You can run wkhtmltopdf on a Synology NAS by deploying a compatible container as a project in Container Manager. First confirm that your NAS model supports Container Manager, then choose an image that supports your NAS’s CPU architecture and inspect its dependencies and usage instructions. Synology documents the container workflow, but does not certify a particular third-party wkhtmltopdf image or provide a universal Compose file.
Before you begin: check model, DSM, and CPU architecture
A Compose file is not portable across every Synology NAS by itself. The container image must support the processor architecture of your NAS, and its operating-system libraries and fonts must suit the application. The available packages and features in Container Manager can also depend on the NAS model. Check Synology’s Container Manager package information for your model before planning a deployment.
- Identify the exact NAS model and DSM version in DSM’s system information.
- Confirm Container Manager is available for that model and install it through Package Center if supported.
- Find the NAS processor architecture in the model’s specifications or Synology documentation.
- Compare that architecture with the image provider’s supported architectures and required libraries.
wkhtmltopdf publishes distribution- and architecture-specific packages, but a container image may package different builds and dependencies. Do not assume that an image intended for one Linux architecture or distribution will work on your NAS. The wkhtmltopdf downloads page and packaging repository describe the project’s package and build context; check the image provider’s current documentation for the container-specific details.
Choose and inspect a wkhtmltopdf image
Container Manager can run third-party images, but Synology directs users to the image provider for instructions and cautions that it does not guarantee image quality. No single image or Compose configuration is established as a universal choice for all Synology models and DSM versions. Before using an image, read its documentation and check the following:
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- Supported CPU architectures and base operating systems.
- Whether it contains the required wkhtmltopdf build, libraries, and fonts.
- The documented command or service entry point and any required environment variables.
- How input HTML reaches the process and where generated PDFs are written.
- Whether it requires ports, and whether those ports conflict with services already using the NAS.
- How the image is updated, pinned to a version, and configured to retain output or other necessary data.
Use the image’s own documented values for the Compose service, volumes, command, and any ports or variables. A guessed configuration can start the wrong process, expose a service unexpectedly, or place files somewhere you cannot retrieve them. Synology’s general guidance on third-party images and container configuration is available in its Container Manager documentation and image guidance.
Create a Container Manager project
Synology’s documented Project workflow uses a docker-compose.yml file. The workflow below describes where to deploy a provider’s configuration; it does not supply image-specific Compose values.
- In DSM, open Container Manager and choose Project.
- Select Create, enter a project name, and choose the folder that will hold the project files.
- Provide or upload the
docker-compose.ymlsupplied or documented by the image provider. If the provider’s instructions require other files, place them as directed. - Review the service image, command, environment, mounts, network, and ports against the provider’s documentation. Ensure any host paths point to directories that exist on the NAS and that the container has only the access it needs.
- Start the project in Container Manager. Watch its status and logs for image-pull, architecture, permissions, or startup errors.
Synology documents project creation and the ability to start, stop, restart, and review project configuration in the interface. Follow the labels shown by your installed DSM and Container Manager version if they differ from these general steps. See Synology’s project documentation for the platform workflow.
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Run a first conversion and verify the output
Use the invocation method documented by the image. Depending on how that image is designed, you may execute a command inside its container, submit a file through a documented service, or use a mounted input and output directory. The exact command, paths, and service endpoint are image-specific; Synology’s project workflow does not define them for wkhtmltopdf.
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Start with a small HTML file you control and a simple page, then confirm that the expected PDF appears in the intended output location and opens correctly. Check these behaviors before relying on the deployment:
- Fonts: confirm that the chosen fonts are installed in the image or fall back acceptably.
- CSS and layout: inspect page breaks, margins, images, and any styles that affect print rendering.
- Page settings: verify the paper size, orientation, and headers or footers required by your use case.
- External resources: determine whether the HTML loads remote stylesheets, images, or scripts and whether the container can reach them.
- File access: verify that input and output mounts map to the intended NAS folders and that permissions allow the process to read and write.
These are checks to perform on your selected image, not results guaranteed by Container Manager or by the wkhtmltopdf project.
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Native installation or a container?
A native package can avoid managing a container, but it must match the NAS architecture and operating-system dependencies. A container makes the application environment more reproducible and lets you control image updates, but it still depends on a compatible image and correctly configured mounts and permissions.
| Consideration | Native installation | Container project |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture and dependencies | The package must fit the NAS architecture and its operating-system libraries. | The image must support the NAS architecture and package suitable libraries and fonts. |
| Reproducibility | Depends on how the package and dependencies are installed and maintained. | The image and Compose configuration provide a more defined deployment to review and control. |
| Dependency upkeep | You manage the installed package and its dependencies on the NAS. | You manage image selection, version changes, and container configuration. |
| Untrusted HTML boundary | Conversion runs in the NAS host environment unless separately isolated. | A container provides a deployment boundary, but it is not a reason to treat untrusted HTML as safe. |
Neither route is a universal winner. Choose based on model support, dependency compatibility, and how you plan to maintain and isolate the converter.
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Security and project age
The wkhtmltopdf project explicitly warns: “Do not use wkhtmltopdf with any untrusted HTML.” It calls out unsanitized user-supplied HTML and JavaScript as a server-compromise risk. Do not expose a converter that accepts arbitrary input as an unauthenticated network service. If your deployment receives user content, assess sanitization, access control, and isolation as part of the design; a container alone does not remove the application’s risk. The warning appears on the project downloads page.
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The project’s downloads page identifies 0.12.6 as the stable series and gives June 11, 2020 as its release date. GitHub marks the main repository archived on January 2, 2023, and the packaging repository archived on August 28, 2023. These dated project records are a reason to assess whether the rendering engine and maintenance status meet your requirements before adopting it. The project README describes the tool as running headlessly without a display service; that does not guarantee that a particular container image includes all dependencies your HTML needs. See the archived upstream repository.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting common deployment problems
- The image will not start or reports an executable-format error: check that the image supports the NAS CPU architecture and that the selected tag exists for that architecture.
- The project starts, but conversion fails with a missing-library error: consult the image documentation for the required libraries and use an image build that includes them; do not install arbitrary host packages as a substitute for understanding the container’s dependencies.
- The command cannot find the HTML file or cannot write the PDF: review the provider’s expected container paths, the Compose volume mappings, and permissions on the NAS directories.
- The PDF is missing fonts, images, or styling: check whether the image includes the needed fonts and whether remote resources are reachable from the container. Test local and remote assets separately.
- The service fails to bind or the project reports a port conflict: inspect the configured host port and compare it with ports already in use. Only publish a port if the image’s documented workflow requires one.
- The project deploys but does not perform conversions: verify the image’s documented entry point and input method. A generic Compose service is not necessarily a web API or a command-line wrapper.
- Results differ after an image update: check the image tag and release notes, then pin and manage versions according to the provider’s instructions if you need controlled updates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does wkhtmltopdf require a graphical desktop on the NAS?
The upstream project describes wkhtmltopdf as headless and not requiring a display service; image dependencies and NAS compatibility still need checking.
Does Synology provide an official wkhtmltopdf container image?
Synology documents third-party image and project workflows, but the cited documentation does not establish an official, Synology-certified wkhtmltopdf image.
Can I use wkhtmltopdf for HTML submitted by website visitors?
The wkhtmltopdf project warns against untrusted HTML, including unsanitized user-supplied HTML or JavaScript.
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