-pdf
2. For server-side generation of complex documents: Use PDFKit with Next.js API routes
3. For converting existing HTML designs to PDF: Use Puppeteer
4. For lightweight client-side generation: Use jsPDF
5. For Next.js 13+ App Router: Use Server Components with react-pdf

Additional Libraries Worth Mentioning

• html2pdf.js: A simpler alternative to Puppeteer for HTML-to-PDF conversion
• pdf-lib: A pure JavaScript library for creating and modifying PDF documents
• pdfmake: A client/server-side PDF printing library with a declarative API

Each library has its strengths, so the best choice depends on your specific requirements, such as document complexity, where you need to generate the PDF (client vs. server), and performance considerations.