How to generate a PDF from a Pug file with ReLaXed?

Install ReLaXed via NPM and run 'relaxed my_document.pug' in the terminal. It creates a PDF and watches for changes; use '--build-once' for a single generation without watching.

ReLaXed or LaTeX for writing academic papers?

ReLaXed is better if you prefer web technologies and live editing, but LaTeX excels in complex typesetting, bibliography management, and is standard in academia. Choose based on your technical stack and requirements.

Can ReLaXed handle dynamic data insertion in PDFs?

Yes, through JavaScript in Pug templates or by passing JSON data when using the Node module, as shown in the example with masterToPDF function for automated workflows.

How to add custom CSS to a ReLaXed document?

Import CSS files in your Pug template using link tags or write SCSS directly; ReLaXed compiles them during PDF generation, leveraging modern CSS frameworks for styling.

Is ReLaXed good for batch processing multiple PDFs?

It can be scripted via the Node module, but the headless browser overhead may slow down high-volume tasks; consider lighter tools like pdfkit for efficiency.

Troubleshooting ReLaXed installation errors on Windows?

Refer to the troubleshooting page for common issues like Puppeteer dependencies. Ensure Node.js and NPM are correctly installed, and avoid using sudo to prevent permission problems.

Open-Awesome

ReLaXed

ISCJavaScript

Create PDF documents interactively using HTML, Pug, and web technologies like CSS and JavaScript.

GitHub

11.8k stars419 forks0 contributors

What is ReLaXed?

ReLaXed is a PDF document creation tool that uses web technologies like HTML, Pug, CSS, and JavaScript. It solves the problem of rigid or complex document editing by allowing developers to write content in a minimal markup syntax while leveraging the full power of modern web frameworks for layout and styling.

Target Audience

Developers, technical writers, and anyone familiar with web technologies who needs to generate PDF documents with custom layouts, such as reports, resumes, books, or presentations.

Value Proposition

Developers choose ReLaXed because it combines the simplicity of markup languages with the flexibility of web technologies, offering live reloading, plugin extensibility, and support for advanced features like equations and diagrams, all while being open-source and self-hostable.

Overview

Create PDF documents using web technologies

Use Cases

Best For

Generating PDF reports with dynamic data and visualizations
Creating resumes or CVs with custom styling using CSS frameworks
Writing technical documentation or books with LaTeX-style equations
Producing presentation slides with interactive charts and diagrams
Designing posters or business cards with precise layout control
Automating PDF generation in workflows using Node.js scripts

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring advanced LaTeX features like complex bibliographies or precise mathematical typesetting
Environments with strict resource constraints where running headless Chrome is prohibitive
Teams needing real-time collaborative editing without coding knowledge
Simple PDF generation tasks where lightweight tools like wkhtmltopdf would suffice

Pros & Cons

Pros

Live Reloading Workflow

Automatically re-generates PDFs when source files change, as demonstrated in the Atom editor GIF, speeding up the editing process.

Web Technology Leverage

Integrates CSS frameworks and JavaScript libraries for styling, plotting, and diagrams, enabling modern document designs like those in the examples.

Plugin Extensibility

Supports custom plugins and importing existing web tools, allowing easy extension of functionality for specific needs.

Minimal Syntax Support

Uses Pug and Markdown for content writing, reducing boilerplate compared to raw HTML while maintaining flexibility.

Cons

Complex Setup and Dependencies

Requires Node.js, NPM, and headless Chromium via Puppeteer, with installation issues noted in the troubleshooting guide.

Performance Overhead

Renders HTML to PDF using a headless browser, which is slower and more resource-intensive than direct PDF generation tools.

Limited Out-of-the-Box Templates

Lacks pre-designed templates, forcing users to build layouts from scratch with web technologies, unlike dedicated document editors.

Open Source Alternative To

ReLaXed is an open-source alternative to the following products:

Google Docs

A web-based word processor included as part of Google's office suite, allowing real-time collaboration and cloud storage.

MS Office

MS Office is a suite of productivity applications developed by Microsoft, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for document creation, data analysis, presentations, and email management.

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