푸터 콘텐츠로 바로가기
MIGRATION GUIDES

How to Migrate from DynamicPDF to IronPDF in C#

Why Migrate from DynamicPDF to IronPDF?

DynamicPDF's product fragmentation represents the primary driver for migration. Understanding the licensing model is essential for evaluating the true cost of your current implementation.

The Product Fragmentation Problem

DynamicPDF is sold as separate products with separate licenses:

  1. DynamicPDF Generator: Create PDFs from scratch
  2. DynamicPDF Merger: Merge, split, and manipulate existing PDFs (separate purchase)
  3. DynamicPDF Core Suite: Combined Generator and Merger
  4. DynamicPDF ReportWriter: Report generation
  5. DynamicPDF HTML Converter: HTML to PDF conversion (separate add-on)
  6. DynamicPDF Print Manager: Print PDFs programmatically

A complete PDF solution requires 3-5 separate licenses with DynamicPDF. IronPDF includes everything in one package.

Architecture Comparison

Aspect DynamicPDF IronPDF
Product Model Fragmented (5+ products) All-in-one library
Licensing Multiple licenses required Single license
HTML to PDF Separate add-on purchase Built-in, Chromium-based
CSS Support Limited (requires add-on) Full CSS3 with Flexbox/Grid
API Style Coordinate-based positioning HTML/CSS + manipulation API
Learning Curve Steep (multiple APIs) Gentle (web technologies)
Modern .NET .NET Standard 2.0 .NET 6/7/8/9+ native

Key Migration Benefits

  1. Single Package: One NuGet package replaces 3-5 DynamicPDF packages
  2. Modern Rendering: Chromium engine versus legacy rendering
  3. Web Technologies: Use HTML/CSS instead of coordinate-based positioning
  4. Simpler API: Less code, more readable, easier maintenance
  5. No Add-On Purchases: HTML, merging, security all included

Pre-Migration Preparation

Prerequisites

Ensure your environment meets these requirements:

  • .NET Framework 4.6.2+ or .NET Core 3.1 / .NET 5-9
  • Visual Studio 2019+ or VS Code with C# extension
  • NuGet Package Manager access
  • IronPDF license key (free trial available at ironpdf.com)

Audit DynamicPDF Usage

Run these commands in your solution directory to identify all DynamicPDF references:

# Find all DynamicPDF references
grep -r "ceTe.DynamicPDF\|DynamicPDF" --include="*.cs" --include="*.csproj" .

# Check NuGet packages
dotnet list package | grep -i dynamic
# Find all DynamicPDF references
grep -r "ceTe.DynamicPDF\|DynamicPDF" --include="*.cs" --include="*.csproj" .

# Check NuGet packages
dotnet list package | grep -i dynamic
SHELL

Common packages to look for:

  • ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
  • ceTe.DynamicPDF.Generator.NET
  • ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.NET
  • ceTe.DynamicPDF.HtmlConverter.NET

Understanding the Paradigm Shift

The most significant change when migrating from DynamicPDF to IronPDF is the fundamental approach to document creation. DynamicPDF uses coordinate-based positioning where you place elements at specific X,Y coordinates on a page. IronPDF uses HTML/CSS rendering where you design with web technologies.

This paradigm shift means converting Label, TextArea, and Table2 elements to their HTML equivalents—a change that typically results in more readable, maintainable code.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Step 1: Update NuGet Packages

Remove all DynamicPDF packages and install IronPDF:

# Remove DynamicPDF packages
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.Generator.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.HtmlConverter.NET

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf
# Remove DynamicPDF packages
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.Generator.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.NET
dotnet remove package ceTe.DynamicPDF.HtmlConverter.NET

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf
SHELL

Step 2: Update Namespace References

Replace DynamicPDF namespaces with IronPDF:

// Remove these
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Conversion;

// Add this
using IronPdf;
// Remove these
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Conversion;

// Add this
using IronPdf;
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Step 3: Configure License

// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Startup.cs)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";
// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Startup.cs)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Complete API Migration Reference

Core Class Mapping

DynamicPDF Class IronPDF Equivalent
Document ChromePdfRenderer
Document PdfDocument
Page HTML <div> with page-break
MergeDocument PdfDocument.Merge()
HtmlConverter ChromePdfRenderer

Page Elements to HTML Mapping

DynamicPDF PageElement IronPDF/HTML Equivalent
Label <p>, <span>, <div>
TextArea <div>, <p> with CSS
Image <img> tag
Table2 HTML <table>
PageNumberingLabel {page} / {total-pages} placeholders

Key API Mappings

DynamicPDF IronPDF
Document + Page ChromePdfRenderer
Label, TextArea HTML <p>, <div>
Table2 HTML <table>
MergeDocument PdfDocument.Merge()
HtmlConverter ChromePdfRenderer
document.Draw() pdf.SaveAs() / pdf.BinaryData
PageNumberingLabel %%CP%% {page} placeholder

Code Migration Examples

HTML to PDF Conversion

The HTML to PDF conversion demonstrates DynamicPDF's requirement for a separate HtmlConverter add-on versus IronPDF's built-in Chromium rendering.

DynamicPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Conversion;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        HtmlConverter converter = new HtmlConverter(html);
        converter.Convert("output.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Conversion;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        HtmlConverter converter = new HtmlConverter(html);
        converter.Convert("output.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF's ChromePdfRenderer provides Chromium-based rendering with full CSS3 support—no separate add-on purchase required. For more options, see the HTML to PDF documentation.

Merging Multiple PDFs

PDF merging demonstrates the difference between DynamicPDF's MergeDocument class (requiring the Merger product license) and IronPDF's built-in static Merge method.

DynamicPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        MergeDocument document = new MergeDocument("document1.pdf");
        document.Append("document2.pdf");
        document.Draw("merged.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        MergeDocument document = new MergeDocument("document1.pdf");
        document.Append("document2.pdf");
        document.Draw("merged.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf");
        var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf");
        var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2);
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf");
        var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf");
        var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2);
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF's static Merge method accepts multiple PdfDocument objects directly. For more options, see the PDF merging documentation.

Adding Text to PDFs

Text placement demonstrates the paradigm shift from DynamicPDF's coordinate-based Label elements to IronPDF's HTML-based TextStamper.

DynamicPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Document document = new Document();
        Page page = new Page(PageSize.Letter);
        Label label = new Label("Hello from DynamicPDF!", 0, 0, 504, 100);
        page.Elements.Add(label);
        document.Pages.Add(page);
        document.Draw("output.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package ceTe.DynamicPDF.CoreSuite.NET
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Document document = new Document();
        Page page = new Page(PageSize.Letter);
        Label label = new Label("Hello from DynamicPDF!", 0, 0, 504, 100);
        page.Elements.Add(label);
        document.Pages.Add(page);
        document.Draw("output.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Editing;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<html><body></body></html>");
        var textStamper = new TextStamper()
        {
            Text = "Hello from IronPDF!",
            FontSize = 20,
            VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top
        };
        pdf.ApplyStamp(textStamper);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}
// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Editing;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<html><body></body></html>");
        var textStamper = new TextStamper()
        {
            Text = "Hello from IronPDF!",
            FontSize = 20,
            VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top
        };
        pdf.ApplyStamp(textStamper);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
    }
}
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF's TextStamper provides alignment-based positioning rather than coordinate-based placement, making layouts more adaptable across different page sizes. For more options, see the watermarks and stamping documentation.

Complete Document Generation Example

This comprehensive example shows converting a DynamicPDF document with multiple elements to IronPDF's HTML approach.

DynamicPDF Implementation:

using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;

// Generation (requires Generator license)
Document document = new Document();
Page page = new Page(PageSize.A4);
Label title = new Label("Invoice Report", 0, 0, 595, 30, Font.HelveticaBold, 18);
title.Align = TextAlign.Center;
page.Elements.Add(title);

Table2 table = new Table2(40, 60, 515, 500);
// ... complex table setup with columns, rows, cells...
page.Elements.Add(table);
document.Pages.Add(page);
document.Draw("invoice.pdf");

// Merging (requires Merger license)
MergeDocument mergeDoc = new MergeDocument("cover.pdf");
mergeDoc.Append("invoice.pdf");
mergeDoc.Draw("final.pdf");
using ceTe.DynamicPDF;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements;
using ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger;

// Generation (requires Generator license)
Document document = new Document();
Page page = new Page(PageSize.A4);
Label title = new Label("Invoice Report", 0, 0, 595, 30, Font.HelveticaBold, 18);
title.Align = TextAlign.Center;
page.Elements.Add(title);

Table2 table = new Table2(40, 60, 515, 500);
// ... complex table setup with columns, rows, cells...
page.Elements.Add(table);
document.Pages.Add(page);
document.Draw("invoice.pdf");

// Merging (requires Merger license)
MergeDocument mergeDoc = new MergeDocument("cover.pdf");
mergeDoc.Append("invoice.pdf");
mergeDoc.Draw("final.pdf");
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

IronPDF Implementation:

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// All features in one library
var html = @"
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; padding: 40px; }
        h1 { text-align: center; font-size: 18pt; }
        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 20px; }
        th, td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 8px; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Invoice Report</h1>
    <table>
        <tr><th>Product</th><th>Qty</th><th>Price</th></tr>
        <tr><td>Widget</td><td>10</td><td>$99.99</td></tr>
    </table>
</body>
</html>";

var invoice = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Merging included - no separate license
var cover = PdfDocument.FromFile("cover.pdf");
var final = PdfDocument.Merge(cover, invoice);
final.SaveAs("final.pdf");
using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// All features in one library
var html = @"
<html>
<head>
    <style>
        body { font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; padding: 40px; }
        h1 { text-align: center; font-size: 18pt; }
        table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 20px; }
        th, td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 8px; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Invoice Report</h1>
    <table>
        <tr><th>Product</th><th>Qty</th><th>Price</th></tr>
        <tr><td>Widget</td><td>10</td><td>$99.99</td></tr>
    </table>
</body>
</html>";

var invoice = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Merging included - no separate license
var cover = PdfDocument.FromFile("cover.pdf");
var final = PdfDocument.Merge(cover, invoice);
final.SaveAs("final.pdf");
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Critical Migration Notes

Coordinate-Based to HTML/CSS Positioning

The fundamental paradigm shift requires converting X,Y coordinate positioning to CSS-based layouts:

// DynamicPDF - coordinate-based
var label = new Label("Hello World", 100, 200, 300, 50);

// IronPDF - CSS positioning (if absolute positioning needed)
var html = "<div style='position:absolute; left:100px; top:200px; width:300px;'>Hello World</div>";

// IronPDF - preferred approach (flow-based)
var html = "<div style='margin-left:100px; margin-top:200px;'>Hello World</div>";
// DynamicPDF - coordinate-based
var label = new Label("Hello World", 100, 200, 300, 50);

// IronPDF - CSS positioning (if absolute positioning needed)
var html = "<div style='position:absolute; left:100px; top:200px; width:300px;'>Hello World</div>";

// IronPDF - preferred approach (flow-based)
var html = "<div style='margin-left:100px; margin-top:200px;'>Hello World</div>";
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Page Numbering Syntax

DynamicPDF and IronPDF use different placeholder syntax for page numbers:

// DynamicPDF placeholders
"Page %%CP%% of %%TP%%"

// IronPDF placeholders
"Page {page} of {total-pages}"
// DynamicPDF placeholders
"Page %%CP%% of %%TP%%"

// IronPDF placeholders
"Page {page} of {total-pages}"
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

Headers and Footers

Convert DynamicPDF Template elements to IronPDF HtmlHeaderFooter:

// IronPDF header/footer
renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center;'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>",
    MaxHeight = 25
};
// IronPDF header/footer
renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:center;'>Page {page} of {total-pages}</div>",
    MaxHeight = 25
};
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

For more header/footer options, see the headers and footers documentation.

Security Settings

// IronPDF security
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword";
// IronPDF security
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword";
$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

For comprehensive security options, see the encryption documentation.

Post-Migration Checklist

After completing the code migration, verify the following:

  • Visual comparison of generated PDFs
  • Verify text positioning and layout
  • Test table rendering and overflow
  • Verify headers/footers on all pages
  • Test form filling functionality
  • Verify security/encryption
  • Performance benchmarking
  • Remove unused DynamicPDF license files
  • Update documentation

Future-Proofing Your PDF Infrastructure

With .NET 10 on the horizon and C# 14 introducing new language features, choosing a PDF library that embraces modern .NET patterns ensures long-term compatibility. IronPDF's native support for .NET 6/7/8/9+ provides a clear path forward as projects extend into 2025 and 2026—without the complexity of managing multiple product licenses or navigating fragmented APIs.

Additional Resources


Migrating from DynamicPDF to IronPDF eliminates the complexity of managing multiple product licenses while providing modern Chromium-based rendering and full CSS3 support. The transition from coordinate-based positioning to HTML/CSS design typically results in more maintainable code that leverages familiar web technologies.

커티스 차우
기술 문서 작성자

커티스 차우는 칼턴 대학교에서 컴퓨터 과학 학사 학위를 취득했으며, Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, React를 전문으로 하는 프론트엔드 개발자입니다. 직관적이고 미적으로 뛰어난 사용자 인터페이스를 만드는 데 열정을 가진 그는 최신 프레임워크를 활용하고, 잘 구성되고 시각적으로 매력적인 매뉴얼을 제작하는 것을 즐깁니다.

커티스는 개발 분야 외에도 사물 인터넷(IoT)에 깊은 관심을 가지고 있으며, 하드웨어와 소프트웨어를 통합하는 혁신적인 방법을 연구합니다. 여가 시간에는 게임을 즐기거나 디스코드 봇을 만들면서 기술에 대한 애정과 창의성을 결합합니다.