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Tcpdf VS PDF-LIB

Compare Tcpdf VS PDF-LIB and see what are their differences

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Tcpdf logo Tcpdf

TCPDF: Open Source PHP Class for generating PDF documents

PDF-LIB logo PDF-LIB

Create and modify PDF documents in any JavaScript environment
  • Tcpdf Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-04
  • PDF-LIB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-02-13

Tcpdf features and specs

  • Open Source
    TCPDF is an open-source library, which means it is free to use and has a community of developers contributing to its improvement.
  • No External Dependencies
    TCPDF does not rely on any external libraries, making it easier to integrate and manage within projects without worrying about additional dependencies.
  • High Customizability
    The library offers extensive customization options for PDF creation, including layouts, fonts, images, and more.
  • Supports Multiple Languages
    TCPDF has built-in support for several languages, including those with special character sets like Arabic, Chinese, and Cyrillic.
  • Wide Range of Features
    TCPDF includes a wide range of features like barcodes, QR codes, page compression, encryption, and digital signatures.
  • Detailed Documentation
    TCPDF comes with comprehensive and detailed documentation, making it easier for developers to learn and implement its features.

Possible disadvantages of Tcpdf

  • Performance Issues
    For large PDF files or documents with complex layouts, TCPDF can be slower and consume more memory compared to some other PDF libraries.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Due to its rich feature set and flexibility, new users might find it difficult to learn and navigate TCPDF initially.
  • Limited Support for Modern Features
    TCPDF may lack support for some modern and advanced PDF features, such as interactive forms or JavaScript within PDFs.
  • Dated Codebase
    The library has been around for a long time, and some parts of its codebase may not follow modern PHP coding practices, making it less elegant to work with.
  • No Official Support
    Being an open-source project, there is no official customer support, so resolving issues might rely on community assistance.

PDF-LIB features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    PDF-LIB is designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy for developers to work with PDFs without requiring in-depth knowledge of complex PDF structures.
  • No External Dependencies
    The library is self-contained and doesn't rely on external dependencies, which simplifies integration and reduces potential compatibility issues.
  • Cross-Platform
    PDF-LIB can be used in various environments, including web, Node.js, and server-side applications, providing versatility across platforms.
  • Comprehensive API
    It offers a rich set of features for creating and editing PDF documents, including adding text, images, and drawing graphics.
  • Active Development
    The library is actively maintained, with regular updates and a responsive community that helps improve and expand its functionality.

Possible disadvantages of PDF-LIB

  • Performance Limitations
    Handling very large PDF files or performing complex operations may lead to performance issues, as it's a client-side JavaScript library.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While adequate for many use cases, PDF-LIB may lack advanced features available in more comprehensive PDF libraries, such as OCR or form-field recognition.
  • Lack of Official Support
    There isn’t dedicated professional support, meaning users rely on community forums and GitHub issues for resolving problems.
  • Browser Compatibility
    Some features might not work consistently across all browsers, requiring additional testing and potentially leading to compatibility considerations.
  • Manual Memory Management
    When working with large documents, developers need to manage memory usage explicitly, as JavaScript can be restrictive in environments with limited resources.

Tcpdf videos

+ Add

Make PDF report in PHP with TCPDF | TCPDF Tutorial #1

PDF-LIB videos

No PDF-LIB videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Tcpdf and PDF-LIB)

Tcpdf

PDF-LIB

HTML To PDF
54 54%
HTML To PDF
46% 46
PDF Tools
53 53%
PDF Tools
47% 47
PDF Conversion API
54 54%
PDF Conversion API
46% 46
Tool
100 100%
Tool
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

PDF-LIB might be a bit more popular than Tcpdf. We know about 15 links to it since March 2021 and only 11 links to Tcpdf. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Tcpdf mentions (11)

  • Generating PDF documents in Laravel
    Other popular PDF libraries include TCPDF, FPDF, and Snappy. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • PostScript’s Sudden Death in Sonoma
    TCPDF has full support for rendering an EPS into a PDF. It can be fussy. https://tcpdf.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Python to what?
    Idk what’s the big problem. Maybe it’s just something like https://tcpdf.org ? Using that for years. Source: about 2 years ago
  • pdf generation
    Running a headless browser to render HTML is a resource intensive task. If you only need to generate simple documents, you're better off using a tool that generates PDF directly. In the old days we used FPDF and its successors (TCPDF was the most popular). Both seem to have recent releases. There's also mPDF , that seems to be another child of FPDF. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Create PDF from Excel.
    You may want to look at a PDF library (Python/PHP/Perl/Java, etc.) You can do all you mention with a lot of flexibility. Tcpdf comes immediately to mind, there is also a Python port. If you want to learn a language, I recommend python. Learning how to make a basic program when it is something that you want, and you know what you want is a great way to learn. Source: almost 3 years ago
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PDF-LIB mentions (15)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Tcpdf and PDF-LIB, you can also consider the following products

PDFShift - Convert any HTML documents to high-fidelity PDF using a single POST request

HTML PDF API - Easily generate PDF documents from HTML code with our powerful API

pdflayer - Free, powerful HTML to PDF API supporting both URL and raw HTML conversion. Unlimited document size, lightning-fast and compatible PHP, Python, Ruby, etc.

PDFSwitch - Convert any HTML document or URL to PDF with a single API request.

HTML2PDF.fr - HTML2PDF is a HTML to PDF converter that allows the conversion of valid HTML 4.

PDFCrowd - Pdfcrowd is a Web/HTML to PDF online service. Convert HTML to PDF online in the browser or in your PHP, Python, Ruby, .NET, Java apps via the REST API.

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