Quick Start for Python

Integrate PDFBolt's REST API in Python to generate PDFs from URLs, HTML, or templates. The examples below cover all three conversion modes (Direct, Sync, Async).

1. Get Your API Key

Find your API key on the API Keys page in your Dashboard. If you don't have an account, sign up – the free plan includes 100 document conversions per month.

2. Make Your First Request

Any HTTP client works – adjust the request structure to match your library.

Examples use the requests library. Install it with:

pip install requests

Choose your endpoint:

Direct
Sync
Async

The Direct endpoint provides immediate PDF generation and returns the raw PDF file in the response.

Choose your source:

URL
HTML
Template

Convert a webpage to PDF:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/direct"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    with open('webpage.pdf', 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
    print("PDF generated successfully")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert HTML to PDF (HTML must be base64 encoded):

import requests
import base64

html_content = "<html><body><h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is a sample PDF.</p></body></html>"
base64_html = base64.b64encode(html_content.encode()).decode()

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/direct"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "html": base64_html,
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True,
    "margin": {
        "top": "30px",
        "left": "30px"
    }
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    with open('document.pdf', 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
    print("PDF generated successfully")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert a template with data to PDF:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/direct"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "templateId": "your-template-id",
    "templateData": {
        "client_name": "John Doe",
        "invoice_number": "INV-001",
        "total_amount": "$299.99",
        "line_items": [
            {"description": "Web Development", "unit_price": "$200.00"},
            {"description": "Design Services", "unit_price": "$99.99"}
        ]
    }
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    with open('invoice.pdf', 'wb') as f:
        f.write(response.content)
    print("PDF generated successfully")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

New to templates?

Create your first template in the app, then use its ID with JSON data in your API calls. Learn more about Templates

The Sync endpoint returns a JSON response with a download URL for the PDF (valid for 24 hours).

Choose your source:

URL
HTML
Template

Convert a webpage and get a download URL:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/sync"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"PDF URL: {result['documentUrl']}")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert HTML and get a download URL (HTML must be base64 encoded):

import requests
import base64

html_content = "<html><body><h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is a sample PDF.</p></body></html>"
base64_html = base64.b64encode(html_content.encode()).decode()

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/sync"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "html": base64_html,
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True,
    "margin": {
        "top": "30px",
        "left": "30px"
    }
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"PDF URL: {result['documentUrl']}")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert a template with data and get a download URL:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/sync"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "templateId": "your-template-id",
    "templateData": {
        "client_name": "John Doe",
        "invoice_number": "INV-001",
        "total_amount": "$299.99",
        "line_items": [
            {"description": "Web Development", "unit_price": "$200.00"},
            {"description": "Design Services", "unit_price": "$99.99"}
        ]
    }
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"PDF URL: {result['documentUrl']}")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

New to templates?

Create your first template in the app, then use its ID with JSON data in your API calls. Learn more about Templates

The Async endpoint returns a requestId immediately and delivers the final result via webhook callback.

Choose your source:

URL
HTML
Template

Convert a webpage and receive a webhook callback:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/async"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True,
    "webhook": "https://your-app.com/webhook"
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"Request ID: {result['requestId']}")
    print("PDF will be sent to webhook when ready")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert HTML and receive a webhook callback (HTML must be base64 encoded):

import requests
import base64

html_content = "<html><body><h1>Hello!</h1><p>This is a sample PDF.</p></body></html>"
base64_html = base64.b64encode(html_content.encode()).decode()

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/async"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "html": base64_html,
    "format": "A4",
    "printBackground": True,
    "margin": {
        "top": "30px",
        "left": "30px"
    },
    "webhook": "https://your-app.com/webhook"
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"Request ID: {result['requestId']}")
    print("PDF will be sent to webhook when ready")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

Convert a template with data and receive a webhook callback:

import requests

url = "https://api.pdfbolt.com/v1/async"
headers = {
    "API-KEY": "XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

data = {
    "templateId": "your-template-id",
    "templateData": {
        "client_name": "John Doe",
        "invoice_number": "INV-001",
        "total_amount": "$299.99",
        "line_items": [
            {"description": "Web Development", "unit_price": "$200.00"},
            {"description": "Design Services", "unit_price": "$99.99"}
        ]
    },
    "webhook": "https://your-app.com/webhook"
}

try:
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()

    result = response.json()
    print(f"Request ID: {result['requestId']}")
    print("PDF will be sent to webhook when ready")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError:
    print(f"HTTP {response.status_code}")
    print(f"Error Message: {response.text}")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Error: {e}")

New to templates?

Create your first template in the app, then use its ID with JSON data in your API calls. Learn more about Templates

Quick Start for Python

1. Get Your API Key

2. Make Your First Request

Next Steps

📄️ API Endpoints

📄️ Conversion Parameters

📄️ Error Handling

📄️ Templates

1. Get Your API Key​

2. Make Your First Request​

Next Steps​

📄️ API Endpoints

📄️ Conversion Parameters

📄️ Error Handling

📄️ Templates

1. Get Your API Key

2. Make Your First Request

Next Steps