Freedom251 › PDF Creation Software
Gotenberg
What Gotenberg is
Gotenberg is a free, open-source Docker-based HTTP API for converting documents to PDF and manipulating PDF files. Chromium converts URLs, HTML, and Markdown, executes JavaScript, loads web fonts, and can wait for network activity, expressions, or DOM selectors before rendering. LibreOffice converts Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more than 100 other formats. PDF engines support merging, splitting, rotating, encryption, watermarks, metadata, bookmarks, attachments, and Factur-X or ZUGFeRD e-invoices. The API can fetch inputs from S3, MinIO, or GCS and upload results with presigned URLs. Webhook headers support asynchronous callbacks. Gotenberg uses a standard HTTP API, with an official PHP client and community clients for many major languages. Documented deployment choices include Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes, Cloud Run, and a beta AWS Lambda image. Operators can configure outbound URL controls, IP checks, and DNS-rebind protections. OpenTelemetry supports tracing, metrics, and structured logs. The maker advises keeping the service behind a firewall. Its MIT license and headquarters are listed in France.
Who it suits
Gotenberg suits developers and operators who need a self-hosted or API-based document-to-PDF service. It is relevant to teams deploying with Docker or other documented environments and requiring PDF operations or outbound request controls.
What it does well
- Chromium renders dynamic HTML and Markdown
- LibreOffice supports many office formats
- PDF merging, splitting, and encryption
- Cloud storage input and output support
- OpenTelemetry tracing, metrics, and logs
What to know first
- AWS Lambda buffered responses are limited to 6 MB
- Installation guidance advises a firewall
- Some image variants omit conversion engines
Verdict
Gotenberg offers broad document conversion and PDF operations through a standard HTTP API. Its deployment flexibility and security controls suit technical teams, provided they configure hosting and image variants carefully.
Facts from Gotenberg's own pages
- Async processing
- Webhook headers enable asynchronous processing, with results delivered to a callback URL. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Chromium conversion
- Chromium converts URLs, HTML, and Markdown to PDFs, with JavaScript execution and browser-like rendering. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Chromium conversions
- Headless Chromium converts URLs, HTML templates, and Markdown to PDFs, executes JavaScript, and loads web fonts. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Cloud storage
- Gotenberg can fetch files from S3, MinIO, and GCS and upload results using presigned URLs. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Gotenberg runs as a Docker container and publishes amd64, arm64, armhf, i386, and ppc64le images. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Dynamic rendering
- Chromium can wait for network idle, JavaScript expressions, or DOM selectors before rendering. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- E invoicing
- Gotenberg supports Factur-X and ZUGFeRD e-invoicing. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- France · gotenberg.dev, 28 Sept 2026
- Image variants
- The full image includes Chromium, LibreOffice, and PDF engines; Chromium and LibreOffice variants omit the other conversion engine. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Gotenberg is a standard HTTP API, and the maker provides an official PHP client; community clients are available for other major languages. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The homepage identifies Gotenberg's license as MIT. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Notable limits
- The documented AWS Lambda buffered invoke mode supports responses up to 6 MB. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Office conversion
- LibreOffice converts Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more than 100 other formats to PDF. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Office formats
- LibreOffice converts Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other document formats to PDF. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Outbound controls
- Operators can configure URL allow and deny lists and block private or public IP destinations for outbound requests. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- PDF operations
- PDF engines support merging, splitting, rotating, encrypting, watermarking, metadata, bookmarks, and attachments. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- PDF tools
- PDF engines support merging, splitting, encryption, watermarks, metadata, attachments, and Factur-X or ZUGFeRD e-invoices. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Gotenberg is a Docker-based HTTP API for converting documents to PDF. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Security configuration
- Operators can configure outbound URL allow and deny lists, private or public IP checks, and DNS-rebind pinning protections. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- Security guidance
- The maker advises keeping Gotenberg behind a firewall and not exposing it to the public internet. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Support and help
- The maker links to GitHub Discussions for help and lists documentation and a PHP SDK on its site. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Telemetry
- Gotenberg supports OpenTelemetry tracing, metrics, and structured log shipping through standard environment variables. · gotenberg.dev, 4 Oct 2026
- What it does
- Gotenberg is a Docker based API for converting documents to PDF and manipulating PDFs. · gotenberg.dev, 11 Oct 2026
Where Gotenberg stands on Freedom251
- PDF Creation Software#15 of 46