---
title: "Choose your Web SDK setup | Nutrient"
canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/web/getting-started/deployment-options/"
md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/web/getting-started/deployment-options.md"
last_updated: "2026-06-10T15:38:42.700Z"
description: "Choose the Web SDK setup that matches how you want to view, manage, and license documents in your app."
---

# Choose your Web SDK setup

Nutrient Web SDK can run directly in the browser, connect to Nutrient’s cloud services, or use a self-hosted backend. Choose the path that best matches how you want to view, manage, and license documents in your app.

## Browser-only Web SDK

Render documents directly in the browser. Your app provides the document, and no document backend is required.

Best for:

- Standalone in-browser document viewing

- Apps that already manage document access and storage

- Full control over the viewer UI and integration

- Classic Web SDK licensing for production deployments

[Get started with browser-only Web SDK](https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/web/getting-started/react-vite.md)

[Learn about Web SDK licensing](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/web/pspdfkit-for-web/licensing.md)

## Cloud-backed Web SDK

Use Web SDK with Nutrient-managed cloud services through DWS Viewer API for document viewing, storage, streaming, collaboration, and session-based access.

Best for:

- Customers who want to start with a subscription or usage-based path

- Teams that don’t want to host document infrastructure

- Managed document storage and cloud-backed viewing

- Session-based viewer access and usage metering

- Getting started without a sales-led license setup

[Get started with DWS Viewer API](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/dws-viewer/getting-started.md)

[Learn about Viewer API pricing plans](https://www.nutrient.io/api/pricing/viewer-api/)

## Self-hosted server-backed viewer

Run Document Engine in your own infrastructure and connect Web SDK to it for server-backed viewing.

Best for:

- Enterprise or privacy-sensitive deployments

- Teams that need to host the backend themselves

- Server-side rendering, streaming, and collaboration

- Advanced processing features and infrastructure control

- Sales-led licensing and larger production deployments

[Get started with Document Engine](https://www.nutrient.io/sdk/document-engine/getting-started/docker-deployment-react-frontend.md)

[Contact Sales about self-hosted licensing](https://www.nutrient.io/contact-sales/?=sdk)

---

## Related pages

- [Get started with Web SDK](/sdk/web/getting-started.md)
- [Add PDF functionality with React + Vite](/sdk/web/getting-started/react-vite.md)
- [Add PDF functionality with Next.js](/sdk/web/getting-started/nextjs.md)
- [Add PDF functionality with TypeScript](/sdk/web/getting-started/typescript.md)