laravel-dompdf

Pros of dompdf

• Standalone PHP library, can be used in any PHP project
• More flexible and customizable for advanced PDF generation needs
• Regularly updated with new features and improvements

Cons of dompdf

• Requires more setup and configuration in Laravel projects
• Less integrated with Laravel's ecosystem and features
• May require more code to achieve the same results as the Laravel wrapper

Code Comparison

dompdf:

require_once 'dompdf/autoload.inc.php';
$dompdf = new Dompdf\Dompdf();
$dompdf->loadHtml($html);
$dompdf->render();
$dompdf->stream('document.pdf');

laravel-dompdf:

use Barryvdh\DomPDF\Facade\Pdf;

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

The laravel-dompdf package provides a more Laravel-friendly syntax and integration, while the standalone dompdf library offers more flexibility but requires more setup code. laravel-dompdf is ideal for Laravel projects, whereas dompdf is better suited for non-Laravel PHP applications or scenarios requiring advanced customization.

Pros of TCPDF

• More feature-rich, offering advanced PDF manipulation capabilities
• Standalone PHP library, not dependent on Laravel framework
• Supports a wider range of image formats and barcode types

Cons of TCPDF

• Steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set
• Larger file size and potentially slower performance for simple PDF generation tasks
• Less seamless integration with Laravel compared to laravel-dompdf

Code Comparison

TCPDF:

$pdf = new TCPDF();
$pdf->AddPage();
$pdf->SetFont('helvetica', '', 12);
$pdf->Cell(0, 10, 'Hello, World!', 0, 1);
$pdf->Output('document.pdf', 'I');

laravel-dompdf:

$pdf = PDF::loadView('pdf.document', $data);
return $pdf->stream('document.pdf');

TCPDF offers more granular control over PDF creation, while laravel-dompdf provides a simpler, more Laravel-friendly approach. TCPDF is better suited for complex PDF manipulation tasks, whereas laravel-dompdf excels in quickly generating PDFs from HTML views within Laravel applications.

Pros of mpdf

• More feature-rich, supporting a wider range of CSS properties and HTML elements
• Better support for non-Latin scripts and complex text layouts
• Offers more customization options for headers, footers, and page numbering

Cons of mpdf

• Generally slower performance, especially for large documents
• Steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set
• Larger file size, which may impact project size and load times

Code Comparison

mpdf:

$mpdf = new \Mpdf\Mpdf();
$mpdf->WriteHTML($html);
$mpdf->Output('document.pdf', 'D');

laravel-dompdf:

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

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to generate PDFs, but laravel-dompdf provides a more Laravel-specific integration. mpdf offers more low-level control, which can be beneficial for complex documents but may require more setup code.

mpdf excels in handling complex layouts and non-Latin scripts, making it suitable for multilingual or design-heavy documents. However, its performance can be a drawback for large-scale applications.

laravel-dompdf, while more limited in features, offers better performance and easier integration with Laravel projects. It's generally sufficient for simpler PDF generation needs and is more lightweight.

The choice between these libraries depends on the specific requirements of your project, balancing features against performance and ease of use.

Pros of phpwkhtmltopdf

• Better rendering of complex layouts and CSS3 features
• Supports JavaScript execution in PDF generation
• Faster processing for large documents

Cons of phpwkhtmltopdf

• Requires wkhtmltopdf to be installed on the server
• Less seamless integration with Laravel compared to laravel-dompdf
• May have compatibility issues with some hosting environments

Code Comparison

laravel-dompdf:

use Barryvdh\DomPDF\Facade\Pdf;

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

phpwkhtmltopdf:

use mikehaertl\wkhtmlto\Pdf;

$pdf = new Pdf('http://example.com');
if (!$pdf->saveAs('document.pdf')) {
    echo $pdf->getError();
}

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to generate PDFs, but laravel-dompdf provides a more Laravel-specific implementation. phpwkhtmltopdf offers more flexibility and better rendering capabilities, especially for complex layouts, but requires additional server setup. The choice between the two depends on specific project requirements, server environment, and the complexity of the PDFs being generated.