Java PDF Converter (Code Example Tutorial)
This article will discuss PDF conversion and how to convert files to PDF using Java and will also introduce IronPDF, a Java PDF Library.
IronPDF: Java PDF Library
IronPDF is a Java PDF library by Iron Software that enables developers to create, edit, and manipulate PDF documents easily. It provides an easy-to-use API for converting HTML content into PDF documents, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as a wide range of tools for customizing and modifying existing PDF files.
IronPDF offers excellent support for modern web technologies like CSS3 and JavaScript, making it possible to create PDF documents and pages that include advanced features such as interactive forms with IronPDF examples and extracting embedded media.
Developers can use IronPDF's simple API to generate PDFs from scratch or convert existing HTML documents to PDFs. The library also offers a range of customization options, allowing developers to add custom headers and footers to PDFs, watermarks for security purposes, images, and other features to their PDF documents.
The library is designed to be fast and efficient, which means it can handle large PDF files and complex documents with ease. IronPDF also supports multi-threading, allowing developers to generate PDF documents in parallel and improve overall performance.
Getting Started with IronPDF
Installing IronPDF Java Library in Your Maven Project is a straightforward process. Follow the steps below to install the library using the provided dependency:
- Open your Maven project in an IDE such as Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, or NetBeans.
- Open the
pom.xml
file for your project.
Scroll down to the dependencies section and add the following code:
<dependency>
<groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
<artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
<version>YOUR_VERSION</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
<artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
<version>1.7.30</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>com.ironsoftware</groupId>
<artifactId>ironpdf</artifactId>
<version>YOUR_VERSION</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
<artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
<version>1.7.30</version>
</dependency>
This code adds the IronPDF Java library and the slf4j-simple
logging library as dependencies for your project.
- Save the
pom.xml
file. - Build your project to download and install the IronPDF Java library and its dependencies.
You can now use the IronPDF Java library in your project. To do so, add the following import statement to your Java class:
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
You can now use the IronPDF for Java API to create, edit, and manipulate PDF documents.
You have successfully installed the IronPDF Java library in your Maven project using the provided dependency. You can now use the library to convert HTML documents to PDF, create PDF documents from scratch, and modify existing PDF documents.
Convert HTML to PDF file
To convert HTML content to a PDF file using IronPDF for Java, you can use the following Java code:
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class HtmlToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the HTML as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1> Made with IronPDF!");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("html_saved.pdf"));
}
}
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class HtmlToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the HTML as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1> Made with IronPDF!");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("html_saved.pdf"));
}
}
The above program sets the license key using the License.setLicenseKey
method. It then sets the log path using the Settings.setLogPath
method to specify the output folder where the log file should be saved.
Next, it uses the PdfDocument.renderHtmlAsPdf
method to render the HTML as a PDF document. The HTML content is passed as a string argument to this method. In this example, the HTML content is a simple "Hello World" message.
After the PDF document is created, the program saves it to a file using the saveAs
method, specifying the file path as an argument. In this example, the file is saved as "html_saved.pdf" in the current directory.
Convert HTML Files to PDF File Format
Using the HTML file to generate PDF files is a complex task. But IronPDF makes it very easy and with the help of IronPDF, we can do this task with a few lines of code.
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class HtmlFileToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the HTML file as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderHtmlFileAsPdf("invoice.html");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("html_file_saved.pdf"));
}
}
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class HtmlFileToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the HTML file as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderHtmlFileAsPdf("invoice.html");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("html_file_saved.pdf"));
}
}
First, the IronPDF library is imported along with the required Java IO classes. A license key is set to enable the use of the IronPDF library. The log path is set to the specified directory for logging purposes.
Next, the HTML file is rendered as a PDF document using the IronPDF renderHtmlFileAsPdf
method. The resulting PDF document is stored in a variable named myPdf
.
Finally, the PDF document is saved to a file using the saveAs
method, with the output file path specified.
Output of PDF File
Convert URL to PDF File
The provided code can be used to convert any URL to a PDF document swiftly and save it to a file using the IronPDF library.
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class UrlToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the URL as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://ironpdf.com");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("url.pdf"));
}
}
import com.ironsoftware.ironpdf.*;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
public class UrlToPdfConverter {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Apply your license key
License.setLicenseKey("YOUR-LICENSE-KEY");
// Set a log path
Settings.setLogPath(Paths.get("C:/tmp/IronPdfEngine.log"));
// Render the URL as a PDF
PdfDocument myPdf = PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf("https://ironpdf.com");
// Save the PdfDocument to a file
myPdf.saveAs(Paths.get("url.pdf"));
}
}
Here are the steps involved in converting a URL to PDF:
- Import the necessary classes from the IronPDF library and from the standard Java libraries.
- Set your IronPDF license key using the
License.setLicenseKey
method. You can obtain a license key from the IronPDF website. - Set the path for the IronPDF log file using the
Settings.setLogPath
method. This step is optional but recommended for debugging purposes. - Use the
PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf
method to render the URL as a PDF. This method returns aPdfDocument
object that represents the generated PDF. - Use the
PdfDocument.saveAs
method to save the PDF to a file. This method takes aPath
object representing the file path where the PDF should be saved.
Output of PDF File
Summary
The article highlights the significance of using PDF format in today's digital age and introduces IronPDF as a Java PDF library that helps developers with creating, editing, and manipulating PDF documents. IronPDF is compatible with contemporary web technologies, such as CSS3 and JavaScript, and features a straightforward API that enables developers to generate PDF files from scratch or convert existing HTML documents to PDFs.
Moreover, the article provides practical examples to demonstrate how IronPDF can be used to convert HTML files, HTML content, and URLs into PDF documents. The pricing model for IronPDF's licensing options starts at $749 and includes a free trial opportunity for developers to test the product before purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I convert HTML content to PDF using Java?
You can use IronPDF's PdfDocument.renderHtmlAsPdf
method to convert HTML content directly into PDF. This method accepts HTML content as a string and generates a PDF document seamlessly.
What is the process for converting an HTML file to PDF in Java?
IronPDF enables you to convert HTML files to PDF using the renderHtmlFileAsPdf
method. This method requires the path to the HTML file and outputs a PDF document.
How can I convert a URL to PDF in Java?
With IronPDF, you can convert a URL to a PDF using the PdfDocument.renderUrlAsPdf
method. This method takes the URL as a string and generates a PDF document from the webpage.
What are the installation steps for integrating a PDF library in a Maven project?
To integrate IronPDF into a Maven project, you need to add the IronPDF dependency and the slf4j-simple logging library to your pom.xml
file, then build the project to download and install the library.
Does IronPDF support advanced web technologies?
Yes, IronPDF supports advanced web technologies like CSS3 and JavaScript, allowing for the creation of PDFs with complex layouts and interactive elements.
What features does IronPDF offer for customizing PDF documents in Java?
IronPDF offers a variety of customization options, including the ability to add custom headers, footers, watermarks, and images to PDF documents.
How can developers handle large PDF files using Java?
IronPDF is optimized for performance and can efficiently manage large PDF files. It supports multi-threading, allowing developers to handle complex documents swiftly.
Can developers try the Java PDF library before purchasing?
Yes, IronPDF offers a free trial that allows developers to evaluate its features and performance before committing to a purchase.
What steps are necessary to convert a URL to PDF using Java?
To convert a URL to PDF with IronPDF, import the relevant classes, set your license key, define the log path, use the renderUrlAsPdf
method to process the URL, and save the file using saveAs
.
Is IronPDF suitable for creating PDFs from scratch in Java?
Yes, IronPDF is designed to facilitate the creation of PDFs from scratch, offering a user-friendly API that supports the addition of various elements and customization options.