A Puppeteer alternative for HTML to PDF, without running Chrome.

Keep your HTML. Drop the headless browser, the memory spikes and the separate email service.

With PuppeteerYou run Chrome

const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
  args: ["--no-sandbox", "--disable-dev-shm-usage"],
});
const page = await browser.newPage();
const html = renderTemplate(invoice); // your own engine
await page.setContent(html, { waitUntil: "networkidle0" });
const pdf = await page.pdf({
  format: "A4",
  printBackground: true,
  margin: { top: "18mm", bottom: "18mm" },
});
await browser.close();

// Then: upload the PDF, build the email,
// attach it and send it with another service.

With TemplaterOne request, email and PDF

await fetch("https://templater.nestutils.com/v1/emails/send", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    Authorization: "Bearer " + process.env.TEMPLATER_KEY,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    template: "invoice-email",
    to: [invoice.customer_email],
    data: invoice,
    attachments: [{ template: "gst-invoice" }],
  }),
});

What changes when you switch.

Concern	Puppeteer	Templater
Chrome binaries and updates	You install and patch them	Not your problem
Memory and cold starts	Tuned per server	Handled for you
Template engine	Bring your own	Handlebars with helpers
Preview before sending	Build a preview tool	Live preview with JSON
Versioning and rollback	Through code deploys	Draft, live, archived
Sending the email	Second service	Same request

When Puppeteer is still the right call

If you need to screenshot or print live web pages, run fully offline, or control every browser flag yourself, a headless browser gives you that control. Templater is built for templated documents and emails, not general browser automation.

When Templater fits better

If you render the same invoice, receipt or statement layout with different data, want non-developers to edit it safely, and also need to email it, one template and one API replace the whole pipeline.

Other comparisons

Templater vs wkhtmltopdfFlexbox, grid and web fonts that render the way your browser shows them, without an unmaintained binary on your servers.Templater vs DocRaptorRender the PDF and deliver the email that carries it from one template, one request and one set of data.Templater vs PDFMonkeyCode-first templates for PDFs and emails, with the send and the attachment in the same call.Templater vs SendGrid templatesKeep Handlebars. Add a rendered invoice, receipt or statement to every email without a second rendering service.

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