DocuJSON - JSON to Beautiful PDF Templates

Quick Start

Generate your first PDF in under 5 minutes. All you need is an API key.

Get your API key

Make your first API call

Send a POST request with your template choice and data.

bash

curl -X POST https://api.docujson.com/v1/generate \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-API-Key: dj_your_api_key" \
  -d '{
    "templateId": "invoice-basic",
    "data": {
      "invoiceNumber": "INV-001",
      "client": { "name": "Meridian Technologies" },
      "items": [
        { "description": "Consulting", "quantity": 1, "unitPrice": 5000, "amount": 5000 }
      ],
      "total": 5000
    }
  }'

Get your PDF

The API returns a hosted URL to your generated PDF. The URL never expires.

json

{
  "success": true,
  "pdfUrl": "https://storage.docujson.com/invoice-1234567890.pdf",
  "templateId": "invoice-basic",
  "generatedAt": "2026-02-10T12:00:00.000Z"
}

Authentication

All API requests require authentication via an API key. Keys use the format dj_<uuid> and are created from your dashboard.

You can pass the key using either header:

bash

# Recommended: X-API-Key header
curl -H "X-API-Key: dj_your_api_key" https://api.docujson.com/v1/generate

# Alternative: Authorization Bearer header
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer dj_your_api_key" https://api.docujson.com/v1/generate

Keep your API key secure

Never expose your API key in client-side code. Only use it from server-side scripts, automation platforms, or scripting extensions like Airtable.

Generate PDF

POST/api/v1/generate

Generate a PDF document from a template and data. Returns a hosted PDF URL by default.

Request Body

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
templateId	string	Required	Template to use: invoice-basic, weekly-report, calendar-schedule, or kpi-dashboard
data	object	Required	Data to populate the template. See Template Payloads section for schemas.
options	object	Optional	PDF output options (format, orientation, margins). See PDF Options section.
outputFormat	string	Optional	"url" (default), "base64", or "buffer". See Output Formats section.
webhook	object	Optional	Async delivery. Object with url (string) and optional headers (object). See Webhooks section.

Response

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
success	boolean	Required	Whether the request succeeded
pdfUrl	string	Optional	Hosted PDF URL (when outputFormat is "url")
base64	string	Optional	Base64-encoded PDF (when outputFormat is "base64")
templateId	string	Required	The template that was used
generatedAt	string	Required	ISO 8601 timestamp

Response Headers

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
X-Generation-Time-Ms	number	Required	Time taken to generate the PDF in milliseconds
X-PDF-Size-Bytes	number	Required	Size of the generated PDF in bytes
X-Usage-Remaining	number	Required	Remaining PDF generations for the current billing period

Example

javascript

const response = await fetch('https://api.docujson.com/v1/generate', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-API-Key': 'dj_your_api_key',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    templateId: 'weekly-report',
    data: {
      reportTitle: 'Engineering Weekly Status',
      versionAsOf: '02/10/2026',
      projects: [
        {
          title: 'Platform Migration',
          status: 'In Progress',
          progress: 68,
          releaseDate: '03/15/2026',
        },
      ],
    },
    options: {
      format: 'Letter',
      orientation: 'portrait',
    },
  }),
});

const { success, pdfUrl } = await response.json();
console.log(pdfUrl); // https://storage.docujson.com/...

List Templates

GET/api/v1/templates

Returns all available templates. No authentication required.

Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
category	string	Optional	Filter by category: calendar, report, dashboard, invoice
id	string	Optional	Get a specific template by ID

Example Response

json

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "id": "invoice-basic",
      "name": "Basic Invoice",
      "description": "Clean, professional invoice template...",
      "category": "invoice",
      "version": "1.0.0"
    },
    {
      "id": "weekly-report",
      "name": "Weekly Project Report",
      "description": "Professional weekly status report...",
      "category": "report",
      "version": "1.0.0"
    },
    {
      "id": "calendar-schedule",
      "name": "Project Calendar",
      "description": "Multi-month calendar view...",
      "category": "calendar",
      "version": "1.0.0"
    },
    {
      "id": "kpi-dashboard",
      "name": "KPI Dashboard",
      "description": "One-page metrics dashboard...",
      "category": "dashboard",
      "version": "1.0.0"
    }
  ],
  "total": 4,
  "categories": ["calendar", "report", "dashboard", "invoice", "certificate", "custom"]
}

Template Schema

GET/api/v1/templates/:id/schema

Returns the JSON schema and default PDF options for a specific template. Use this to validate your data before calling the generate endpoint.

Path Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
id	string	Required	Template ID (e.g., invoice-basic, weekly-report)

Example

bash

curl https://api.docujson.com/v1/templates/invoice-basic/schema

json

{
  "templateId": "invoice-basic",
  "templateName": "Basic Invoice",
  "schema": {
    "type": "object",
    "required": ["invoiceNumber", "items", "client"],
    "properties": {
      "invoiceNumber": { "type": "string", "description": "Invoice number" },
      "items": { "type": "array", "items": { ... } },
      "client": { "type": "object", "properties": { ... } }
    }
  },
  "defaultOptions": {
    "format": "Letter",
    "orientation": "portrait",
    "margin": { "top": "0.75in", "right": "0.75in", "bottom": "0.75in", "left": "0.75in" }
  }
}

Output Formats

Control how the generated PDF is delivered using the outputFormat field.

urlDefault

Returns a hosted PDF URL via Vercel Blob Storage. The URL is permanent and never expires. Best for Airtable attachment fields, email links, and most integrations.

base64

Returns the PDF as a base64-encoded string in the JSON response body. Useful when you need to process the PDF directly without downloading it.

buffer

Returns the raw PDF binary as the response body with Content-Type: application/pdf. Ideal for direct file downloads or piping to storage.

json

{
  "templateId": "invoice-basic",
  "data": { ... },
  "outputFormat": "base64"
}

// Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "base64": "JVBERi0xLjQKJeLjz9MKMSAwIG9ia...",
  "templateId": "invoice-basic",
  "generatedAt": "2026-02-10T12:00:00.000Z"
}

PDF Options

Customize the PDF output using the options field. These override template defaults.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
format	string	Optional	"Letter" (default), "A4", or "Legal"
orientation	string	Optional	"portrait" (default) or "landscape"
margin	object	Optional	Custom margins: { top, right, bottom, left } as CSS strings (e.g., "0.5in", "10mm")
displayHeaderFooter	boolean	Optional	Show header/footer in the PDF
headerTemplate	string	Optional	Custom HTML header template
footerTemplate	string	Optional	Custom HTML footer template

json

{
  "templateId": "kpi-dashboard",
  "data": { ... },
  "options": {
    "format": "A4",
    "orientation": "landscape",
    "margin": { "top": "0.5in", "right": "0.5in", "bottom": "0.5in", "left": "0.5in" }
  }
}

Webhooks

For long-running PDF generation, use webhooks to receive the result asynchronously. DocuJSON will POST the result to your URL when the PDF is ready.

Webhooks are available on the Pro plan and above. This is the recommended pattern when using platforms with short timeouts (Airtable 30s, Zapier 30s).

json

// Request
{
  "templateId": "calendar-schedule",
  "data": { ... },
  "webhook": {
    "url": "https://hooks.zapier.com/your-catch-hook",
    "headers": {
      "X-Webhook-Secret": "your-secret-value"
    }
  }
}

When the PDF is ready, DocuJSON sends a POST request to your webhook URL:

json

// Webhook payload (POST to your URL)
{
  "success": true,
  "pdfUrl": "https://storage.docujson.com/calendar-abc123.pdf",
  "templateId": "calendar-schedule",
  "generatedAt": "2026-02-10T12:00:00.000Z"
}

Error Handling

All errors return a JSON response with success: false and an error message.

Status	Error	Description
400	Missing required field: templateId	Request body is missing templateId
400	Missing required field: data	Request body is missing data object
400	Template 'x' not found	Invalid template ID. Returns list of available templates.
400	Invalid data for template	Data doesn't match the template schema. Returns validationErrors array.
401	Missing API key	No X-API-Key or Authorization header provided
401	Invalid or inactive API key	API key is incorrect or has been deactivated
403	Template 'x' is not enabled	Template exists but isn't enabled for your workspace
403	Workspace is suspended	Your workspace has been suspended
429	Monthly PDF generation limit reached	You've hit your plan's monthly limit. Returns limit, used, and remaining.
500	PDF generation failed	Internal error during rendering. Returns details.

Error Response Example

json

// 400 - Validation Error
{
  "success": false,
  "error": "Invalid data for template",
  "validationErrors": [
    "Missing required field: invoiceNumber",
    "Missing required field: items"
  ]
}

// 429 - Rate Limited
{
  "success": false,
  "error": "Monthly PDF generation limit reached",
  "limit": 100,
  "used": 100,
  "remaining": 0
}

Template Payloads

Complete example payloads for each template. Use the Schema API to get the full JSON schema for validation.

Basic Invoice

invoice-basicFree

Required fields: invoiceNumber, items, client

json

{
  "templateId": "invoice-basic",
  "data": {
    "invoiceNumber": "INV-2026-001",
    "invoiceDate": "2026-02-10",
    "dueDate": "2026-03-10",
    "company": {
      "name": "Northwind Consulting",
      "address": "742 Evergreen Terrace, Suite 200",
      "email": "billing@northwind.io",
      "phone": "(555) 867-5309"
    },
    "client": {
      "name": "Meridian Technologies",
      "address": "1600 Innovation Blvd",
      "email": "accounts@meridiantech.com"
    },
    "items": [
      { "description": "Web Development", "quantity": 40, "unitPrice": 150, "amount": 6000 },
      { "description": "Design Review", "quantity": 8, "unitPrice": 125, "amount": 1000 }
    ],
    "subtotal": 7000,
    "tax": 630,
    "total": 7630,
    "notes": "Payment due within 30 days",
    "paymentInstructions": "Wire to: Bank of America, Routing: 123456789"
  }
}

Weekly Report

weekly-reportFree

Required fields: projects

json

{
  "templateId": "weekly-report",
  "data": {
    "reportTitle": "Engineering Weekly Status",
    "versionAsOf": "02/10/2026",
    "projects": [
      {
        "title": "Platform Migration",
        "status": "In Progress",
        "releaseDate": "06/15/2026",
        "answerPrint": "05/01/2026",
        "progress": 68,
        "stakeholders": {
          "studio": {
            "creativeExec": "Maria Chen",
            "productionExec": "David Park"
          },
          "production": {
            "director": "Sarah Kim",
            "producers": "Alex Rivera, Jordan Lee"
          }
        },
        "milestones": [
          { "name": "Architecture Review", "startDate": "03/15/2026", "status": "Pending" },
          { "name": "Load Testing", "startDate": "04/15/2026", "status": "Pending" }
        ],
        "updates": {
          "thisWeek": { "id": "W-012", "text": "Completed database schema migration for users service" },
          "lastWeek": { "id": "W-011", "text": "API gateway configuration finalized and deployed" }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Calendar Schedule

calendar-schedulePro

Required fields: months

json

{
  "templateId": "calendar-schedule",
  "data": {
    "projectTitle": "Product Launch 2026",
    "orientation": "Landscape",
    "masthead": ["02.10.26", "PRODUCT LAUNCH", "RELEASE SCHEDULE", "12 WEEKS"],
    "palette": {
      "dev": "#7c3aed",
      "review": "#ea580c",
      "milestone": "#b45309"
    },
    "legend": {
      "dev": "Development Sprint",
      "review": "Stakeholder Review",
      "milestone": "Key Milestone"
    },
    "months": [
      { "y": 2026, "m": 3 },
      { "y": 2026, "m": 4 },
      { "y": 2026, "m": 5 }
    ],
    "events": [
      { "date": "2026-03-15", "kind": "milestone", "text": "Feature Freeze" },
      { "date": "2026-05-01", "kind": "milestone", "text": "Launch Day" }
    ],
    "ranges": [
      { "start": "2026-04-01", "end": "2026-04-12", "kind": "review", "label": "QA Testing" },
      { "start": "2026-03-01", "end": "2026-03-20", "kind": "dev", "label": "Sprint 4" }
    ]
  }
}

KPI Dashboard

kpi-dashboardPro

Required fields: title, metrics

json

{
  "templateId": "kpi-dashboard",
  "data": {
    "title": "Q1 2026 Performance Dashboard",
    "subtitle": "January - March 2026",
    "metrics": [
      { "label": "Revenue", "value": "$1.2M", "change": "+12%", "trend": "up" },
      { "label": "Active Users", "value": "8,432", "change": "+5%", "trend": "up" },
      { "label": "Churn Rate", "value": "2.1%", "change": "-0.3%", "trend": "down" },
      { "label": "NPS Score", "value": "72", "change": "+4", "trend": "up" }
    ],
    "sections": [
      { "title": "Key Wins", "content": "Launched new pricing tier, expanded to EU market" },
      { "title": "Focus Areas", "content": "Reduce onboarding time, improve API latency" }
    ]
  }
}

Rate Limits

PDF generation is rate-limited per workspace based on your plan.

Plan	Monthly Limit	Templates	Webhooks
Free	100 PDFs	2 templates	--
Pro	1,000 PDFs	All templates	Included
Business	10,000 PDFs	All + custom	Included

When you hit your limit, the API returns a 429 status with your current usage. Limits reset on the 1st of each month. View full pricing

Ready to Get Started?

Create your free account and generate your first PDF in minutes.

API Documentation

Quick Start

Get your API key

Make your first API call

Get your PDF

Authentication

Generate PDF

Request Body

Response

Response Headers

Example

List Templates

Query Parameters

Example Response

Template Schema

Path Parameters

Example

Output Formats

PDF Options

Webhooks

Error Handling

Error Response Example

Template Payloads

Basic Invoice

Weekly Report

Calendar Schedule

KPI Dashboard

Rate Limits

Ready to Get Started?