How to Run IronPDF for Java in AWS Lambda

Important: Required Settings

• Zip Deployment is not supported since IronPDF requires the execution of binaries at runtime.
• You must set PackageType to Image because IronPDF for Java only supports Docker deployment.
• You must use an AmazonLinux2 Docker image.
• You must set the following IronPdfEngineWorkingDirectory:

import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.Settings;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

// Setting the working directory for IronPDF engine
Settings.setIronPdfEngineWorkingDirectory(Paths.get("/tmp/"));

import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.Settings;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

// Setting the working directory for IronPDF engine
Settings.setIronPdfEngineWorkingDirectory(Paths.get("/tmp/"));

Note: This is required because it is the only path that AWS allows for the execution environment.

• Increase the /tmp size. The default value is 512 MB. Please set it to at least 1024 MB.
• Include the ironpdf-engine-linux-x64 dependency in your project:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf-engine-linux-x64</artifactId>
    <version>2022.xx.x</version>
</dependency>

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf-engine-linux-x64</artifactId>
    <version>2022.xx.x</version>
</dependency>

• Set Lambda timeout to 330 seconds due to a slow start.
• Set Lambda memory size to at least 1024 MB.

Quick Start with AWS Toolkit for IntelliJ IDEA (AWS SAM)

1. Install Tools:

   • IntelliJ IDEA - Download IntelliJ IDEA
   • AWS Toolkit - Setup AWS Toolkit for JetBrains
   • SAM CLI - Install the SAM CLI for Serverless Applications
   • Docker - Install Docker Community Edition

   Optional (for local testing):

   • Java 8 - Download the Java SE Development Kit 8
   • Maven - Guidelines to Install Maven
2. Create Project: (File -> New -> Project...)

3. Configuration:
   • Package Type: Image
   • Runtime: java8 or java11
   • SAM Template: Maven

4. Add the following dependencies to your pom.xml:

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
    <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
    <version>2.0.3</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf-engine-linux-x64</artifactId>
    <version>2022.11.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.perfmark</groupId>
    <artifactId>perfmark-api</artifactId>
    <version>0.26.0</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
    <artifactId>grpc-okhttp</artifactId>
    <version>1.50.2</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
    <artifactId>grpc-netty-shaded</artifactId>
    <version>1.50.2</version>
</dependency>

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
    <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
    <version>2.0.3</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
    <artifactId>ironpdf-engine-linux-x64</artifactId>
    <version>2022.11.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.perfmark</groupId>
    <artifactId>perfmark-api</artifactId>
    <version>0.26.0</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
    <artifactId>grpc-okhttp</artifactId>
    <version>1.50.2</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>
    <artifactId>grpc-netty-shaded</artifactId>
    <version>1.50.2</version>
</dependency>

5. Change the handleRequest function code in App.java to:

import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.Context;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent;
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.Settings;

import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

// AWS Lambda function to generate a PDF from a URL using IronPDF.
public class App {
    public APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent handleRequest(final APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent input, final Context context) {
        APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent response = new APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent();

        // Enable debugging for IronPDF (optional)
        Settings.setDebug(true);

        // Set the working directory for the IronPDF engine (required)
        Settings.setIronPdfEngineWorkingDirectory(Paths.get("/tmp/"));

        try {
            context.getLogger().log("RENDER PDF");

            // Render the PDF from a URL
            PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://www.google.com");

            context.getLogger().log("RENDER PDF SUCCESS");

            // Save the generated PDF to a file
            pdf.saveAs("/tmp/my-first-pdf.pdf");

            // Set HTTP response headers
            Map<String, String> headers = new HashMap<>();
            headers.put("Content-Type", "application/json");
            headers.put("X-Custom-Header", "application/json");

            // Return the successful response
            return response
                    .withHeaders(headers)
                    .withStatusCode(200)
                    .withBody("ENJOY IRON-PDF!");

        } catch (Exception e) {
            // Return the error response
            return response
                    .withBody("{" + e.getMessage() + "}")
                    .withStatusCode(500);
        }
    }
}

import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.Context;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent;
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.PdfDocument;
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.Settings;

import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

// AWS Lambda function to generate a PDF from a URL using IronPDF.
public class App {
    public APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent handleRequest(final APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent input, final Context context) {
        APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent response = new APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent();

        // Enable debugging for IronPDF (optional)
        Settings.setDebug(true);

        // Set the working directory for the IronPDF engine (required)
        Settings.setIronPdfEngineWorkingDirectory(Paths.get("/tmp/"));

        try {
            context.getLogger().log("RENDER PDF");

            // Render the PDF from a URL
            PdfDocument pdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://www.google.com");

            context.getLogger().log("RENDER PDF SUCCESS");

            // Save the generated PDF to a file
            pdf.saveAs("/tmp/my-first-pdf.pdf");

            // Set HTTP response headers
            Map<String, String> headers = new HashMap<>();
            headers.put("Content-Type", "application/json");
            headers.put("X-Custom-Header", "application/json");

            // Return the successful response
            return response
                    .withHeaders(headers)
                    .withStatusCode(200)
                    .withBody("ENJOY IRON-PDF!");

        } catch (Exception e) {
            // Return the error response
            return response
                    .withBody("{" + e.getMessage() + "}")
                    .withStatusCode(500);
        }
    }
}

6. Set Lambda config in template.yaml:

Globals:
  Function:
    Timeout: 400
    MemorySize: 2048
    EphemeralStorage:
      Size: 1024
# Do not modify other configurations

Globals:
  Function:
    Timeout: 400
    MemorySize: 2048
    EphemeralStorage:
      Size: 1024
# Do not modify other configurations

7. Update Dockerfile:
   • Note: For Java 8, use java8.al2 images because they use AmazonLinux2, while java8 uses the old AmazonLinux.

FROM public.ecr.aws/sam/build-java8.al2:latest as build-image
WORKDIR "/task"
COPY src/ src/
COPY pom.xml ./
RUN mvn -q clean install
RUN mvn dependency:copy-dependencies -DincludeScope=compile

FROM public.ecr.aws/lambda/java:8.al2
RUN yum update -y
RUN yum install -y pango.x86_64 libXcomposite.x86_64 libXcursor.x86_64 \
    libXdamage.x86_64 libXext.x86_64 libXi.x86_64 libXtst.x86_64 \
    cups-libs.x86_64 libXScrnSaver.x86_64 libXrandr.x86_64 GConf2.x86_64 \
    alsa-lib.x86_64 atk.x86_64 gtk3.x86_64 ipa-gothic-fonts \
    xorg-x11-fonts-100dpi xorg-x11-fonts-75dpi xorg-x11-utils \
    xorg-x11-fonts-cyrillic xorg-x11-fonts-Type1 xorg-x11-fonts-misc \
    glibc-devel.x86_64 at-spi2-atk.x86_64 mesa-libgbm.x86_64 libxkbcommon \
    amazon-linux-extras
RUN amazon-linux-extras install epel -y
RUN yum install -y libgdiplus
RUN chmod 777 /tmp/
COPY --from=build-image /task/target/classes /var/task/
COPY --from=build-image /task/target/dependency /var/task/lib

# Command can be overridden by providing a different command in the template directly.
CMD ["helloworld.App::handleRequest"]

8. Build the project:

sam build -u

sam build -u

9. Deploy the project:

sam deploy --guided

sam deploy --guided

10. Enjoy IronPDF in AWS Lambda! Now your function is live at: Access AWS Lambda Console