Acme Corp
This is a sample PDF report generated from HTML using WeasyPrint.
""" HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf("report.pdf") ``` ### Page layout, headers, and footers with @page For multipage documents, CSS `@page` rules control margins, page size, and running headers/footers. WeasyPrint supports the CSS Paged Media specification, which lets you define printed page layout directly in your stylesheet: ```python from weasyprint import HTML, CSS html_content = """Page content goes here...
""" css = CSS(string=""" @page { size: A4; margin: 2cm; @top-center { content: "Q1 Sales Report"; font-size: 10pt; color: #666; } @bottom-right { content: "Page " counter(page) " of " counter(pages); font-size: 9pt; } } """) HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf("report.pdf", stylesheets=[css]) ``` ### Running headers with images Text-based `@page` headers work for simple cases, but if you need a logo or HTML element on every page, use CSS `position: running()`. This pulls an element out of the document flow and places it into a page margin box: ```python from weasyprint import HTML html_content = """
Acme Corp
Report content...
""" # base_url tells WeasyPrint where to resolve relative asset paths # (such as logo.png). Without it, the image would be skipped. HTML(string=html_content, base_url=".").write_pdf("report.pdf") ``` The `running()` function removes the `.header` element from the normal flow, and `element(pageHeader)` renders it in the `@top-left` margin box on every page. The `base_url` argument is required whenever your HTML references relative assets — pass the directory that contains the assets (or an absolute file path or URL) so WeasyPrint can fetch them. ### Page breaks Use the `break-before` CSS property to force a new page at section boundaries: ```python html_content = """First section content.
This starts on a new page.
| Date | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-15 | Invoice #1042 | $1,200 |
| 2026-01-22 | Invoice #1043 | $850 |
Generated from a Django view.
""" pdf = HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf() response = HttpResponse(pdf, content_type="application/pdf") response["Content-Disposition"] = 'attachment; filename="report.pdf"' return response ``` The example above uses a static HTML string. To inject dynamic data, render a Django template to a string first with `render_to_string`. Then pass the result to `HTML(string=...)`: ```python from django.http import HttpResponse from django.template.loader import render_to_string from django.utils import timezone from weasyprint import HTML def generate_report(request): context = {"timestamp": timezone.now()} html_content = render_to_string("reports/report.html", context) pdf = HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf() response = HttpResponse(pdf, content_type="application/pdf") response["Content-Disposition"] = 'attachment; filename="report.pdf"' return response ``` ### Using WeasyPrint with Jinja2 templates Outside Django, Jinja2 is the standard Python templating engine. Keep your HTML template in a separate file (e.g. `templates/invoice.html`) and load it through Jinja2’s `FileSystemLoader` — this also gives you autoescaping by default and matches how most production codebases organize templates: ```python from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader, select_autoescape from weasyprint import HTML env = Environment( loader=FileSystemLoader("templates/"), autoescape=select_autoescape(["html"]), ) template = env.get_template("invoice.html") items = [ {"name": "Consulting", "amount": "1,200"}, {"name": "Support", "amount": "850"}, ] html_content = template.render( invoice_number="1042", customer_name="Acme Corp", items=items, total="2,050", ) HTML(string=html_content).write_pdf("invoice.pdf") ``` Your `templates/invoice.html` uses standard Jinja2 syntax — `{{ variable }}` for values and `` … `` to loop over the list. With autoescape enabled, any user-supplied values are HTML-escaped automatically. Install Jinja2 with `pip install Jinja2`. For Flask projects, [Flask-WeasyPrint](https://github.com/Kozea/Flask-WeasyPrint) wraps both libraries with route-aware URL handling. ### WeasyPrint limitations WeasyPrint works well for reports and structured documents, but it has known constraints: - **No JavaScript execution** — Dynamic content rendered by JavaScript won’t appear in the PDF, since HTML must be fully rendered before conversion. - **Limited CSS support** — Some advanced CSS features (complex animations, CSS variables in older versions, certain `position: fixed` behaviors) may render differently than they would in a browser. - **Performance at scale** — Processing slows noticeably above ~50 concurrent renders, and WeasyPrint isn’t designed for high-throughput production pipelines. - **System dependencies** — WeasyPrint requires Pango and HarfBuzz as native libraries (pip wheels bundle most dependencies since v53, but Docker and serverless environments may need manual setup). ## Method 2: Generating PDFs at scale with Nutrient API Basic HTML-to-PDF conversion breaks down in several common scenarios: - You’re handling dozens of templates across the same product. - You need consistent branding across thousands of documents. - You’re injecting dynamic data into structured layouts. - You need multipage reports with headers, footers, and embedded fonts that render reliably. The Nutrient PDF generator API handles these cases. Instead of combining libraries and working around layout issues, you send structured instructions and assets to a single API endpoint and get styled PDFs back. ### What it solves You send HTML, CSS, fonts, and images to the API. It sends back a PDF. Here’s what the API handles for you: - It renders multipage layouts with headers, footers, and page breaks. - Fonts and images embed correctly every time. - Reusable HTML and CSS templates work for receipts, reports, and onboarding documents. - The same endpoint scales from one to 10,000 PDFs per day. - There’s no environment setup to manage and no OS-specific rendering differences to debug. The free plan includes 50 credits per month. Different operations consume different amounts of credits, so the number of PDFs you can generate varies. To get your API key, sign up for a [free account](https://dashboard.nutrient.io/sign_up/?product=processor). ### Requirements To get started, you’ll need a [Nutrient API key](https://www.nutrient.io/api/), [Python](https://www.python.org/), [pip](https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/installation/), and the [Requests library](https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/). To access your Nutrient API key, sign up for a [free account](https://dashboard.nutrient.io/sign_up/?product=processor). Once you’ve signed up, you can find your API key in the [Dashboard > API keys section](https://dashboard.nutrient.io/api_keys/). Install the [Requests](https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/) HTTP library: ```bash python -m pip install requests ``` ### How it works Use your preferred HTTP client to send your `index.html`, CSS, fonts, and images to our `/build` endpoint, along with rendering instructions. In Python, that looks like this: ```python import requests import json response = requests.request( 'POST', 'https://api.nutrient.io/build', headers = { 'Authorization': 'Bearer your_api_key_here' # Replace with your actual API key. }, files = { 'index.html': open('index.html', 'rb') }, data = { 'instructions': json.dumps({ 'parts': [ { 'html': 'index.html' } ] }) }, stream = True ) if response.ok: with open('result.pdf', 'wb') as fd: for chunk in response.iter_content(chunk_size=8096): fd.write(chunk) else: print(response.text) exit() ``` You get the same output on every machine, with no local rendering engine to maintain and no font issues to debug. ### Use our templates or bring your own We provide [ready-made templates](https://www.nutrient.io/api/pdf-generator-api/) — multipage HTML and CSS files with headers, page numbers, font embedding, and logos. Use them as-is or customize them to match your branding. ### Try it free The free plan includes 50 credits per month, which covers dozens of PDF renders depending on document complexity. [Sign up](https://dashboard.nutrient.io/sign_up/?product=processor), get your API key from the dashboard, and start converting. ## WeasyPrint vs. Nutrient API: Choosing the right Python PDF generator | | WeasyPrint | Nutrient API | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Rendering** | Good CSS3 support. May need workarounds for complex layouts | Consistent multipage output with embedded fonts, page breaks, and dynamic assets | | **Best for** | Internal reports, simple exports, local prototyping | Automated document generation: receipts, invoices, HR files, statements | | **Scale** | Fine for a few documents at a time. Slows under load | Thousands of PDFs per day without local processing | | **Integration** | Python-only, runs locally. Needs environment setup | Language-agnostic HTTP API. Works in serverless, CI, and any environment that can make a POST request | | **Cost** | Free, open source (BSD license) | Free tier (50 credits/month), paid plans for higher volume | ## Conclusion WeasyPrint is a solid open source option for basic HTML-to-PDF needs in Python. If you’re generating a few reports a day from static templates, it gets the job done. When documents grow complex — multipage layouts, embedded fonts, logos, dynamic sections — or volume increases to thousands per week, the limitations show. Nutrient handles rendering, styling, and volume without local setup, and it fits into existing product and automation pipelines. If you’re ready to take your PDF generation to the next level, try the [Nutrient PDF generator API](https://www.nutrient.io/api/pdf-generator-api/) today. [Sign up for a free account](https://dashboard.nutrient.io/sign_up/?product=processor), grab your API key, and start converting HTML to PDF with ease. Are you evaluating other options? Our [Python PDF library comparison](https://www.nutrient.io/blog/best-python-pdf-libraries/) benchmarks seven tools — including WeasyPrint and Nutrient — for generation, extraction, OCR, and more. ## FAQ #### What is WeasyPrint and how does it work? WeasyPrint is an open source Python library that converts HTML and CSS to PDF. It supports modern CSS (flexbox, grid, paged media) and runs locally — no external service needed. Install with `pip install weasyprint`. #### What features does Nutrient API offer? Nutrient API supports PDF generation, annotations, form filling, digital signatures, and optical character recognition (OCR). It’s designed for high-volume processing and advanced PDF manipulation. #### Can I integrate WeasyPrint with existing Python projects? Yes, WeasyPrint integrates into existing Python projects. Install it via `pip` and use it in your code to convert HTML to PDF. #### Are there any costs associated with Nutrient API? Nutrient API offers a free tier with 50 credits per month. For higher usage or additional features, you’ll need to subscribe to a paid plan. #### How can I customize the PDF templates in Nutrient API? Download the provided HTML and CSS templates, edit them in any code editor, and send the modified files to the API. You control the markup, fonts, images, and layout — Nutrient renders it. --- ## Related pages - [Advanced Techniques For React Native Ui Components](/blog/advanced-techniques-for-react-native-ui-components.md) - [The business case for accessibility: Five ways it drives enterprise value](/blog/5-ways-accessibility-drives-enterprise-value.md) - [The CEO’s AI playbook: Why decision architecture beats model selection](/blog/ceo-ai-playbook-decision-architecture.md) - [Best Document Viewers](/blog/best-document-viewers.md) - [The CTO’s AI playbook: Why accountability architecture beats orchestration](/blog/cto-ai-playbook-accountability-architecture.md) - [Digital Signatures](/blog/digital-signatures.md) - [Document Viewer](/blog/document-viewer.md) - [Linearized Pdf](/blog/linearized-pdf.md) - [Process Flows](/blog/process-flows.md) - [Online Document Viewer](/blog/online-document-viewer.md) - [or](/blog/sample-blog-updated.md) - [Convert an HTML file to PDF.](/blog/top-ten-ways-to-convert-html-to-pdf.md) - [What Are Annotations](/blog/what-are-annotations.md) - [Vector Pdf](/blog/vector-pdf.md) - [What Is A Vpat](/blog/what-is-a-vpat.md) - [Why Your Ai Agent Hallucinates Pdf Table Data](/blog/why-your-ai-agent-hallucinates-pdf-table-data.md)