- How do I install zanysoft/laravel-pdf in a Laravel application?
- Install it with Composer using composer require zanysoft/laravel-pdf. Laravel package auto-discovery should register the service provider and facade, but you may need to publish the configuration file if you want to customize engines or page defaults. After that, confirm the package is listed in your composer.json and that any PDF engine dependencies are available on the server.
- Which PDF engines does zanysoft/laravel-pdf support?
- The package is built around a consistent Laravel API and supports multiple underlying PDF engines rather than locking you into one. You choose the engine through configuration, which lets you balance HTML and CSS support, font handling, speed, and server requirements. Check the package documentation for the current list of supported engines and any engine-specific dependencies.
- How do I create a PDF from a Blade view with zanysoft/laravel-pdf?
- Pass the Blade view name and the data you want to render to the package's view-generation method. The package compiles the view to HTML and hands it to the configured PDF engine, returning a response you can stream or download. This keeps invoice and report templates in normal Laravel Blade files instead of hard-coded HTML strings.
- Can I stream or download a generated PDF instead of displaying it in the browser?
- Yes. The package provides stream and download responses so you can open the PDF inline or force a file download with a chosen filename. Use stream for previews in the browser and download when the user should save the document locally.
- How do I set page size, orientation, and margins for generated PDFs?
- Page options are configurable through the package configuration and, depending on the engine, per-generation options. You can typically set paper size, orientation, and margins so invoices, reports, and labels match your required layout. Keep engine limitations in mind because not every PDF backend supports every CSS or page-setting feature.
- Does zanysoft/laravel-pdf support Laravel 10, 11, and 12, and is it maintained?
- Laravel version support depends on the package release and its composer.json constraints, so check those before upgrading a production app. The package uses Laravel package auto-discovery and a standard configuration file, which usually makes newer Laravel integration straightforward. Review recent commits, releases, and open issues in the repository to judge maintenance activity for your risk tolerance.
- Will zanysoft/laravel-pdf render CSS, images, and custom fonts correctly?
- Rendering quality depends on the underlying PDF engine you select. Some engines handle advanced CSS, remote images, web fonts, and page breaks better than others, so test your real Blade template with the engine you plan to use. For production invoices and reports, verify headers, footers, page numbering, and font embedding before launch.
- Is zanysoft/laravel-pdf suitable for production invoices and reports?
- It is designed for exactly those HTML-to-PDF use cases, with a simple API, Blade view support, stream and download responses, and configurable page options. Production suitability still depends on the engine you choose, server memory limits, and the complexity of your templates. Generate representative documents under load and monitor generation time and memory before relying on it for high-volume billing.
- How do I test PDF generation in a Laravel application?
- Test the controller or service that calls the package by asserting a successful response, the application/pdf content type, and the expected download or stream headers. You can also assert that the response body is not empty and that the correct Blade view and data are passed to the generator. For deeper checks, inspect the PDF output with a parser or compare against a known-good fixture.
- What alternatives to zanysoft/laravel-pdf should I consider?
- Alternatives include barryvdh/laravel-dompdf, spatie/laravel-pdf, and direct wrappers around engines such as mPDF or wkhtmltopdf. Choose based on the HTML and CSS features you need, whether you want a simple Laravel facade, and how much server-side setup you can tolerate. zanysoft/laravel-pdf is a good fit when you want one API across multiple engines without rewriting your PDF code.