Whipping up document magic: Your easy-bake recipe for Vue and Nutrient Web SDK 🧁

Table of contents

    Whipping up document magic: Your easy-bake recipe for Vue and Nutrient Web SDK 🧁

    Remember the joy of your first Easy-Bake Oven? Well, you’re a developer, so you probably don’t, but please play along with me... so where were we? Yeah! That magical moment when you mixed simple ingredients, slid them into that tiny compartment, and Ta-da — out came something delicious? Well, grab your developer apron because you’re about to recreate that same nostalgic (low-key not so nostalgic) experience with Vue and Nutrient’s Web SDK and Document Engine!

    What you’re building

    By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a complete document processing application that lets users:

    1. Upload PDF files through a drag-and-drop interface
    2. View and annotate PDFs with a full-featured viewer
    3. Share documents via unique URLs

    You’ll use Vue 3 for the frontend, Nutrient Document Engine for processing, and Nutrient Web SDK for viewing. A mini Express backend will handle authentication and file uploads.

    Architecture flow — Browser uploads PDF → Express backend → Document Engine processes → Web SDK displays

    Prerequisites

    Before you start, make sure you have:

    • Node.js — Version 18 or higher
    • Docker Desktop — For running Document Engine locally
    • Basic Vue knowledge — Familiarity with components and routing
    • Time estimate — About 30–45 minutes to complete

    The secret sauce: What you’re cooking

    Just like how that childhood oven revolutionized tiny kitchens, you’re revolutionizing the document in your web apps. Your recipe combines three simple ingredients to create something extraordinary:

    • Vue 3 (your trusty mixing bowl)
    • Nutrient Web SDK (the secret spice that makes everything taste better)
    • Nutrient Document Engine (your magical oven that transforms documents into anything you can imagine)

    Step 1: Setting up your kitchen (project creation) 👩‍🍳

    Start from scratch! Create a fresh Vue 3 project using Vite(opens in a new tab):

    Terminal window
    npm create vite@latest nutrient-web-de-app -- --template vue

    Navigate to your project and install the dependencies:

    Terminal window
    cd nutrient-web-de-app
    npm install # or use yarn 'cause you're fancy

    Step 2: Adding a few special ingredients 🥄

    Now add Vue Router(opens in a new tab) for navigation and set up your mini backend structure. You’ll need routing to navigate between the upload page and document viewer:

    Terminal window
    # Add Vue Router for navigation.
    npm install vue-router
    # Create your mini backend directory.
    mkdir mini-backend
    cd mini-backend
    # Initialize the mini backend.
    npm init -y
    # Add mini backend dependencies.
    npm install express jsonwebtoken fs cors multer form-data node-fetch
    # Go back to the main project.
    cd ..

    Why a mini backend? — Document Engine requires server-side authentication for security. Your Express server will generate JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) and handle file uploads safely.

    Step 3: Configuring your base project files 📋

    Set up the foundation of your Vue application with configuration files and scripts.

    Updating package.json with helpful scripts

    Edit your main package.json file to add mini backend management scripts:

    {
    "name": "nutrient-web-de-app",
    "version": "0.0.0",
    "private": true,
    "type": "module",
    "scripts": {
    "dev": "vite",
    "build": "vite build",
    "preview": "vite preview",
    "start:backend": "cd mini-backend && docker compose up -d && node server.js",
    "stop:backend": "cd mini-backend && docker compose down"
    },
    "dependencies": {
    "vue": "^3.5.13",
    "vue-router": "^4.5.1"
    },
    "devDependencies": {
    "@vitejs/plugin-vue": "^5.2.3",
    "vite": "^6.2.4",
    "vite-plugin-vue-devtools": "^7.7.2"
    }
    }

    These scripts let you start and stop both Docker and your backend server with a single command.

    Updating index.html to include Nutrient SDK

    Nutrient Web SDK needs to load from the CDN before your Vue app initializes. Replace the contents of index.html:

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="">
    <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>Nutrient - Document Engine Vue</title>
    </head>
    <body>
    <div id="app"></div>
    <script src="https://cdn.cloud.pspdfkit.com/pspdfkit-web@1.10.0/nutrient-viewer.js"></script>
    <script type="module" src="/src/main.js"></script>
    </body>
    </html>

    Updating your Vite configuration

    Configure Vite to use path aliases, making imports cleaner. Replace vite.config.js:

    import { fileURLToPath, URL } from 'node:url'
    import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
    import vue from '@vitejs/plugin-vue'
    import vueDevTools from 'vite-plugin-vue-devtools'
    export default defineConfig({
    plugins: [
    vue(),
    vueDevTools(),
    ],
    resolve: {
    alias: {
    '@': fileURLToPath(new URL('./src', import.meta.url))
    },
    },
    })

    The @ alias lets you write @/components/FileUpload.vue instead of ../../components/FileUpload.vue.

    Step 4: Setting up Vue Router and base components 🧭

    Now you’ll configure routing and create the minimal app component structure.

    Setting up your main App.vue

    Replace src/App.vue with this clean boilerplate:

    <script setup>
    // App.vue — Clean and simple.
    </script>
    <template>
    <router-view />
    </template>
    <style>
    * {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    box-sizing: border-box;
    }
    body {
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    }
    #app {
    min-height: 100vh;
    display: flex;
    }
    </style>

    Updating main.js

    Replace src/main.js:

    import './assets/main.css'
    import { createApp } from 'vue'
    import App from './App.vue'
    import router from './router'
    const app = createApp(App)
    app.use(router)
    app.mount('#app')

    Configuring your router

    Replace src/router/index.js:

    import { createRouter, createWebHistory } from 'vue-router'
    import FileUpload from '@/components/FileUpload.vue'
    import NutrientViewer from '@/components/NutrientViewer.vue'
    const router = createRouter({
    history: createWebHistory(),
    routes: [
    {
    path: '/upload',
    name: 'upload',
    component: FileUpload
    },
    {
    path: '/document/:documentId',
    name: 'NutrientViewer',
    component: NutrientViewer
    },
    {
    path: '/',
    redirect: '/upload'
    }
    ]
    })
    export default router

    This creates three routes: the upload page (home), the document viewer (dynamic route), and a redirect from root to upload.

    Step 5: Creating the upload interface (the mixing bowl) 📤

    Now for the fun part: creating a beautiful drag-and-drop upload interface. This component will handle file selection, uploading to your backend, and navigation to the viewer.

    Create src/components/FileUpload.vue:

    <script setup>
    import { ref } from 'vue'
    import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
    const router = useRouter()
    const selectedFile = ref(null)
    const isUploading = ref(false)
    const uploadError = ref(null)
    const handleFileSelect = (event) => {
    const target = event.target
    if (target.files && target.files[0]) {
    selectedFile.value = target.files[0]
    uploadError.value = null
    }
    }
    const uploadFile = async () => {
    if (!selectedFile.value) return
    try {
    isUploading.value = true
    uploadError.value = null
    // Create form data for the upload.
    const formData = new FormData()
    formData.append('file', selectedFile.value)
    // Upload to your mini backend.
    const uploadResponse = await fetch('http://localhost:3001/api/upload', {
    method: 'POST',
    body: formData
    })
    if (!uploadResponse.ok) {
    throw new Error('Upload failed')
    }
    const result = await uploadResponse.json()
    const docId = result.documentId
    // Navigate to the document viewer — like taking your cake out of the oven!
    router.push(`/document/${docId}`)
    } catch (error) {
    uploadError.value = error.message
    } finally {
    isUploading.value = false
    }
    }
    </script>
    <template>
    <div class="upload-container">
    <div class="upload-card">
    <div class="upload-header">
    <svg class="upload-logo" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor">
    <path d="M14 2H6a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v16a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h12a2 2 0 0 0 2-2V8z"/>
    <polyline points="14,2 14,8 20,8"/>
    <line x1="16" y1="13" x2="8" y2="13"/>
    <line x1="16" y1="17" x2="8" y2="17"/>
    <polyline points="10,9 9,9 8,9"/>
    </svg>
    <h2 class="upload-title">Upload PDF document</h2>
    <p class="upload-subtitle">Upload your PDF to get started with Nutrient</p>
    </div>
    <div class="file-input-wrapper">
    <div class="file-input-zone" :class="{ 'uploading': isUploading }">
    <div v-if="!selectedFile" class="upload-prompt">
    <span class="upload-primary">Choose a PDF file</span>
    <span class="upload-secondary">or drag and drop it here</span>
    </div>
    <div v-else class="file-selected">
    <svg class="file-icon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor">
    <path d="M14 2H6a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v16a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h12a2 2 0 0 0 2-2V8z"/>
    <polyline points="14,2 14,8 20,8"/>
    </svg>
    <div class="file-info">
    <span class="file-name">{{ selectedFile.name }}</span>
    <span class="file-size">{{ (selectedFile.size / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(2) }} MB</span>
    </div>
    <button v-if="!isUploading" @click="selectedFile = null" class="remove-file">
    <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor">
    <line x1="18" y1="6" x2="6" y2="18"/>
    <line x1="6" y1="6" x2="18" y2="18"/>
    </svg>
    </button>
    </div>
    <input
    type="file"
    accept=".pdf"
    @change="handleFileSelect"
    :disabled="isUploading"
    class="file-input"
    >
    </div>
    </div>
    <button
    @click="uploadFile"
    :disabled="!selectedFile || isUploading"
    class="upload-btn"
    >
    <svg v-if="isUploading" class="loading-spinner" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
    <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"/>
    <path d="m12 2a10 10 0 0 1 10 10" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2"/>
    </svg>
    <span>{{ isUploading ? 'Uploading document...' : 'Upload to Nutrient' }}</span>
    </button>
    <div v-if="uploadError" class="error-message">
    <svg class="error-icon" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor">
    <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10"/>
    <line x1="15" y1="9" x2="9" y2="15"/>
    <line x1="9" y1="9" x2="15" y2="15"/>
    </svg>
    <span>{{ uploadError }}</span>
    </div>
    </div>
    </div>
    </template>
    <style scoped>
    /* Container and card styling */
    .upload-container {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    width: 100vw;
    height: 100vh;
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #0f172a 0%, #1e293b 50%, #334155 100%);
    font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif;
    }
    .upload-card {
    background: #1e293b;
    border: 1px solid #334155;
    border-radius: 1rem;
    padding: 3rem;
    box-shadow: 0 25px 50px -12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
    width: 90vw;
    max-width: 600px;
    }
    /* Header section */
    .upload-header {
    text-align: center;
    margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
    }
    .upload-logo {
    width: 4rem;
    height: 4rem;
    color: #3b82f6;
    margin-bottom: 1rem;
    }
    .upload-title {
    font-size: 2rem;
    font-weight: 700;
    color: #f8fafc;
    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
    }
    .upload-subtitle {
    color: #94a3b8;
    font-size: 1rem;
    }
    /* File input zone */
    .file-input-zone {
    position: relative;
    border: 2px dashed #475569;
    border-radius: 0.75rem;
    padding: 4rem 2rem;
    background: #0f172a;
    cursor: pointer;
    margin-bottom: 2rem;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
    }
    .file-input-zone:hover {
    border-color: #3b82f6;
    background: #1e293b;
    }
    .file-input {
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
    opacity: 0;
    cursor: pointer;
    }
    /* Upload prompt and file selection */
    .upload-prompt {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.25rem;
    }
    .upload-primary {
    font-weight: 600;
    color: #f8fafc;
    font-size: 1.25rem;
    }
    .upload-secondary {
    color: #94a3b8;
    }
    .file-selected {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 1rem;
    padding: 1.5rem;
    background: #334155;
    border-radius: 0.5rem;
    border: 1px solid #475569;
    width: 100%;
    }
    .file-icon {
    width: 3rem;
    height: 3rem;
    color: #3b82f6;
    }
    .file-info {
    flex: 1;
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    gap: 0.5rem;
    }
    .file-name {
    font-weight: 600;
    color: #f8fafc;
    word-break: break-all;
    }
    .file-size {
    color: #94a3b8;
    font-size: 0.875rem;
    }
    /* Buttons */
    .remove-file {
    padding: 0.75rem;
    background: #dc2626;
    border: none;
    border-radius: 0.5rem;
    cursor: pointer;
    transition: background 0.2s;
    }
    .remove-file:hover {
    background: #b91c1c;
    }
    .remove-file svg {
    width: 1.25rem;
    height: 1.25rem;
    }
    .upload-btn {
    width: 100%;
    padding: 1.25rem 2rem;
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #3b82f6, #1d4ed8);
    color: white;
    border: none;
    border-radius: 0.75rem;
    font-weight: 700;
    font-size: 1.125rem;
    cursor: pointer;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
    gap: 0.75rem;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
    }
    .upload-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #2563eb, #1e40af);
    transform: translateY(-1px);
    box-shadow: 0 20px 25px -5px rgba(59, 130, 246, 0.3);
    }
    .upload-btn:disabled {
    background: #475569;
    cursor: not-allowed;
    }
    /* Loading and error states */
    .loading-spinner {
    width: 1.5rem;
    height: 1.5rem;
    animation: spin 1s linear infinite;
    }
    @keyframes spin {
    from { transform: rotate(0deg); }
    to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
    }
    .error-message {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 0.75rem;
    padding: 1.25rem;
    background: #7f1d1d;
    border: 1px solid #dc2626;
    border-radius: 0.75rem;
    margin-top: 1.5rem;
    color: #fecaca;
    }
    .error-icon {
    width: 1.5rem;
    height: 1.5rem;
    color: #dc2626;
    }
    </style>

    The component features a modern gradient background, file size display, loading states, and error handling. The styles use Tailwind's color palette for consistency.

    Step 6: Creating the document viewer (the final presentation) 📄

    Once the file is uploaded, you need a viewer to display it. This component handles the connection to Document Engine and loads the Nutrient Web SDK viewer.

    Create src/components/NutrientViewer.vue:

    <script setup>
    import { onMounted, onUnmounted, useTemplateRef, computed } from "vue";
    import { useRoute } from "vue-router";
    const containerRef = useTemplateRef("container");
    const route = useRoute();
    const { NutrientViewer } = window;
    // Get the document ID from the route.
    const documentId = computed(() => {
    return route.params.documentId;
    });
    async function loadViewer() {
    try {
    if (!documentId.value) return;
    // Get a JWT token for this document.
    const response = await fetch("http://localhost:3001/api/token", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
    documentId: documentId.value,
    }),
    });
    const { jwt } = await response.json();
    const container = containerRef.value;
    // Load the Nutrient Viewer — the moment of truth!
    if (NutrientViewer) {
    await NutrientViewer.load({
    container,
    documentId: documentId.value,
    authPayload: { jwt },
    instant: true,
    serverUrl: "http://localhost:5000/",
    });
    }
    } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to load viewer:", error);
    }
    }
    onMounted(() => {
    const container = containerRef.value;
    if (container && NutrientViewer) {
    loadViewer();
    }
    });
    onUnmounted(() => {
    const container = containerRef.value;
    if (container && NutrientViewer) {
    NutrientViewer.unload(container);
    }
    });
    </script>
    <template>
    <div class="wrapper">
    <div id="NutrientViewer" ref="container" style="height: 100vh; width: 100%;"></div>
    </div>
    </template>
    <style scoped>
    .wrapper {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100vh;
    }
    </style>

    This component fetches a JWT token from your backend and then initializes the Nutrient Web SDK viewer with that token for secure document access.

    Step 7: Building your mini backend (the oven controls) ⚙️

    Your frontend is complete! Now it’s time to build the backend that ties everything together. The backend handles JWT token generation, file uploads, and communication with Document Engine.

    Why JWT? — Document Engine uses JWT tokens to verify that requests are authorized. This prevents unauthorized access to documents.

    Creating the Express server

    Create mini-backend/server.js:

    import express from "express";
    import jwt from "jsonwebtoken";
    import fs from "fs";
    import cors from "cors";
    import multer from "multer";
    import FormData from "form-data";
    import fetch from "node-fetch";
    const app = express();
    app.use(express.json());
    app.use(cors());
    const upload = multer({ storage: multer.memoryStorage() });
    const privateKey = fs.readFileSync("keys/jwt_private.pem");
    // JWT token generation endpoint.
    app.post("/api/token", (req, res) => {
    const { documentId } = req.body;
    if (!documentId) {
    return res.status(400).json({ error: "documentId is required" });
    }
    const token = jwt.sign(
    {
    document_id: documentId,
    permissions: ["read", "write"],
    },
    privateKey,
    {
    algorithm: "RS256",
    expiresIn: "1h",
    }
    );
    res.json({ jwt: token });
    });
    // File upload endpoint — sends PDF to Document Engine.
    app.post("/api/upload", upload.single('file'), async (req, res) => {
    try {
    if (!req.file) {
    return res.status(400).json({ error: "No file uploaded" });
    }
    // Generate a unique document ID.
    const documentId = 'DOC_' + Date.now() + '_' + Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9);
    // Prepare the document for Document Engine.
    const formData = new FormData();
    formData.append('pdf-file-from-multipart', req.file.buffer, {
    filename: req.file.originalname,
    contentType: 'application/pdf'
    });
    const instructions = {
    instructions: {
    parts: [{ file: 'pdf-file-from-multipart' }],
    actions: [],
    output: {
    metadata: {
    title: req.file.originalname.replace('.pdf', ''),
    author: 'Document Author'
    },
    type: 'pdf'
    }
    },
    document_id: documentId,
    title: req.file.originalname.replace('.pdf', ''),
    overwrite_existing_document: true
    };
    formData.append('instructions', JSON.stringify(instructions.instructions));
    formData.append('document_id', instructions.document_id);
    formData.append('title', instructions.title);
    formData.append('overwrite_existing_document', instructions.overwrite_existing_document.toString());
    // Send to Document Engine.
    const response = await fetch('http://localhost:5000/api/documents', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Token token=secret',
    ...formData.getHeaders()
    },
    body: formData
    });
    if (!response.ok) {
    const errorText = await response.text();
    console.error('Document Engine error:', response.status, errorText);
    throw new Error(`Document Engine error: ${response.status} - ${errorText}`);
    }
    const result = await response.json();
    const returnedDocumentId = result.data?.document_id || documentId;
    res.json({
    success: true,
    documentId: returnedDocumentId,
    title: result.data?.title || req.file.originalname,
    result: result
    });
    } catch (error) {
    console.error("Upload error:", error.message);
    res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
    }
    });
    app.get("/", (req, res) => {
    res.send("✅ Mini-backend is running.");
    });
    app.listen(3001, () => {
    console.log("Mini-backend server running on port 3001");
    });

    This server provides two key endpoints: /api/token for JWT generation, and /api/upload for handling file uploads to Document Engine.

    Creating the Docker Compose configuration

    Document Engine runs as a Docker container with PostgreSQL. Add mini-backend/docker-compose.yml:

    version: "3.8"
    services:
    document_engine:
    image: pspdfkit/document-engine:@1.13.0
    environment:
    PGUSER: de-user
    PGPASSWORD: password
    PGDATABASE: document-engine
    PGHOST: db
    PGPORT: 5432
    API_AUTH_TOKEN: secret
    SECRET_KEY_BASE: secret-key-base
    JWT_PUBLIC_KEY: |
    -----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
    MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA2gzhmJ9TDanEzWdP1WG+
    0Ecwbe7f3bv6e5UUpvcT5q68IQJKP47AQdBAnSlFVi4X9SaurbWoXdS6jpmPpk24
    QvitzLNFphHdwjFBelTAOa6taZrSusoFvrtK9x5xsW4zzt/bkpUraNx82Z8MwLwr
    t6HlY7dgO9+xBAabj4t1d2t+0HS8O/ed3CB6T2lj6S8AbLDSEFc9ScO6Uc1XJlSo
    rgyJJSPCpNhSq3AubEZ1wMS1iEtgAzTPRDsQv50qWIbn634HLWxTP/UH6YNJBwzt
    3O6q29kTtjXlMGXCvin37PyX4Jy1IiPFwJm45aWJGKSfVGMDojTJbuUtM+8P9Rrn
    AwIDAQAB
    -----END PUBLIC KEY-----
    JWT_ALGORITHM: RS256
    DASHBOARD_USERNAME: dashboard
    DASHBOARD_PASSWORD: secret
    ports:
    - 5000:5000
    depends_on:
    - db
    db:
    image: postgres:16
    environment:
    POSTGRES_USER: de-user
    POSTGRES_PASSWORD: password
    POSTGRES_DB: document-engine
    POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS: --data-checksums
    PGDATA: /var/lib/postgresql/data/pgdata
    volumes:
    - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    volumes:
    pgdata:

    Why Docker Compose? — Document Engine requires PostgreSQL for document storage. Docker Compose lets you run both services together with a single command.

    Setting up JWT keys

    Create the keys directory and add the private key:

    Terminal window
    # Go to mini backend directory.
    cd mini-backend
    # Create keys directory.
    mkdir keys
    # Go back to main project.
    cd ..

    Now create mini-backend/keys/jwt_private.pem with this content:

    -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
    MIIEpQIBAAKCAQEA2gzhmJ9TDanEzWdP1WG+0Ecwbe7f3bv6e5UUpvcT5q68IQJK
    P47AQdBAnSlFVi4X9SaurbWoXdS6jpmPpk24QvitzLNFphHdwjFBelTAOa6taZrS
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    a4GXoAxqU44w4Mckg2E19b2MrcNkV9eWAyTACbEO4oFcZcSZOCKj8Fw=
    -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

    Note — If you'd like to create your own JWT keys for production use, follow this guide.

    Updating the mini backend package.json

    Create mini-backend/package.json:

    {
    "name": "nutrient-mini-backend",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "type": "module",
    "main": "server.js",
    "dependencies": {
    "express": "^5.1.0",
    "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.2",
    "fs": "*",
    "cors": "^2.8.5",
    "multer": "^1.4.5",
    "form-data": "^4.0.0",
    "node-fetch": "^3.3.2"
    }
    }

    Almost there! You’ve completed all the setup. Now fire it up and test everything.

    Step 8: Firing up your creation! 🔥

    Time to see your easy-bake creation come to life!

    Starting the mini backend

    Terminal window
    npm run start:backend

    This will

    1. Start Docker services (Document Engine and PostgreSQL)
    2. Start your Express server on port 3001

    You should see: “Mini-backend server running on port 3001.”

    Starting the Vue development server

    In a new terminal, run:

    Terminal window
    npm run dev

    Your Vue app will be available at http://localhost:5173

    Step 9: Testing your document magic ✨

    1. Navigate to http://localhost:5173.
    2. Upload a PDF using the beautiful interface.
    3. Watch the magic as you’re automatically redirected to the viewer.
    4. Enjoy your full-featured PDF viewer with annotations, bookmarks, and more!

    Pro baker tips 👩‍🍳

    Direct document access

    Share specific documents by navigating to:

    http://localhost:5173/document/{documentId}

    Your API endpoints

    • POST /api/token — Generate JWT tokens
    • POST /api/upload — Upload PDFs to Document Engine
    • GET / — Health check

    Clean up when done

    Terminal window
    npm run stop:backend

    This stops both Docker containers and your Express server.

    Troubleshooting

    Port already in use — If port 3001 or 5000 is already in use, run:

    Terminal window
    # Find and kill the process using the port.
    lsof -ti:3001 | xargs kill -9
    lsof -ti:5000 | xargs kill -9

    Docker not starting — Make sure Docker Desktop is running and you have enough resources allocated (at least 4 GB RAM).

    CORS errors — Check that your backend is running on port 3001 and the frontend on 5173. The CORS middleware is configured for all origins.

    JWT errors — Ensure the JWT_PUBLIC_KEY in docker-compose.yml matches the private key you created.

    Ready for production 🍽️

    Build for production:

    Terminal window
    npm run build

    Production checklist

    • Generate your own JWT key pair (don’t use the example keys)
    • Set proper CORS origins instead of allowing all
    • Use environment variables for sensitive data
    • Deploy Document Engine to a production server
    • Add error logging and monitoring

    The recipe recap

    Congratulations! You’ve just created a complete document processing application with:

    • Drag-and-drop document uploads — A modern, intuitive file upload interface
    • Secure JWT authentication — Server-side token generation for Document Engine
    • Full-featured document viewing — Annotations, bookmarks, and more via Nutrient Web SDK
    • A beautiful, responsive UI — Tailwind-inspired gradients and animations
    • A Docker-powered backend — Document Engine and PostgreSQL running together

    The architecture you built

    1. User uploads PDF through Vue frontend
    2. Express backend receives file and sends to Document Engine
    3. Document Engine processes and stores PDF
    4. Backend generates JWT token
    5. Frontend loads Web SDK viewer with token
    6. User views and annotates document

    Just like that first mini oven creation sparked a lifetime love of cooking, this recipe might be the start of your document processing empire!

    Happy baking, and may your documents always render perfectly! 🎂

    Eli Payano

    Eli Payano

    Senior Technical Support Engineer

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