API Reference

Base URL

https://www.docrenders.com

All endpoints accept and return JSON unless otherwise noted. PDF responses are application/pdf.

Authentication

Every render endpoint requires an API key passed as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.

Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY

Keys are prefixed dcr_live_. Generate keys from your dashboard.

Errors

All errors return a consistent JSON shape:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "quota_exceeded",
    "message": "monthly render limit of 100 reached; upgrade your plan to continue"
  }
}

Rate Limits

Exceeding the per-minute limit returns 429 rate_limited. Exceeding the monthly quota returns 429 quota_exceeded.

SDKs

Official client libraries are available for Go, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Python. All SDKs are open source at github.com/JWhist/docrenders-sdks.

go get github.com/JWhist/docrenders-sdks/go

import docrenders "github.com/JWhist/docrenders-sdks/go"

client := docrenders.NewClient("dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY")

pdf, err := client.Render(ctx, docrenders.RenderRequest{
    Markdown: "# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders.",
    Options:  docrenders.RenderOptions{Format: "A4"},
})

pdf, err := client.Render(ctx, docrenders.RenderRequest{
    Template: "invoice",
    Data: map[string]any{
        "name":  "Acme Corp",
        "date":  "2026-06-03",
        "total": 1500.00,
        "items": []map[string]any{
            {"description": "Design", "qty": 1, "unit_price": 1500, "amount": 1500},
        },
    },
})

result, err := client.RenderSignedURL(ctx, docrenders.RenderRequest{
    Markdown: "# Report",
})
fmt.Println(result.URL) // expires in 15 minutes

usage, err := client.Usage(ctx)
fmt.Printf("%d / %d renders used\n", usage.RendersUsed, usage.RendersLimit)

npm install docrenders-sdk

import DocRendersClient from "docrenders-sdk";

const client = new DocRendersClient("dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY");

const pdf = await client.render({
  markdown: "# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders.",
  options: { format: "A4" },
}); // Uint8Array

const pdf = await client.render({
  template: "invoice",
  data: {
    name: "Acme Corp",
    date: "2026-06-03",
    total: 1500,
    items: [{ description: "Design", qty: 1, unit_price: 1500, amount: 1500 }],
  },
});

const { url, expires_at } = await client.renderSignedURL({
  markdown: "# Report",
});
console.log(url); // expires in 15 minutes

import { DocRendersError } from "docrenders-sdk";

try {
  const pdf = await client.render({ markdown: "# Hello" });
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof DocRendersError) {
    console.error(err.code, err.message);
  }
}

const usage = await client.usage();
console.log(`${usage.renders_used} / ${usage.renders_limit} renders used`);

pip install docrenders-sdk

from docrenders import DocRendersClient, RenderRequest, RenderOptions

client = DocRendersClient("dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY")

pdf = client.render(RenderRequest(
    markdown="# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders.",
    options=RenderOptions(format="A4"),
))

pdf = client.render(RenderRequest(
    template="invoice",
    data={
        "name": "Acme Corp",
        "date": "2026-06-03",
        "total": 1500.00,
        "items": [{"description": "Design", "qty": 1, "unit_price": 1500, "amount": 1500}],
    },
))

result = client.render_signed_url(RenderRequest(markdown="# Report"))
print(result.url)  # expires in 15 minutes

from docrenders import DocRendersError

try:
    pdf = client.render(RenderRequest(markdown="# Hello"))
except DocRendersError as e:
    print(e.code, str(e))

usage = client.usage()
print(f"{usage.renders_used} / {usage.renders_limit} renders used")

MCP Server

The DocRenders MCP server lets Claude and any MCP-compatible AI agent generate PDFs directly — no code required. Ask Claude to "generate an invoice for Acme Corp" and it will call the API, fill the template, and return a download link.

The server is published as docrenders-mcp on npm. Node.js 18+ is required.

Install for Claude Desktop

Add the following to your claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docrenders": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "docrenders-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "DOCRENDERS_API_KEY": "dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Install for Claude Code

Run the following command to add the server to your Claude Code configuration:

claude mcp add docrenders -- npx -y docrenders-mcp

Then set your API key:

claude mcp add docrenders --env DOCRENDERS_API_KEY=dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY -- npx -y docrenders-mcp

Example prompts

• "Generate an invoice PDF for Acme Corp, $2,500 for design work, due June 17."
• "Create a PDF resume for Jordan Whistler, senior Go engineer."
• "Convert this markdown to a PDF using the ai-summary template."
• "How many renders have I used this month?"

MCP Tools Reference

All render_template templates and their fields are documented in the Templates section. The MCP server validates required fields before making a request and surfaces any missing_fields errors as readable messages.

POST /render

Synchronously converts Markdown or HTML to a PDF and returns the raw binary.

Request body

{
  "markdown": "# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders.",
  "template": "invoice",
  "data": {
    "name": "Acme Corp",
    "date": "2026-06-03",
    "total": 1500.00,
    "items": [{ "description": "Design", "qty": 1, "unit_price": 1500, "amount": 1500 }]
  },
  "options": {
    "format": "A4",
    "margin_top": "1in",
    "margin_right": "1in",
    "margin_bottom": "1in",
    "margin_left": "1in",
    "landscape": false
  },
  "output": "binary"
}

*One of markdown, html, or template + data is required.

Every render is stored server-side regardless of the output value. The output parameter only controls what is returned in the response — the PDF is always retained and accessible via its signed URL.

Response — output=binary (default)

HTTP 200
Content-Type: application/pdf
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="render.pdf"

<binary PDF bytes>

Response — output=url

{
  "url": "https://storage.docrenders.dev/pdfs/...",
  "expires_at": "2026-05-30T15:00:00Z",
  "render_time_ms": 1240
}

The signed URL expires after 15 minutes and is scoped to your account — it cannot be used to access another user's files. Use this mode when you want to redirect a user directly to the PDF rather than proxy the bytes through your own server.

Example — binary

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"markdown":"# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders."}' \
  --output output.pdf

Example — signed URL

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"markdown":"# Hello\n\nGenerated by DocRenders.","output":"url"}'

POST /render/file

Same as /render but accepts a file upload via multipart/form-data. Supports .md, .markdown, and .html files.

Form fields

Response

HTTP 200
Content-Type: application/pdf
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="render.pdf"

<binary PDF bytes>

Example

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render/file \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@invoice.md" \
  -F "format=A4" \
  --output output.pdf

Built-in Templates

Templates can be used in two modes:

• Data mode — pass template + data. The template supplies the document structure; your data fills the variables. No markdown needed.
• Styling mode — pass template + markdown. Your markdown content is rendered into the template's styled layout.

Data mode is recommended when you want consistent, predictable output. Required fields are validated server-side — missing any returns a missing_fields error listing exactly which fields are absent.

Image fields (logo) accept either a public URL or a raw base64-encoded PNG/JPEG string. Base64 values are automatically prefixed with the appropriate data URI.

invoice

Professional invoice with a dark header bar, two-column sender/recipient block, styled line-item table, right-aligned totals, and an optional footer note.

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template": "invoice",
    "data": {
      "from": "Acme Studio",
      "from_street": "123 Main St",
      "from_city": "San Francisco, CA 94105",
      "from_email": "billing@acme.com",
      "name": "TechCorp Inc.",
      "date": "2026-06-03",
      "due_date": "2026-06-17",
      "invoice_number": "INV-0089",
      "items": [
        { "description": "Design", "qty": 1, "unit_price": 4000, "amount": 4000 },
        { "description": "Development", "qty": 20, "unit_price": 150, "amount": 3000 }
      ],
      "subtotal": 7000,
      "tax": 577.50,
      "total": 7577.50,
      "notes": "Payment due within 14 days. Reference INV-0089 on transfer."
    }
  }' --output invoice.pdf

receipt

Clean payment receipt with merchant name, transaction metadata, line items, totals, and optional payment method.

resume

Clean typographic CV layout with sections for experience, education, and skills.

ai-summary

Dark header report layout with an executive summary callout block, key findings list, and freeform sections. Designed for AI-generated analysis outputs.

report

General business report with optional logo, executive summary, and structured sections.

letter

Formal business letter with sender address, recipient, subject line, body, and closing signature.

proposal

Project or sales proposal with client and preparer details, structured sections, and optional logo.

post

WordPress-style blog post layout with a featured image, byline, category and tag metadata, and a full Markdown body. Used by the DocRenders WordPress plugin to render posts and pages as PDFs.

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template": "post",
    "data": {
      "title": "Getting Started with Headless WordPress",
      "author": "Jordan Whistler",
      "date": "June 6, 2026",
      "category": "Development",
      "tags": ["WordPress", "Headless", "API"],
      "content": "## Introduction\n\nHeadless WordPress separates the CMS from the frontend..."
    }
  }' --output post.pdf

woo-invoice

WooCommerce order invoice with shop branding, billing address, a line-item table, tax and totals, and payment details. Used by the DocRenders WordPress plugin to generate downloadable invoices for WooCommerce orders.

Note: Both order_number and invoice_number are required — WooCommerce order IDs and invoice reference numbers are treated as distinct fields.

curl -X POST https://www.docrenders.com/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer dcr_live_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template": "woo-invoice",
    "data": {
      "order_number": "10482",
      "invoice_number": "WC-10482",
      "invoice_date": "June 6, 2026",
      "shop_name": "Whistler Digital Goods",
      "shop_email": "hello@whistlerdigital.com",
      "billing_name": "Alex Rivera",
      "billing_email": "alex.rivera@example.com",
      "items": [
        { "name": "DocRenders Pro Plugin — Annual License", "quantity": 1, "price": 99 },
        { "name": "Priority Support Add-on", "quantity": 1, "price": 49 }
      ],
      "subtotal": 148,
      "tax": 13.32,
      "total": 161.32,
      "payment_method": "Credit Card (Visa ending 4242)",
      "order_status": "Paid"
    }
  }' --output woo-invoice.pdf

WordPress Plugin

The DocRenders WordPress plugin adds a "Download as PDF" button to any post or page — no code required. Site owners install the plugin, enter their API key, and readers get a one-click PDF download of the content.

Installation

1. Download the latest docrenders.zip from the GitHub releases page.
2. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin and upload the zip.
3. Activate the plugin.
4. Go to Settings → DocRenders and enter your API key (dcr_live_…).

Shortcode

Place the shortcode anywhere in a post or page to add a download button:

[docrenders]

Optional attributes let you customize the output:

[docrenders label="Download PDF" template="post" format="A4"]

How it works

When a visitor clicks the button, the browser posts to a WordPress REST endpoint registered by the plugin:

POST /wp-json/docrenders/v1/render

The endpoint reads the post content server-side, attaches the stored API key, calls the DocRenders API, and streams the PDF back to the browser. The API key is never exposed to the client.

WooCommerce Invoices

When WooCommerce is active, the DocRenders plugin automatically generates an invoice PDF and attaches it to the order completion email when an order's status changes to Completed. No configuration is needed beyond installing the plugin and setting your API key.

Invoices are rendered using the woo-invoice template. Order data (line items, billing address, totals, payment method) is pulled directly from the WooCommerce order object.

Admin: generate invoice for any order

From WooCommerce → Orders, open any order and click Generate PDF Invoice in the Order Actions panel. The PDF is generated on demand and streamed to the browser.

Customising invoice output

The woo-invoice template is populated automatically from WooCommerce order data. To override any field — for example, to add a custom footer note — use the docrenders_woo_invoice_data filter:

add_filter( 'docrenders_woo_invoice_data', function( $data, $order ) {
    $data['notes'] = 'Thank you for shopping with us! Questions? Email support@yourstore.com.';
    return $data;
}, 10, 2 );

The $data array contains all fields documented in the woo-invoice template reference above.