reportlab
ReportLab PDF Generation
Overview
ReportLab is a powerful Python library for programmatic PDF generation. Create anything from simple documents to complex reports with tables, charts, images, and interactive forms.
Two main approaches:
- Canvas API (low-level): Direct drawing with coordinate-based positioning - use for precise layouts
- Platypus (high-level): Flowing document layout with automatic page breaks - use for multi-page documents
Core capabilities:
- Text with rich formatting and custom fonts
- Tables with complex styling and cell spanning
- Charts (bar, line, pie, area, scatter)
- Barcodes and QR codes (Code128, EAN, QR, etc.)
- Images with transparency
- PDF features (links, bookmarks, forms, encryption)
Choosing the Right Approach
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