Generate a PDF

Export any webpage or HTML content as a PDF using the Browserless PDF API.

Prerequisites

• A Browserless API token from your account dashboard

Steps

REST API

Use the /pdf REST endpoint to generate a PDF from a URL. No WebSocket connection needed.

cURL

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1. Build the request

Append your token to the PDF endpoint:

https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE

2. Send the request

curl -X POST \
  "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE" \
  -H 'Cache-Control: no-cache' \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "options": {
      "displayHeaderFooter": true,
      "printBackground": true,
      "format": "A4"
    }
  }' \
  -o output.pdf

3. Check the output

The response is a raw PDF binary written to output.pdf in the current directory.

JavaScript

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1. Send the request

import fs from 'fs';

const response = await fetch(
  'https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE',
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Cache-Control': 'no-cache',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      url: 'https://example.com',
      options: {
        displayHeaderFooter: true,
        printBackground: true,
        format: 'A4',
      },
    }),
  }
);

const buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
fs.writeFileSync('output.pdf', Buffer.from(buffer));

2. Check the output

Run the script with node pdf.mjs. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

Python

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1. Install dependencies

pip install requests

2. Send the request

import requests

response = requests.post(
    'https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE',
    headers={'Cache-Control': 'no-cache', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
    json={
        'url': 'https://example.com',
        'options': {
            'displayHeaderFooter': True,
            'printBackground': True,
            'format': 'A4',
        },
    },
)

with open('output.pdf', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(response.content)

3. Check the output

Run the script with python pdf.py. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

Java

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1. Send the request

import java.io.*;
import java.net.URI;
import java.net.http.*;

String token = "YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE";
String endpoint = "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token=" + token;

String jsonData = """
    {
        "url": "https://example.com",
        "options": {
            "displayHeaderFooter": true,
            "printBackground": true,
            "format": "A4"
        }
    }
""";

HttpClient client = HttpClient.newHttpClient();
HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
    .uri(URI.create(endpoint))
    .header("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
    .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
    .POST(HttpRequest.BodyPublishers.ofString(jsonData))
    .build();

HttpResponse<InputStream> response = client.send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofInputStream());
try (FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream("output.pdf")) {
    response.body().transferTo(fos);
}
System.out.println("PDF saved as output.pdf");

2. Check the output

Run the class. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

C#

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1. Send the request

using System.IO;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text;
using System.Text.Json;

string token = "YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE";
string endpoint = $"https://production-sfo.browserless.io/pdf?token={token}";

var payload = new
{
    url = "https://example.com",
    options = new { displayHeaderFooter = true, printBackground = true, format = "A4" },
};

using (HttpClient httpClient = new HttpClient())
{
    var request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, endpoint);
    request.Headers.Add("Cache-Control", "no-cache");
    request.Content = new StringContent(JsonSerializer.Serialize(payload), Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");

    var response = await httpClient.SendAsync(request);
    var contentStream = await response.Content.ReadAsStreamAsync();
    using (var fileStream = new FileStream("output.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
    {
        await contentStream.CopyToAsync(fileStream);
    }
    Console.WriteLine("PDF saved as output.pdf");
}

2. Check the output

Run the program. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

Frameworks

Use a browser connection when you need to interact with the page or wait for dynamic content before generating the PDF.

Puppeteer

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1. Install dependencies

npm install puppeteer-core

2. Connect and generate

import puppeteer from 'puppeteer-core';
import fs from 'fs';

const browser = await puppeteer.connect({
  browserWSEndpoint: 'wss://production-sfo.browserless.io?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE',
});

try {
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle2' });

  const pdf = await page.pdf({
    format: 'A4',
    printBackground: true,
    displayHeaderFooter: true,
  });

  fs.writeFileSync('output.pdf', pdf);
} finally {
  // Always close to release the session even on error.
  await browser.close();
}

3. Check the output

Run the script with node pdf.mjs. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

Playwright

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1. Install dependencies

npm install playwright-core

2. Connect and generate

import { chromium } from 'playwright-core';
import fs from 'fs';

const browser = await chromium.connect(
  'wss://production-sfo.browserless.io/chromium/playwright?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE'
);

try {
  const page = await browser.newPage();
  await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });

  const pdf = await page.pdf({
    format: 'A4',
    printBackground: true,
    displayHeaderFooter: true,
  });

  fs.writeFileSync('output.pdf', pdf);
} finally {
  // Always close to release the session even on error.
  await browser.close();
}

3. Check the output

Run the script with node pdf.mjs. The file output.pdf will appear in the current directory.

BQL

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1. Write the mutation

Navigate to the URL and generate a PDF in one operation:

mutation PDF {
  goto(url: "https://example.com") {
    status
  }

  pdf(format: a4, printBackground: true, displayHeaderFooter: true) {
    base64
  }
}

2. Run it

Paste into the BQL IDE and click Run.

3. Check the output

The response includes a base64-encoded PDF. Each example above decodes it and saves it as output.pdf.

{
  "data": {
    "goto": { "status": 200 },
    "pdf": { "base64": "JVBERi0xLjQ..." }
  }
}

Next steps

• Take a Screenshot — capture the page as an image instead
• Scrape Structured Data — extract data from the page
• Fill and Submit a Form — automate form interactions before generating a PDF