Converting a document from DOCX to PDF format

Convert Word documents to PDF when you need fixed output for sharing, storage, or compliance. This helps you:

  • Preserve document layout and styling
  • Avoid formatting differences across devices or apps
  • Create stable files for distribution and archival
  • Keep the original appearance of critical records
Download sample

Use the Java SDK for conversion

Use the Java SDK to convert DOCX files to PDF directly in your app workflow.

Preparing the project

Define a package and create a class for this conversion flow:

package io.nutrient.Sample;

Import Nutrient Java SDK classes. Prefer explicit imports for the classes you use:

import io.nutrient.sdk.Document;
import io.nutrient.sdk.exceptions.NutrientException;


public class WordDocumentToPDF {

Create a main method and declare NutrientException:

    public static void main(String[] args) throws NutrientException {

Then add the SDK-specific conversion logic.

Proceeding with the conversion

This guide uses the Document class. Initialize it with a try-with-resources statement(opens in a new tab) to close resources correctly.

Open source files by file path or stream. This example uses a file path:

        try (Document document = Document.open("input.docx")) {

After loading the file, call SDK methods on the document instance. For the full API surface, refer to the API reference.

Export the document as PDF. Write to a file path or stream. This example writes output.pdf to the working directory:

            document.exportAsPdf("output.pdf");
        }
    }
}

You now have a PDF file.

Error handling

The SDK throws NutrientException when conversion fails. Handle this exception in your app for custom logging, retries, or fallback logic.

Conclusion

You now have a complete DOCX-to-PDF conversion flow in Java. Download the sample package to run this example as-is.

What’s next