Pros of pdf2htmlEX

• Original project by the creator, potentially more authentic implementation
• May have more historical context and documentation
• Could be more stable due to longer development history

Cons of pdf2htmlEX

• Less active development and maintenance
• Fewer recent updates and bug fixes
• Potentially outdated dependencies and compatibility issues

Code Comparison

While both repositories contain similar core functionality, there might be slight differences in implementation or recent updates. Here's a hypothetical example of how a function might differ:

pdf2htmlEX:

void process_pdf(const char* input_file) {
    // Older implementation
    // ...
}

coolwanglu/pdf2htmlEX:

void process_pdf(const char* input_file, const char* output_file) {
    // Updated implementation with additional parameter
    // ...
}

Note that this is a simplified example and may not reflect actual differences between the repositories. The main distinctions are likely to be in recent updates, bug fixes, and potentially some feature additions or optimizations in the more actively maintained fork.

Pros of pdf.js

• Pure JavaScript implementation, runs directly in web browsers
• Extensive browser compatibility and integration with web technologies
• Active development and maintenance by Mozilla

Cons of pdf.js

• Slower rendering performance for complex PDFs
• Limited support for advanced PDF features and interactivity

Code Comparison

pdf.js:

pdfjsLib.getDocument('document.pdf').promise.then(function(pdf) {
  pdf.getPage(1).then(function(page) {
    var scale = 1.5;
    var viewport = page.getViewport({ scale: scale });
    // Render page content
  });
});

pdf2htmlEX:

pdf2htmlEX input.pdf output.html

Key Differences

• pdf2htmlEX converts PDFs to HTML/CSS, while pdf.js renders PDFs directly in the browser
• pdf2htmlEX offers better text selection and search capabilities in the output
• pdf.js provides a more interactive viewing experience with zooming and page navigation

Use Cases

• pdf.js: Web-based PDF viewers, browser extensions
• pdf2htmlEX: Static HTML conversion, SEO-friendly PDF content

Community and Support

• pdf.js: Large community, frequent updates, extensive documentation
• pdf2htmlEX: Smaller community, less frequent updates, but specialized use cases

Pros of QLMarkdown

• Specifically designed for macOS Quick Look, providing seamless Markdown preview integration
• Supports a wide range of Markdown flavors and extensions
• Actively maintained with regular updates and improvements

Cons of QLMarkdown

• Limited to macOS platform, not cross-platform like pdf2htmlEX
• Focused solely on Markdown, while pdf2htmlEX handles PDF conversion to HTML

Code Comparison

QLMarkdown (Objective-C):

- (NSData *)dataOfType:(NSString *)typeName error:(NSError **)outError {
    [NSException raise:@"UnimplementedMethod" format:@"%@ is unimplemented", NSStringFromSelector(_cmd)];
    return nil;
}

pdf2htmlEX (C++):

void HTMLRenderer::process(PDFDoc *doc) {
    xref = doc->getXRef();
    catalog = doc->getCatalog();
    if(!catalog) throw "Cannot read the catalog";
    // ...
}

Note: The code snippets are not directly comparable as they serve different purposes. QLMarkdown focuses on macOS Quick Look integration, while pdf2htmlEX handles PDF to HTML conversion.

Pros of openhtmltopdf

• Java-based, making it easier to integrate with Java applications
• Supports a wider range of CSS features, including flexbox and grid layouts
• Actively maintained with regular updates and improvements

Cons of openhtmltopdf

• Limited support for complex PDF structures and interactive elements
• May have slower performance compared to native C++ implementations
• Requires Java runtime environment, which can be a drawback in some scenarios

Code Comparison

openhtmltopdf:

PdfRendererBuilder builder = new PdfRendererBuilder();
builder.withUri("input.html");
builder.toStream(outputStream);
builder.run();

pdf2htmlEX:

pdf2htmlEX input.pdf output.html

The code comparison shows that openhtmltopdf is used programmatically within Java applications, while pdf2htmlEX is typically used as a command-line tool. This reflects their different approaches and use cases.

openhtmltopdf is better suited for Java developers who need to generate PDFs from HTML within their applications. It offers more control over the conversion process and supports modern CSS features.

pdf2htmlEX, on the other hand, excels at converting existing PDFs to HTML, preserving the original layout and formatting. It's more suitable for scenarios where you need to make PDF content accessible on the web or in applications that can render HTML.

Pros of dompdf

• PHP-based, making it easy to integrate with PHP applications
• Generates PDFs from HTML and CSS, allowing for dynamic content creation
• Supports a wide range of CSS properties and features

Cons of dompdf

• Limited support for complex layouts and advanced PDF features
• May struggle with large documents or heavy image content
• Performance can be slower compared to native PDF manipulation libraries

Code Comparison

dompdf:

require_once 'dompdf/autoload.inc.php';
$dompdf = new Dompdf();
$dompdf->loadHtml('<h1>Hello, World!</h1>');
$dompdf->render();
$dompdf->stream("document.pdf");

pdf2htmlEX:

pdf2htmlEX input.pdf output.html

pdf2htmlEX is primarily a command-line tool, while dompdf is a PHP library. pdf2htmlEX focuses on converting PDFs to HTML, whereas dompdf generates PDFs from HTML. The choice between them depends on the specific use case and requirements of the project.

Pros of itext-java

• Comprehensive Java library for creating and manipulating PDFs
• Extensive documentation and community support
• Supports advanced PDF features like digital signatures and form filling

Cons of itext-java

• Primarily focused on PDF creation and manipulation, not HTML conversion
• Steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set
• Commercial licensing required for some use cases

Code Comparison

itext-java:

PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument(new PdfWriter("output.pdf"));
Document document = new Document(pdf);
document.add(new Paragraph("Hello, World!"));
document.close();

pdf2htmlEX:

pdf2htmlEX input.pdf output.html

Key Differences

• pdf2htmlEX is specifically designed for converting PDF to HTML, while itext-java is a more general-purpose PDF library
• itext-java offers programmatic PDF creation and manipulation, whereas pdf2htmlEX focuses on conversion
• pdf2htmlEX is a command-line tool, while itext-java is a Java library integrated into applications

Use Cases

• Choose itext-java for creating, editing, or manipulating PDFs within Java applications
• Opt for pdf2htmlEX when you need to convert existing PDFs to HTML format, especially for web display

Both tools serve different purposes and can be complementary in a workflow that involves both PDF manipulation and conversion to HTML.