Nutrient Java SDK

Convert HTML to PDF in Java

Q: How do I convert HTML to PDF in Java?

Install Nutrient Java SDK. Then open your HTML file with Document.open("input.html") and call document.exportAsPdf("output.pdf") . The SDK renders the HTML through Chrome and writes a PDF that preserves the page’s layout, fonts, images, and CSS. See the HTML-to-PDF guide for a complete working example.

Q: How do I handle errors during conversion?

Conversion methods can throw NutrientException , so declare or catch it. Use a try-with-resources block ( try (Document document = Document.open(...)) ) so the document is closed automatically, even when an error occurs.

Start free HTML-to-PDF guide

Convert HTML files to PDF with a single API call — no template engine or browser automation to wire up
Rendered through Chrome, so CSS, fonts, images, and page layout are preserved
Server-ready with no GUI dependencies — runs on Linux, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines
Same two-step pattern as Markdown, Word, and Office conversions

Need pricing or implementation help? Talk to Sales.

HTML-TO-PDF CONVERSION

HTML to PDF

1
package io.nutrient.Sample;
2

3
import io.nutrient.sdk.Document;
4
import io.nutrient.sdk.exceptions.NutrientException;
5

6
public class HtmlToPDF {
7
    public static void main(String[] args) throws NutrientException {
8
        try (Document document = Document.open("input.html")) {
9
            document.exportAsPdf("output.pdf");
10
        }
11
    }
12
}

USE CASES

When developers reach for this SDK

Generate invoices and receipts from HTML

Render an HTML invoice or receipt template — styled with your own CSS — into a fixed PDF for emailing, billing, and record keeping.

Produce reports and statements

Turn dashboards, statements, and generated reports built as HTML into print-ready PDFs with consistent pagination and layout.

Archive web content for compliance

Capture rendered webpages as PDFs for offline access, audit trails, and long-term archiving where a stable format is required.

Preserve full CSS and layout fidelity

Nutrient renders HTML through Chrome, so fonts, images, and CSS styling come through exactly as they appear in the browser.

Convert more formats to PDF in Java

Markdown to PDF

Convert Markdown to PDF in Java. The SDK parses Markdown and renders formatted PDF output.

VIEW GUIDE

Handles Markdown syntax and document structure
Renders code blocks and formatting
One method call: exportAsPdf()

Word to PDF

Convert DOCX to PDF in Java. The SDK renders Word documents to PDF with no Microsoft Office required.

VIEW GUIDE

Preserves fonts, styles, and layout
No Microsoft Office installation needed
One method call: exportAsPdf()

Excel to PDF

Convert XLSX to PDF in Java. The SDK renders spreadsheets to PDF for sharing and archiving.

VIEW GUIDE

Renders worksheets and tabular data
Keeps cell formatting intact
One method call: exportAsPdf()

Source formats

HTML Markdown DOCX XLSX PPTX

ADVANCED CAPABILITIES

Beyond a single conversion

The SDK handles more than one-off conversions. Build HTML-to-PDF conversion into automated workflows and deploy anywhere the JVM runs.

EXPLORE JAVA SDK

Illustration of an HTML page being converted to a PDF document

Chrome-grade rendering

HTML is rendered through Chrome, so complex CSS, web fonts, and images appear in the PDF exactly as they do in the browser.

Batch HTML conversion

Convert many HTML files in a loop or across threads. Each conversion follows the same pattern: open and export.

Server-side processing

No GUI dependencies — run HTML-to-PDF conversion in background jobs, services, or API handlers on any server.

Docker and Linux ready

Run conversions in containers by including Chrome in the image and running as a non-root user, following the Docker deployment guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert HTML to PDF in Java?

Install Nutrient Java SDK. Then open your HTML file with Document.open("input.html") and call document.exportAsPdf("output.pdf"). The SDK renders the HTML through Chrome and writes a PDF that preserves the page’s layout, fonts, images, and CSS. See the HTML-to-PDF guide for a complete working example.

Does the conversion preserve CSS and styling?

Yes. Nutrient renders HTML through Chrome, so CSS, web fonts, images, and page layout come through in the PDF exactly as they appear in the browser. You don’t need to implement any rendering or pagination logic yourself.

Do I need to set up a headless browser or template engine?

No template engine or browser-automation framework is required in your code — the conversion is a single exportAsPdf() call inside a try-with-resources block. The SDK uses Chrome internally for rendering; on first run, it provisions the rendering engine for you.

Can I run HTML-to-PDF conversion in Docker or on Linux?

Yes. The SDK is server-ready and runs on Linux. Because HTML rendering relies on Chrome, a containerized deployment needs Chrome included in the image and the container run as a non-root user. See the guide on Chrome-based conversions in Docker for the packaged setup.

How do I convert HTML to PDF at scale in Java?

Loop over your HTML files, or convert across threads, and run the same two-step conversion for each one: Document.open(...), then exportAsPdf(...). Because there are no GUI dependencies, the same code runs in background services and CI/CD pipelines.

Can I convert other formats to PDF with the same API?

Yes. The open-then-export pattern is the same across formats. Use exportAsPdf() after opening Markdown, Word (DOCX), Excel (XLSX), or PowerPoint (PPTX). See the Java conversion guides for each format.

How do I handle errors during conversion?

Conversion methods can throw NutrientException, so declare or catch it. Use a try-with-resources block (try (Document document = Document.open(...))) so the document is closed automatically, even when an error occurs.