How to HTML to PDF in .NET 10

Why Use IronPDF for HTML to PDF in C#

While there are many third party libraries available for HTML to PDF conversion, IronPDF stands out in the .NET ecosystem for several reasons:

• Easily convert HTML content from HTML files, HTML strings, or HTML code directly into PDF format.

• Edit PDF documents, add digital signatures, and save PDF files with just a few lines of code.

• Render entire web pages with print CSS support, specified URL rendering, and intended layout fidelity.

• Large scale PDF generation with dynamic content using public static async Task methods or synchronous APIs.

• Works seamlessly with .NET Core, .NET Framework, and the latest version of C#.

• Supports API integration, command line, and commercial license use cases.

Getting Started: Installing IronPDF

You can install IronPDF via NuGet Package Manager:

Install-Package IronPdf

Install-Package IronPdf

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'Install-Package IronPdf

Once installed, you can immediately start creating PDF documents from HTML content or web pages.

Simple HTML to PDF Conversion

Here's how to convert HTML to PDF in just a few lines:

using IronPdf;
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Your HTML content
        string html = "<h1>Welcome to IronPDF</h1><p>This is a generated PDF document.</p>";

        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        var pdf = new ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

        // Save PDF
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");

        Console.WriteLine("PDF generated successfully!");
    }
}

using IronPdf;
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Your HTML content
        string html = "<h1>Welcome to IronPDF</h1><p>This is a generated PDF document.</p>";

        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        var pdf = new ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

        // Save PDF
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");

        Console.WriteLine("PDF generated successfully!");
    }
}

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

In this first example, we take a simple HTML string and turn it into a PDF document. The using IronPdf; line brings in the IronPDF library, giving us access to its powerful HTML to PDF conversion capabilities. We define our HTML content in a string, which could be as simple as a heading and paragraph or as complex as an entire page of HTML code.

Using RenderHtmlAsPdf, IronPDF renders the HTML into a fully formatted PDF. Finally, SaveAs writes the PDF to disk, and we print a confirmation message. This is a great example of how you can generate a PDF in just a few lines of code without worrying about Microsoft Office dependencies.

Convert an HTML File or Web Page

IronPDF also lets you convert entire web pages or local HTML files into PDF documents:

using IronPdf;
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        // Optional settings
        renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.RenderDelay(3000);

        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page");
        pdf.SaveAs("wikipedia.pdf");

    }
}

using IronPdf;
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

        // Optional settings
        renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.RenderDelay(3000);

        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page");
        pdf.SaveAs("wikipedia.pdf");

    }
}

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

This example shows how to convert a live web page into a PDF using IronPDF’s Chromium-based renderer. We enable JavaScript for dynamic content, apply print CSS for proper layout, and add a short render delay to ensure everything loads. Finally, the page is converted to a high-fidelity PDF and saved as wikipedia.pdf. This approach is ideal for archiving web content or generating PDFs from complex pages quickly and reliably.

Advanced Features for Developers

IronPDF provides extensive PDF conversion capabilities for dynamic documents:

• Custom headers and footers

• Own templates for recurring documents

• Dynamic content rendering via HTML strings

• Archiving web content for legal or auditing purposes

• Digital signatures for portable document format compliance

• Large scale PDF generation for batch operations

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Optional settings
renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    MaxHeight = 50,
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='width:100%; text-align:center; font-size:14px;'>Custom Header</div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true
};

var document = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<p>Dynamic HTML content</p>");
document.SaveAs("customHeader.pdf");

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Optional settings
renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    MaxHeight = 50,
    HtmlFragment = "<div style='width:100%; text-align:center; font-size:14px;'>Custom Header</div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true
};

var document = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<p>Dynamic HTML content</p>");
document.SaveAs("customHeader.pdf");

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

API Integration & Async PDF Generation

For web applications, you can generate PDFs dynamically using public static async Task methods:

public static async Task GeneratePdfAsync(string htmlContent)
 {
     var pdfDocument = await new ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(htmlContent);
     pdfDocument.SaveAs("async_output.pdf");
 }

public static async Task GeneratePdfAsync(string htmlContent)
 {
     var pdfDocument = await new ChromePdfRenderer().RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(htmlContent);
     pdfDocument.SaveAs("async_output.pdf");
 }

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

Tips for High-Fidelity HTML to PDF Conversion

1. Always include print CSS to ensure intended layout in the resulting PDF.

2. Use dynamic HTML strings to generate PDFs on the fly for reports or invoices.

3. Leverage IronPDF's rendering engine for complex layouts with tables, images, and forms.

4. Manipulate PDF documents after conversion to add metadata, digital signatures, or annotations.

5. Test large scale PDF generation with multiple HTML pages to verify performance and reliability.

Competitors: Exploring Alternatives to IronPDF

While IronPDF is a robust and feature-rich solution for HTML to PDF conversion in C#, several alternatives exist that developers may consider depending on their project requirements.

One notable option is QuestPDF, an open-source library focused on creating PDF documents from scratch using a fluent, code-first approach. While QuestPDF excels at generating dynamic, programmatically structured PDFs, it is less suited for converting complex HTML content or full web pages, especially those relying on JavaScript or advanced CSS. This makes IronPDF a more straightforward choice when you need to directly convert HTML strings, files, or live web pages into professional PDFs.

Other third-party libraries in the .NET ecosystem include tools like SelectPdf, DinkToPdf, and PuppeteerSharp. SelectPdf and DinkToPdf provide HTML-to-PDF conversion capabilities with varying levels of CSS and JavaScript support, while PuppeteerSharp uses a headless Chromium engine to render web pages accurately. Each library has its trade-offs in terms of performance, rendering fidelity, licensing, and API simplicity.

For a detailed comparison of HTML to PDF C# libraries and alternatives to IronPDF, including feature breakdowns, code examples, and use cases, check out this article: QuestPDF and Other HTML to PDF Alternatives for .NET Developers.

Conclusion

With IronPDF, HTML to PDF conversion in C# becomes straightforward, reliable, and flexible. Whether you are converting HTML strings, HTML files, or entire web pages, IronPDF's robust methods let you generate PDF documents with complex layouts, dynamic content, and minimal code.

Its .NET library integration, API support, and commercial license options make it a top choice for developers looking to implement PDF generation in .NET Core or .NET Framework projects.

Start exploring IronPDF today with a free trial and convert HTML content to PDFs effortlessly. Download the latest version via NuGet Package Manager and create PDF documents in just a few lines of code.