A modern, JavaScript-powered Markdown to PDF converter with advanced features including Mermaid diagram support, syntax highlighting, and professional styling.

• Markdown to PDF Conversion: Convert any Markdown file to professionally formatted PDF
• JavaScript-Based Processing: Uses modern web technologies for accurate rendering
• Chrome Headless Integration: Leverages Chrome's rendering engine for high-quality output
• Cross-Platform Support: Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows

• GitHub Markdown Styling: Uses GitHub's official CSS for authentic documentation appearance
• Syntax Highlighting: Powered by Prism.js with support for 200+ programming languages
• Mermaid Diagram Support: Renders complex diagrams, flowcharts, and sequence diagrams
• Badge Rendering: Properly displays GitHub-style badges and shields
• Image Optimization: Automatically handles and optimizes images for PDF output

• Template-Based Architecture: Uses customizable HTML templates for consistent output
• Asset Management: Automatically copies referenced images and files
• JavaScript Escaping: Robust handling of special characters and Unicode content
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error reporting and graceful failure handling
• Temporary File Management: Clean workspace management with automatic cleanup

• Professional Layout: Clean, readable formatting optimized for documentation
• Print Optimization: Specialized CSS for high-quality PDF generation
• Responsive Design: Adapts to different content types and sizes
• Typography: Uses system fonts for optimal readability across platforms

• Python 3.6+
• Chrome or Chromium browser
• Internet connection (for CDN resources)

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd builddoc

2. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Install Chrome/Chromium (if not already installed):

   macOS:

   brew install --cask google-chrome
   # OR
   brew install chromium

   Ubuntu/Debian:

   sudo apt-get install google-chrome-stable
   # OR
   sudo apt-get install chromium-browser

Convert a Markdown file to PDF:

python builddoc.py README.md

Specify custom output file:

python builddoc.py README.md -o documentation.pdf

Convert any Markdown file:

python builddoc.py path/to/your/file.md

python builddoc.py [file] [-o OUTPUT]

• file: Input Markdown file (default: README.md)
• -o, --output: Output PDF file path (optional)

• Headers (H1-H6)
• Bold and italic text
• Lists (ordered and unordered)
• Links and images
• Code blocks and inline code
• Tables
• Blockquotes
• Horizontal rules

• Mermaid Diagrams: Use ````mermaid` code blocks for diagrams
• Syntax Highlighting: Automatic language detection for code blocks
• GitHub Flavored Markdown: Tables, strikethrough, task lists
• Badge Support: GitHub-style badges and shields
• Image Optimization: Automatic image sizing and positioning

graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Decision}
    B -->|Yes| C[Action 1]
    B -->|No| D[Action 2]
    C --> E[End]
    D --> E

sequenceDiagram
    participant A as User
    participant B as System
    A->>B: Request
    B-->>A: Response

1. ModernMarkdownToPDFConverter: Main conversion class
2. Template System: HTML template with embedded JavaScript
3. Asset Management: File copying and reference handling
4. Chrome Integration: Headless browser for PDF generation

1. Input Validation: Check file existence and format
2. Template Preparation: Copy template and assets to working directory
3. Content Processing: Escape and embed Markdown content
4. HTML Generation: Create self-contained HTML document
5. PDF Conversion: Use Chrome headless for final conversion
6. Cleanup: Remove temporary files and directories

• Marked.js: Markdown parsing and conversion
• Mermaid.js: Diagram rendering
• Prism.js: Syntax highlighting
• GitHub Markdown CSS: Professional styling

The template.html file can be customized to:

• Change styling and layout
• Add custom CSS
• Modify JavaScript behavior
• Include additional libraries

Key configuration variables in the template:

• mermaidTheme: Mermaid diagram theme
• mermaidWaitTime: Timeout for diagram rendering
• CSS styling for different content types

For programmatic usage:

from builddoc import ModernMarkdownToPDFConverter

converter = ModernMarkdownToPDFConverter('input.md', 'output.pdf')
converter.convert()

Chrome not found:

• Ensure Chrome/Chromium is installed
• Check PATH environment variable
• Try specifying full path to Chrome executable

Missing dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Permission errors:

• Ensure write permissions in output directory
• Check file system permissions

Large files:

• Increase Chrome timeout settings
• Consider breaking large documents into sections

Enable verbose output by modifying the script to add debug prints or use:

python -u builddoc.py input.md 2>&1 | tee debug.log

• Python 3.6 or higher
• Chrome or Chromium browser
• 100MB free disk space (for temporary files)
• Internet connection (for CDN resources)

• requests: HTTP requests for online services
• Standard library modules: argparse, os, re, subprocess, sys, tempfile, shutil, pathlib

• Chrome 80+ or Chromium 80+
• Headless mode support
• PDF generation capabilities

git clone <repository-url>
cd builddoc
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Make your changes
python builddoc.py test.md

• GitHub: For the excellent Markdown CSS styling
• Mermaid.js: For powerful diagram rendering capabilities
• Prism.js: For comprehensive syntax highlighting
• Marked.js: For robust Markdown parsing
• Chrome Team: For the excellent headless browser capabilities