Step-by-Step Guide: How to Add a Download Button to Save React Component as PDF

In numerous scenarios, it becomes essential to provide users with the ability to download an HTML page or a React component as a PDF file.

This feature is often required for various purposes, such as downloading receipts, PDF forms, and more. Implementing such functionality is crucial for enhancing user experience and making the application more versatile.

Below, we will guide you through the process of implementing this feature using a basic React component and two essential modules: html2canvas and jspdf. These modules will enable you to seamlessly convert HTML content into a downloadable PDF file.

Implementing the PDF Download Feature in React

To achieve the functionality of downloading an HTML page or a React component as a PDF, follow these steps:

Step 1: Install Required Modules

Make sure you have html2canvas and jspdf installed in your project. If not, you can install them using npm or yarn:

npm install html2canvas jspdf
or
yarn add html2canvas jspdf

Step 2: Create a React Component

Create a React component, for instance, named PdfDownloadComponent, where you want to implement the PDF download feature. Import the necessary modules and the components you want to convert to a PDF. For example:

// jsx
import React from 'react';
import html2canvas from 'html2canvas';
import jsPDF from 'jspdf';
import HomeComponent from './HomeComponent'; // Import the component you want to convert to PDF
const PdfDownloadComponent = () => {
  const handleDownloadPDF = () => {
    const input = document.getElementById('pdf-content'); 
    // Specify the id of the element you want to convert to PDF
    html2canvas(input).then((canvas) => {
      const imgData = canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
      const pdf = new jsPDF();
      pdf.addImage(imgData, 'PNG', 0, 0);
      pdf.save('downloaded-file.pdf'); 
      // Specify the name of the downloaded PDF file
    });
  };
  return (
    <div>
      <HomeComponent id="pdf-content" /> 
      {/* Ensure to pass the same id to the target component */}
      <button onClick={handleDownloadPDF}>Download PDF</button>
    </div>
  );
};
export default PdfDownloadComponent;

In this example, replace HomeComponent with the component you want to convert to a PDF. The id property is crucial; it specifies the element that will be converted into the PDF.

Step 3: Trigger the Download download a PDF with the button click.

In the handleDownloadPDF function, the specified component is converted to a canvas using html2canvas, and the canvas is then added to a PDF using jsPDF. When the user clicks the “Download PDF” button, the PDF file will be generated and downloaded automatically.

By following these steps, you can seamlessly implement a PDF download feature for HTML pages or React components in your application. This user-friendly functionality enhances your application’s capabilities, making it more convenient and accessible for users.

About The Author

Apoorv Tomar is a software developer and blogs at **Mindroast. You can connect with him on **Twitter. Subscribe to the **newsletter** for the latest curated content. Don’t hesitate to say ‘Hi’ on any platform, just stating a reference of where did you find my profile.