Word PDF Service

A Node.js service for converting DOCX files to PDF using LibreOffice. Designed to run on Render, Fly.io, or any Node.js hosting platform and handle both synchronous and asynchronous document conversion.

Features

• ✅ DOCX to PDF conversion using LibreOffice headless mode
• ✅ Asynchronous processing (non-blocking)
• ✅ Webhook callbacks for completion notifications
• ✅ Error handling and logging
• ✅ Health check endpoint
• ✅ Docker support

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• LibreOffice installed
• Render account (or any Node.js hosting)

Installation

Local Development

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Install LibreOffice:

   # Ubuntu/Debian
   sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y libreoffice
   
   # macOS
   brew install libreoffice
   
   # Windows
   # Download from https://www.libreoffice.org/download/

4. Run the service:

   npm start

Docker

docker build -t render-pdf-service .
docker run -p 10000:10000 render-pdf-service

Environment Variables

• PORT - Server port (default: 10000)
• RENDER_WEBHOOK_SECRET - Secret for webhook verification (optional but recommended)
• NODE_ENV - Environment (development/production)

API Endpoints

POST /api/convert

Convert a DOCX file to PDF.

Request:

{
  "docxUrl": "https://example.com/document.docx",
  "orderId": "ORD123456",
  "callbackUrl": "https://your-app.vercel.app/api/webhooks/render"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "jobId": "job_ORD123456_1234567890",
  "message": "Conversion job started"
}

The service will:

1. Download the DOCX file from docxUrl
2. Convert it to PDF using LibreOffice
3. Send the PDF (base64 encoded) to callbackUrl via webhook

POST /api/convert-sync

Convert a DOCX file to PDF synchronously (returns immediately with PDF).

Request:

{
  "docxUrl": "https://example.com/document.docx"
}

Response:

{
  "success": true,
  "pdfBuffer": "base64_encoded_pdf_content",
  "size": 123456
}

GET /health

Health check endpoint.

Response:

{
  "status": "ok",
  "service": "word-pdf-service",
  "timestamp": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}

GET /api/status/:jobId

Check conversion status (placeholder - use webhook for completion).

Webhook Payload

When conversion completes, the service sends a POST request to callbackUrl:

Success:

{
  "orderId": "ORD123456",
  "jobId": "job_ORD123456_1234567890",
  "pdfBuffer": "base64_encoded_pdf_content",
  "status": "completed"
}

Failure:

{
  "orderId": "ORD123456",
  "jobId": "job_ORD123456_1234567890",
  "status": "failed",
  "error": "Error message"
}

Deployment

Option 1: Fly.io (Recommended)

1. Install Fly CLI: curl -L https://fly.io/install.sh | sh
2. Login: fly auth login
3. Deploy: fly deploy
4. The service will be available at https://your-app-name.fly.dev

Option 2: Render (Using Dockerfile)

1. Create a new Web Service on Render
2. Connect your Git repository
3. Render will automatically detect the Dockerfile
4. Set environment variables:
   • RENDER_WEBHOOK_SECRET (optional)
   • PORT (default: 10000)
5. Deploy!

Option 3: Render (Using Build Commands)

1. Create a new Web Service on Render
2. Connect your Git repository
3. Set build command:

   apt-get update && apt-get install -y libreoffice && npm install

4. Set start command:

   node server.js

5. Set environment variables
6. Deploy!

Testing

Test LibreOffice Installation

libreoffice --version

Test Conversion Locally

libreoffice --headless --convert-to pdf --outdir ./output ./test.docx

Test the Service

curl -X POST http://localhost:10000/api/convert \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "docxUrl": "https://example.com/test.docx",
    "orderId": "test123",
    "callbackUrl": "https://your-app.vercel.app/api/webhooks/render"
  }'

Troubleshooting

LibreOffice not found

• Ensure LibreOffice is installed in the Docker image
• Check PATH: which libreoffice
• Use full path: /usr/bin/libreoffice

Conversion fails

• Check Render logs for detailed error messages
• Verify DOCX file is accessible from Render
• Ensure sufficient disk space in temp directory

Webhook not received

• Verify callbackUrl is correct and accessible
• Check RENDER_WEBHOOK_SECRET matches
• Review Render logs for webhook errors

Performance

• First conversion may be slower (LibreOffice startup)
• Typical conversion: 5-30 seconds depending on document size
• Memory usage: ~200-500MB per conversion

Security

• Always use HTTPS for webhook URLs
• Set RENDER_WEBHOOK_SECRET for webhook verification
• Validate input URLs (ensure they're from trusted sources)
• Consider rate limiting for production

License

MIT