How to Use html-pdf-node in TypeScript

Discover how to effectively use `html-pdf-node` in your TypeScript projects by creating your own type declarations.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to use html-pdf-node in typescript

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Use html-pdf-node in TypeScript: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Challenge

The html-pdf-node library is excellent for creating PDF files from HTML content, but it lacks TypeScript support, leaving you without type definitions. Without these definitions, the TypeScript compiler can't verify your code effectively, undermining the safety and reliability of your application.

Example Code Snippet

The basic usage of the html-pdf-node library can be visualized with this snippet from the documentation:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

But how can you utilize this within a TypeScript environment?

The Solution: Creating a Declaration File

Since there is no -types/html-pdf-node package available, you will need to create your own declaration file. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Create the Declaration File

Define the module. A simple starting point looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Declare the Functions and Interfaces

Within the module definition, declare the function exports of the library. For example, let's define the generatePdf function:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Define the IFile and IOptions Interfaces

Next, you'll need to define the IFile and IOptions interfaces based on what you need from the html-pdf-node library. You'll do that inside the same module:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 4: Saving the Declaration File

Conclusion

With these steps, you can seamlessly integrate html-pdf-node into your TypeScript projects. While the library doesn’t support TypeScript out-of-the-box, creating your own declaration files is a powerful way to ensure type safety in your code.

Best Practices and Considerations

Keep your types updated: As the library changes, remember to update your type definitions.

Consider alternative libraries: If you find yourself working extensively with PDFs, you might want to explore other libraries that offer built-in TypeScript support or community-maintained type definitions.

Using html-pdf-node in a TypeScript project is now not just possible but manageable with the right type definitions in place. Happy coding!