PDF Generation
- pdfjs-dist:
pdfjs-dist is primarily focused on rendering existing PDF documents rather than generating new ones. It does not provide PDF creation capabilities, as its main function is to display PDFs in a web browser with high fidelity.
- react-pdf:
react-pdf simplifies the PDF rendering process in React applications by providing components that wrap around pdfjs-dist. It does not handle PDF generation but excels at rendering existing PDF files seamlessly within a React app.
- pdf-lib:
pdf-lib provides comprehensive APIs for creating PDFs from scratch or modifying existing ones. It supports adding text, images, and shapes, making it suitable for applications that require custom PDF creation with various content types.
- @react-pdf/renderer:
@react-pdf/renderer allows developers to create PDF documents using React components, enabling a declarative approach to PDF generation. This means you can leverage your existing React knowledge to design and structure your PDFs, making it easy to generate dynamic content based on application state.
- react-pdf-html:
react-pdf-html converts HTML content into PDF format, allowing for easy generation of PDFs from web content. This is particularly useful for applications that need to create PDFs from user-generated content or existing web pages.
Ease of Use
- pdfjs-dist:
pdfjs-dist is a well-documented library, but it requires a good understanding of how to work with PDF rendering in the browser. It may not be as straightforward for beginners compared to other libraries focused on React.
- react-pdf:
react-pdf is user-friendly for React developers, providing a simple API that abstracts the complexities of pdfjs-dist. It allows for quick integration and rendering of PDFs without deep knowledge of the underlying library.
- pdf-lib:
pdf-lib has a slightly steeper learning curve due to its extensive API, but it offers powerful features for those who need detailed control over PDF creation and manipulation. Developers may need to spend more time understanding its capabilities.
- @react-pdf/renderer:
@react-pdf/renderer is designed specifically for React developers, making it intuitive to use for those familiar with React's component-based architecture. It allows for quick setup and straightforward integration into existing React projects.
- react-pdf-html:
react-pdf-html is easy to use for developers familiar with HTML and CSS, as it allows for the direct conversion of HTML content into PDFs. This makes it accessible for those who want to generate PDFs without diving deep into PDF-specific APIs.
Rendering Performance
- pdfjs-dist:
pdfjs-dist is highly optimized for rendering PDFs in the browser, providing fast and accurate rendering of complex PDF documents. It is designed to handle large files efficiently, making it ideal for applications that require high-performance PDF viewing.
- react-pdf:
react-pdf inherits the rendering performance of pdfjs-dist, ensuring that PDFs are rendered quickly and accurately within React applications. It benefits from the optimizations present in pdfjs-dist while providing a React-friendly interface.
- pdf-lib:
pdf-lib is efficient in creating and modifying PDFs but may not be as fast as other libraries when rendering large or complex documents due to its focus on manipulation rather than rendering.
- @react-pdf/renderer:
@react-pdf/renderer is optimized for generating PDFs on the server or client-side, providing good performance for dynamic PDF generation. However, the performance may vary based on the complexity of the React components used.
- react-pdf-html:
react-pdf-html may have performance limitations when converting complex HTML to PDF, especially with heavy styling or large documents. It is best suited for simpler HTML content to ensure good performance.
Use Cases
- pdfjs-dist:
pdfjs-dist is perfect for applications that focus on displaying PDF documents, such as document viewers or educational platforms that need to render PDFs without modification. It is widely used for its rendering capabilities.
- react-pdf:
react-pdf is best for React applications that need to display existing PDF documents easily. It simplifies the integration of PDF viewing capabilities into React apps, making it a go-to choice for developers in this scenario.
- pdf-lib:
pdf-lib is suitable for applications that require extensive PDF manipulation, such as merging documents, adding annotations, or modifying existing PDFs. It is a versatile library for developers needing detailed control over PDF content.
- @react-pdf/renderer:
@react-pdf/renderer is ideal for applications that require generating reports, invoices, or any documents directly from user input in a React app. It is particularly useful for applications that need to create PDFs dynamically based on user interactions.
- react-pdf-html:
react-pdf-html is designed for applications that need to generate PDFs from existing HTML content, such as web pages or user-generated content. It is particularly useful for generating styled documents that maintain the look and feel of the original HTML.