WeasyPrint

Pros of python-pdfkit

• Simpler to use for basic PDF generation from HTML
• Supports PDF generation from URLs directly
• Lighter weight and fewer dependencies

Cons of python-pdfkit

• Requires wkhtmltopdf to be installed separately
• Less control over CSS styling and layout
• Limited support for advanced PDF features

Code Comparison

WeasyPrint:

from weasyprint import HTML

HTML('https://example.com').write_pdf('example.pdf')

python-pdfkit:

import pdfkit

pdfkit.from_url('https://example.com', 'example.pdf')

Both libraries allow for simple PDF generation from URLs, but WeasyPrint offers more advanced features and better CSS support. python-pdfkit is easier to use for basic tasks but requires an external dependency.

WeasyPrint is a pure Python library that provides more control over the PDF generation process, including better CSS support and more advanced layout options. It's better suited for complex documents and precise styling requirements.

python-pdfkit, on the other hand, is a wrapper around wkhtmltopdf, making it simpler to use for basic PDF generation tasks. It's ideal for quick conversions of HTML to PDF, especially when working with URLs directly.

Pros of xhtml2pdf

• Simpler installation process with fewer dependencies
• Better support for older Python versions (2.7+)
• Easier to use for basic PDF generation tasks

Cons of xhtml2pdf

• Less accurate CSS rendering compared to WeasyPrint
• Limited support for modern web standards and CSS features
• Slower performance for complex documents

Code Comparison

xhtml2pdf:

from xhtml2pdf import pisa

def convert_html_to_pdf(html_string, output_filename):
    with open(output_filename, "w+b") as result_file:
        pisa.CreatePDF(html_string, dest=result_file)

WeasyPrint:

from weasyprint import HTML

def convert_html_to_pdf(html_string, output_filename):
    HTML(string=html_string).write_pdf(output_filename)

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to convert HTML to PDF, but WeasyPrint's API is slightly more concise. WeasyPrint also provides better CSS support and rendering accuracy, making it more suitable for complex layouts and modern web designs. However, xhtml2pdf may be easier to set up and use for simpler projects, especially those requiring compatibility with older Python versions.

Pros of html2canvas

• Client-side rendering, no server dependencies
• Supports complex layouts and CSS styles
• Faster execution for simple web pages

Cons of html2canvas

• Limited support for certain CSS properties and external resources
• May produce less accurate results for complex layouts
• Output is raster-based (PNG/JPEG) rather than vector-based (PDF)

Code Comparison

html2canvas:

html2canvas(document.body).then(function(canvas) {
    document.body.appendChild(canvas);
});

WeasyPrint:

from weasyprint import HTML
HTML('https://example.com').write_pdf('example.pdf')

Key Differences

• html2canvas operates in the browser, while WeasyPrint runs server-side
• html2canvas produces image outputs, WeasyPrint generates PDFs
• html2canvas is JavaScript-based, WeasyPrint is Python-based
• WeasyPrint offers more precise rendering and better support for print-specific features
• html2canvas is better suited for quick screenshots, while WeasyPrint is ideal for high-quality document generation

Use Cases

• html2canvas: Capturing web page screenshots, creating image-based reports
• WeasyPrint: Generating print-ready PDFs, creating complex documents with precise layouts

Community and Maintenance

• Both projects are actively maintained and have sizeable communities
• html2canvas has more stars and forks on GitHub, indicating wider adoption
• WeasyPrint has more frequent releases and a more structured development process

Pros of laravel-dompdf

• Seamless integration with Laravel framework
• Supports HTML5 and CSS3 features
• Easier to set up and use for Laravel developers

Cons of laravel-dompdf

• Limited support for complex CSS layouts
• Slower rendering compared to WeasyPrint
• Less accurate rendering of web fonts

Code Comparison

laravel-dompdf:

use Barryvdh\DomPDF\Facade\Pdf;

$pdf = Pdf::loadView('pdf.invoice', $data);
return $pdf->download('invoice.pdf');

WeasyPrint:

from weasyprint import HTML

html = HTML(string=template.render(context))
html.write_pdf(output_file)

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to generate PDFs from HTML, but laravel-dompdf is more tightly integrated with Laravel's ecosystem, while WeasyPrint provides a more flexible, framework-agnostic approach. WeasyPrint generally offers better rendering quality and performance, especially for complex layouts, but may require more setup effort in a Laravel environment compared to the purpose-built laravel-dompdf package.