How to Download PDF Files From URL in Node.js

This article will explore the process of downloading PDF documents from URLs using the PDF library known as IronPDF, tailored specifically for Node.js. This library provides a robust solution for handling PDF-related server-side tasks in Node.js applications, streamlining the retrieval and manipulation of PDF documents from remote sources.

IronPDF for Node.js

IronPDF for Node.js is a versatile and powerful PDF library designed to facilitate seamless PDF generation, manipulation, and management within Node.js applications. It offers developers a comprehensive set of features and functionalities to work with PDF documents, making it an indispensable tool for a wide array of web development projects.

Developed specifically for integration with Node.js, IronPDF empowers developers to effortlessly generate PDF files from various data sources, such as HTML, CSS, and images. This allows for dynamic content creation, making it ideal for generating invoices, reports, certificates, or any other documents that require a professional and standardized format.

One of the standout features of IronPDF is its ability to convert HTML content directly to PDF, enabling developers to take advantage of their existing web development skills and libraries. This means you can leverage your proficiency in HTML and CSS to craft visually appealing PDFs without the need for complex manual formatting. Additionally, IronPDF provides functionalities to merge, split, and manipulate existing PDF files, allowing for advanced document organization and customization. It also supports encryption and password protection, enhancing the security of sensitive information within PDFs.

IronPDF Features

• PDF Generation: Create PDFs effortlessly using HTML, CSS, and images. Tailor content for professional-grade PDFs.
• HTML to PDF: Convert complex HTML into polished PDFs while maintaining formatting and styling.
• PDF Editing: Modify and edit existing PDFs to update, correct, or add elements as needed.
• Merging and Splitting: Combine or separate PDF files for efficient organization and structuring.
• Printing: Print PDFs directly from Node.js for convenient physical copies.
• Form Handling: Efficiently fill and extract data from PDF forms to enhance user interaction.
• Security: Implement encryption and password protection for PDF document security.
• Text Extraction: Extract text from PDFs for easy content access and data retrieval.
• Customization: Control PDF layout and styles to achieve a professional and polished look.
• Cross-Platform: Seamlessly operate on various platforms for consistent performance and functionality.

Installing IronPDF for Node.js

This section will discuss how you can set up the environment and install IronPDF for Node.js.

Before starting, make sure you have Node.js installed on your system.

1. First, open the Command Prompt (CMD) and create a new Node.js project using the following commands.

2. mkdir IronPDF This will create a new directory to set up this demo project.

   Create a new folder for the demo project

3. cd IronPDF This command will navigate to the newly created directory.

4. npm init -y This command will create a package.json file, which will store project-related metadata and dependencies.

   Init a Node.js project

5. Once the initial setup is completed, let's install IronPDF using the following command.

   npm install @ironsoftware/ironpdf

   npm install @ironsoftware/ironpdf

   SHELL

6. Now open the project in Visual Studio Code and create a new file named "index.js".

   Create an index.js file to start the project

7. Now open the package.json file and add the following line to specify the module type.

   "type": "module",

   Screenshot of package.json file

Just like that, IronPDF is installed, and the environment is ready for running the IronPDF code.

Download PDF Files from URL Using IronPDF for Node.js

IronPDF for Node.js provides a powerful feature allowing the rendering of PDFs directly from URLs and subsequently saving them in the local file system. Essentially, it operates as a comprehensive PDF downloader, offering the capabilities of a full-version PDF downloader.

The following code can create and save PDF files from a URL using IronPDF for Node.js.

import { PdfDocument } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

// Asynchronously render and save a PDF from a URL
(async () => {
  try {
    // Define the URL of the web page to be rendered as a PDF
    const url = "https://ironpdf.com/";

    // Render the web URL to a PDF document
    const pdf = await PdfDocument.fromUrl(url);

    // Save the PDF document to a file
    await pdf.saveAs("pdf-from-url.pdf");

    console.log("PDF successfully downloaded and saved as 'pdf-from-url.pdf'");
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("An error occurred while downloading the PDF:", error);
  }
})();

import { PdfDocument } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

// Asynchronously render and save a PDF from a URL
(async () => {
  try {
    // Define the URL of the web page to be rendered as a PDF
    const url = "https://ironpdf.com/";

    // Render the web URL to a PDF document
    const pdf = await PdfDocument.fromUrl(url);

    // Save the PDF document to a file
    await pdf.saveAs("pdf-from-url.pdf");

    console.log("PDF successfully downloaded and saved as 'pdf-from-url.pdf'");
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("An error occurred while downloading the PDF:", error);
  }
})();

The provided code is a JavaScript program that utilizes the IronPDF for Node.js library to generate a PDF from a specified URL and save it as a PDF file. Let's break down the code step-by-step:

1. Importing the PdfDocument class from IronPDF:

   import { PdfDocument } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

   import { PdfDocument } from "@ironsoftware/ironpdf";

   JAVASCRIPT

   This line imports the PdfDocument class from the IronPDF library, which is used to work with PDF documents.

2. Using an asynchronous IIFE (Immediately Invoked Function Expression):

   (async () => { /* Code here */ })();

   (async () => { /* Code here */ })();

   JAVASCRIPT

   This structure defines an immediately invoked function expression that is marked as async, allowing the use of await within the function. It invokes itself immediately after declaration.

3. Rendering a web URL to PDF:

   const pdf = await PdfDocument.fromUrl("https://ironpdf.com/");

   const pdf = await PdfDocument.fromUrl("https://ironpdf.com/");

   JAVASCRIPT

   This line uses the fromUrl static method of the PdfDocument class to render a web page URL (in this case, "https://ironpdf.com/") as a PDF document.

4. Exporting the PDF document:

   await pdf.saveAs("pdf-from-url.pdf");

   await pdf.saveAs("pdf-from-url.pdf");

   JAVASCRIPT

   This line uses the saveAs method of the PDF document to save the generated PDF to a file named "pdf-from-url.pdf". The await keyword is used to wait for the save operation to complete.

Overall, this script uses IronPDF to fetch a web URL, render it as a PDF document, and save the downloaded PDF file as a local file with the specified filename "pdf-from-url.pdf". The use of async/await allows for handling the asynchronous nature of PDF generation and file saving.

Output PDF file

The Output PDF File

Conclusion

Node.js, with its robust runtime environment for server-side JavaScript, proves to be an ideal choice for a variety of web development tasks. Specifically, the need to download PDF files from designated URLs is a common requirement, and Node.js, when combined with specialized libraries like IronPDF, offers a seamless solution. IronPDF for Node.js empowers developers to effortlessly generate, manipulate, and manage PDF documents, enhancing the integration of critical resources for efficient access in various applications and processes.

By leveraging the features of IronPDF, such as HTML to PDF conversion, PDF editing, merging, splitting, and more, developers can optimize document handling and streamline their web development projects. This functionality enriches Web Applications by facilitating dynamic content creation and ensuring a professional and standardized format for essential documents. Ultimately, IronPDF's integration with Node.js significantly contributes to a smoother and more efficient PDF file handling experience for developers and to download files.

You can install IronPDF for Node.js and find the related code tutorials using the following npm webpage.

IronPDF offers a free trial license here. For more information regarding purchasing a commercial license, please visit their license information page.