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PDF Export

Basics

PDF is best suited for print-ready book versions (paperback, hardcover) and for previewing the final layout. Bibliogon produces PDF files via the same pipeline as EPUB export: TipTap JSON is converted to Markdown, scaffolded into a write-book-template project structure, and converted by manuscripta with Pandoc as the converter.

Pandoc as a prerequisite

PDF export requires Pandoc. Pandoc is a separate command-line tool and must be installed on the system that runs the Bibliogon backend. Without Pandoc, PDF export fails with a corresponding error message.

Installation:

  • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): sudo apt install pandoc
  • macOS (Homebrew): brew install pandoc
  • Windows: download the installer from pandoc.org

A LaTeX distribution is also required, since Pandoc produces PDF files via LaTeX. TeX Live (Linux/macOS) or MiKTeX (Windows) is recommended. On Debian/Ubuntu, sudo apt install texlive-full gives you a full install.

If you are running Bibliogon via Docker (make prod), Pandoc and TeX Live are already in the container.

Export options

PDF export supports the same options as EPUB export:

  • Book type (ebook, paperback, hardcover): determines the chapter order and table of contents.
  • Manual TOC: when your book has its own TOC chapter.
  • Cover: a configured cover image is inserted as the first page.
  • Metadata: title, author, language, and ISBN flow into the PDF metadata.

Other formats

Beyond PDF, Bibliogon also exports to the following formats, all produced via Pandoc:

  • DOCX (Word): for collaboration with editors or publishers who prefer Word documents.
  • HTML: a single HTML file containing the entire book.
  • Markdown: the raw Markdown text of all chapters in the configured order.
  • Project structure (ZIP): a ZIP file in write-book-template format with Markdown files, metadata, and assets. Useful for further processing with your own tools or for version control with Git.