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How to Save Text as a PDF Without External Services

How to Save Text as a PDF Without External Services

If you want to convert plain text into a PDF file without relying on third-party APIs or external services, here’s a simple two-step solution using JavaScript nodes and the pdfkit library.

🔧 Step 1: Generate Base64-Encoded PDF from Text

First, create a JavaScript node and paste the following code. 

/** @CustomParams
{
    "text_content": {
        "type": "string",
        "title": "Text Content",
        "description": "The text content to be included in the PDF file"
    }
}
*/

import PDFDocument from 'pdfkit';

export default async function run({ execution_id, input, data, store, db }) {
    const textContent = data.text_content;
    if (!textContent) {
        throw new Error('Text content is required.');
    }

    const doc = new PDFDocument();
    const chunks = [];

    doc.on('data', chunk => chunks.push(chunk));
    const endPromise = new Promise(resolve => {
        doc.on('end', () => {
            const pdfBuffer = Buffer.concat(chunks);
            const base64 = pdfBuffer.toString('base64');
            resolve({ base64 }); 
        });
    });

    doc.text(textContent);
    doc.end();

    return await endPromise;
}

Then click Generate params to create an input field for your text:

Notion image

This node will generate a base64 string that represents your text as a PDF document.

Notion image

📄 Step 2: Convert Base64 into a BinaryPDF File

Create a second JavaScript node, paste the code below:

/** @CustomParams
{
    "base64_string": {
        "type": "string",
        "title": "Base64 String",
        "description": "Base64 encoded data to be written into a PDF file"
    }
}
*/

import fs from 'fs';
import { v4 as uuidv4 } from 'uuid';

export default async function run({ execution_id, input, data, store, db }) {
    try {
        // Generate a random file name with .pdf extension
        const fileName = `${uuidv4()}.pdf`;

        // Ensure base64 data is provided
        const base64Data = data.base64_string;
        if (!base64Data) {
            throw new Error('Base64 data is required.');
        }

        // Decode base64 data
        const binaryData = Buffer.from(base64Data, 'base64');

        // Write binary data to a PDF file
        fs.writeFileSync(fileName, binaryData);

        return {
            file: file(fileName)
        };
    } catch (error) {
        console.error(error.message);
        return {
            error: error.message
        };
    }
}

and also click Generate params to create a field for the base64 string

Then, insert the variable from the previous node (the base64 string) into the base64_string field.

Notion image

Run the node, and as a result you’ll get a ready-to-use PDF file, which you can download or pass further into your automation flow.

Notion image
Notion image

✅ Example Workflow

  1. Enter your desired text in the Text Content field (e.g., Hello, world!).
  1. Run the first node to get a base64 string.
  1. Paste that base64 string into the second node's Base64 String field.
  1. Run the second node and download the resulting .pdf file.

🔥 That’s it! A simple, local solution with no external dependencies, no fees, and total control.

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