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To receive a PDFShift conversion result after the job finishes, send a JSON request to https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf with a webhook URL and authenticate using the X-API-Key header. PDFShift first returns HTTP 202 to say the job was accepted and queued; your server receives a separate POST later with the completion result.
How the PDFShift webhook flow works
- Your server submits a PDF conversion request, including the callback URL in the
webhookfield. - PDFShift responds immediately with HTTP 202 and an example body of
{"success":true,"queued":true}. This confirms acceptance into the queue, not that the PDF is ready. - After conversion, PDFShift sends a POST to the configured webhook URL for each converted source.
- Your endpoint parses the callback, then stores or retrieves the PDF using its URL, according to your application’s needs.
This asynchronous pattern lets the request-handling part of your application continue without waiting for every conversion to finish. PDFShift documents the webhook request and callback in its Node webhook guide.
Set up the callback endpoint and submit a conversion
1. Make a reachable POST endpoint
Deploy an HTTPS endpoint that PDFShift can reach and that accepts POST requests. The URL must be accessible from the service, not just on your local machine. In your conversion request, set webhook to that endpoint. Decide how your application will persist the callback data and handle the PDF URL before sending production jobs.
2. Send JSON with the API key
Authenticate with the X-API-Key header and send the conversion options and webhook destination as JSON to https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf. PDFShift’s Help Center says the API key header mechanism replaced the previous authentication approach on 2025-05-06; use the current header method described in its API-key guidance.
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curl -X POST "https://api.pdfshift.io/v3/convert/pdf"
-H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{
"source": "https://example.com/invoice/123",
"webhook": "https://your-server.example.com/webhooks/pdfshift"
}'Replace the example source with the page or input supported by your conversion workflow, and replace the callback URL with your deployed endpoint. Keep the API key in server-side configuration or a secret manager rather than exposing it in browser code. PDFShift’s n8n guide uses the same POST, JSON body, and X-API-Key pattern; n8n is optional, not required.
3. Treat HTTP 202 as queue acceptance
Check the initial HTTP status and response body to determine whether the request was accepted. The documented success response is {"success":true,"queued":true}. Do not report the conversion as complete or attempt to fetch the finished PDF merely because this response arrived; completion comes in the later webhook POST.
4. Parse the completion callback
The documented successful callback includes success, a PDF url, filesize, duration, a nested response object with metrics, executed, and pdf_pages. Treat the callback as structured input: validate fields your application requires, tolerate fields it does not use, and record enough context to associate the result with the conversion request. Fetch or persist the PDF from the returned URL as appropriate for your application.
Build a receiver that can handle real traffic
Acknowledge and process deliberately
Configure the route to accept POST and parse JSON, but do not assume undocumented delivery guarantees. The materials available from PDFShift do not establish a webhook retry policy or a complete failure-callback schema. Avoid building critical workflow behavior around either assumption; confirm current vendor behavior if retries or specific error fields are required.
Handle parallel jobs and correlation
PDFShift’s FAQ says parallel conversions are queued independently and that a POST goes to the webhook URL for each converted source. It documents a default maximum of 50 simultaneous parallel conversions, with support suggested for higher needs. If your application submits several jobs, preserve a way to map each callback to the originating work item rather than relying on callbacks arriving in submission order. See the PDFShift FAQ for the stated service behavior.
Separate conversion time limits from callback delivery
The PDFShift FAQ states default conversion waits of up to 30 seconds on free plans and 100 seconds on paid plans; a request that takes too long returns JSON with HTTP 408. Those figures concern conversion behavior. They do not specify how long PDFShift will take to deliver a webhook or whether it retries a failed delivery.
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Choose callbacks or synchronous waiting
| Approach | What happens | Useful when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webhook callback | The API accepts the request, and PDFShift POSTs the result later. | Your server should continue other work while conversions run, or you have multiple jobs to track. | You must operate a reachable endpoint and handle asynchronous state and callbacks. |
| Synchronous waiting | The caller waits for conversion behavior within the configured/default wait period. | A simple flow can tolerate waiting for the conversion response. | Long conversions hold the request open, and PDFShift documents HTTP 408 when a conversion takes too long. |
For workflow automation, the callback can feed a later step without requiring n8n. PDFShift’s n8n guide is an option when you want an automation platform to make the conversion API request and continue a workflow; it is not a prerequisite for the webhook feature.
Troubleshoot common setup failures
- The API rejects authentication: Verify that the request includes a valid key in
X-API-Key, and ensure the key is being sent to the conversion endpoint rather than exposed client-side. - The initial response is queued, but there is no PDF yet: HTTP 202 indicates acceptance, not completion. Wait for the later callback and inspect your endpoint’s request logs.
- The callback never reaches your application: Confirm the configured
webhookvalue is the correct public URL, accepts POST, and is reachable by an external service. The reviewed PDFShift material does not specify webhook retries, so do not assume a failed delivery will be repeated. - The conversion fails or times out: PDFShift says conversion can fail if it cannot access the source page or loading fails. Its guide’s failure-payload example is blank, so do not rely on a particular error-body schema without confirming it in current vendor documentation. The FAQ separately documents HTTP 408 for a conversion that takes too long.
- Many jobs run at once: The FAQ’s documented default ceiling is 50 simultaneous parallel conversions. Plan concurrency accordingly and contact PDFShift if you need a higher limit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the webhook URL receive the initial 202 response?
No. The initial 202 is the API response to the conversion request. The webhook URL receives a separate POST when conversion completes.
Does PDFShift document automatic retries for failed webhook deliveries?
The reviewed vendor materials do not establish a retry policy. Confirm current behavior with PDFShift before depending on automatic retries.
Can n8n be used with PDFShift webhooks?
Yes. PDFShift documents an n8n integration for making conversion API requests, but n8n is optional; a server endpoint can receive the callback directly.
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