Wkhtmltopdf – A Smart Tool to Convert Website HTML Page to PDF in Linux ============================================================ **Wkhtmltopdf** is an open source simple and much effective command-line shell utility that enables user to convert any given **HTML** (**Web Page**) to **PDF** document or an image (**jpg**, **png**, etc). Wkhtmltopdf is written in **C++** programming language and distributed under **GNU/GPL** (**General Public License**). It uses **WebKit** rendering layout engine to convert **HTML** pages to** PDF**document without loosing the quality of the pages. Its is really very useful and trustworthy solution for creating and storing snapshots of web pages in real-time. ### Wkhtmltopdf Features 1. Open source and cross platform. 2. Convert any **HTML** web pages to **PDF** files using **WebKit** engine. 3. Options to add headers and footers 4. Table of Content (**TOC**) generation option. 5. Provides batch mode conversions. 6. Support for **PHP** or **Python** via bindings to libwkhtmltox. In this article we will show you how to install **Wkhtmltopdf** program under Linux systems using source tarball files. ### Install Evince (PDF Viewer) Let’s install **evince** (a **PDF** reader) program for viewing **PDF** files in Linux systems. ``` $ sudo yum install evince [RHEL/CentOS and Fedora] $ sudo dnf install evince [On Fedora 22+ versions] $ sudo apt-get install evince [On Debian/Ubuntu systems] ``` ### Download Wkhtmltopdf Source File Download **wkhtmltopdf** source files for your **Linux** architecture using [Wget command][1], or you can also download latest versions (current stable series is **0.12.4**) at [wkhtmltopdf download][2] page. ##### On 64-bit Linux OS ``` $ wget http://download.gna.org/wkhtmltopdf/0.12/0.12.4/wkhtmltox-0.12.4_linux-generic-amd64.tar.xz ``` ##### On 32-bit Linux OS ``` $ wget http://download.gna.org/wkhtmltopdf/0.12/0.12.4/wkhtmltox-0.12.4_linux-generic-i386.tar.xz ``` ### Install Wkhtmltopdf in Linux Extract the files to a current working directory using following [tar command][3]. ``` ------ On 64-bit Linux OS ------ $ sudo tar -xvf wkhtmltox-0.12.4_linux-generic-amd64.tar.xz ------ On 32-bit Linux OS ------ $ sudo tar -xvzf wkhtmltox-0.12.4_linux-generic-i386.tar.xz ``` Install the **wkhtmltopdf** under **/usr/bin** directory for easy execution of program from any path. ``` $ sudo cp wkhtmltox/bin/wkhtmltopdf /usr/bin/ ``` ### How to Use Wkhtmltopdf? Here we will see how to covert remote **HTML** pages to **PDF** files, verify information, view created files using **evince** program from the **GNOME** Desktop. #### Convert Website HTML Page to PDF File To convert any website **HTML** web page to **PDF**, run the following example command. It will convert the given webpage to [10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf][4] in current working directory. ``` # wkhtmltopdf http://www.tecmint.com/sudoers-configurations-for-setting-sudo-in-linux/ 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Output : ``` Loading pages (1/6) Counting pages (2/6) Resolving links (4/6) Loading headers and footers (5/6) Printing pages (6/6) Done ``` #### View Generated PDF File To verify that the file is created, use the following command. ``` $ file 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Output : ``` 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf: PDF document, version 1.4 ``` #### View Information of Generated PDF File To view the information of generated file, issue the following command. ``` $ pdfinfo 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Output : ``` Title: 10 Useful Sudoers Configurations for Setting 'sudo' in Linux Creator: wkhtmltopdf 0.12.4 Producer: Qt 4.8.7 CreationDate: Sat Jan 28 13:02:58 2017 Tagged: no UserProperties: no Suspects: no Form: none JavaScript: no Pages: 13 Encrypted: no Page size: 595 x 842 pts (A4) Page rot: 0 File size: 697827 bytes Optimized: no PDF version: 1.4 ``` #### View Created PDF File Take a look at the newly created **PDF** file using **evince** program from the desktop. ``` $ evince 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Screenshot : Looks pretty nice under my Linux Mint 17 box. [  ][5] View Website Page in PDF #### Create TOC (Table Of Content) of a Page to PDF To create a table of content for a **PDF** file, use the option as **toc**. ``` $ wkhtmltopdf toc http://www.tecmint.com/sudoers-configurations-for-setting-sudo-in-linux/ 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Output : ``` Loading pages (1/6) Counting pages (2/6) Loading TOC (3/6) Resolving links (4/6) Loading headers and footers (5/6) Printing pages (6/6) Done ``` To check the **TOC** for the created file, again use evince program. ``` $ evince 10-Sudo-Configurations.pdf ``` ##### Sample Screenshot : Take a look at the picture below. it looks even more better than the above. [  ][6] Create Website Page to Table of Contents in PDF #### Wkhtmltopdf Options and Usage For **Wkhtmltopdf** more usage and options, use the following help command. It will display list of all available options that you can use with it. ``` $ wkhtmltopdf --help ``` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 作者简介： I am Ravi Saive, creator of TecMint. A Computer Geek and Linux Guru who loves to share tricks and tips on Internet. Most Of My Servers runs on Open Source Platform called Linux. Follow Me: Twitter, Facebook and Google+ -------------------------------------------------- via: http://www.tecmint.com/wkhtmltopdf-convert-website-html-page-to-pdf-linux/ 作者：[Ravi Saive][a] 译者：[译者ID](https://github.com/译者ID) 校对：[校对者ID](https://github.com/校对者ID) 本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出 [a]:http://www.tecmint.com/author/admin/ [1]:http://www.tecmint.com/10-wget-command-examples-in-linux/ [2]:http://wkhtmltopdf.org/downloads.html [3]:http://www.tecmint.com/18-tar-command-examples-in-linux/ [4]:http://www.tecmint.com/sudoers-configurations-for-setting-sudo-in-linux/ [5]:http://www.tecmint.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/View-Website-Page-in-PDF.png [6]:http://www.tecmint.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Create-Website-Page-Table-of-Contents-in-PDF.png