POST /quickjob

Generate PDFs instantly (< 30 seconds) - Perfect for simple documents (up to 25 pages maximum).

When to Use

✅ Use QuickJob when:

Document is simple and small (up to 25 pages maximum)
Need PDF immediately
Synchronous workflow
Converting images to PDF (up to 25 images maximum)

❌ Use LongJob instead when:

Document is large (more than 25 pages)
Can use async processing
Want webhook notifications

Image Support

QuickJob supports image-to-PDF conversion! Upload PNG or JPEG images and get a PDF with one image per page. Images process fast (~0.5-2s per image).

Quick Example

curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "input_type": "html",
    "html": "<h1>Invoice</h1><p>Amount: $100</p>"
  }' \
  --output invoice.pdf

Authentication

Required. Include your API key:

X-API-Key: your_api_key_here

Learn about API keys →

Request

Endpoint

POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob

Request Body

HTML Input
Markdown Input
Images (Multipart)

{
  "input_type": "html",
  "html": "<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title>Invoice</title></head><body><h1>Invoice</h1><p>Thank you!</p></body></html>",
  "options": {
    "format": "A4",
    "margin": {
      "top": "20mm",
      "right": "20mm",
      "bottom": "20mm",
      "left": "20mm"
    },
    "printBackground": true
  }
}

{
  "input_type": "markdown",
  "markdown": "# Invoice\n\n**Customer:** John Doe\n**Amount:** $100\n\nThank you!",
  "options": {
    "format": "A4",
    "margin": {
      "top": "20mm",
      "right": "20mm",
      "bottom": "20mm",
      "left": "20mm"
    },
    "printBackground": true
  }
}

Content-Type: multipart/form-data

# cURL example - multiple images
curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
  -F "input_type=image" \
  -F "images=@photo1.png" \
  -F "images=@photo2.jpg" \
  -F 'options={"format":"A4","fit":"contain"}'

// JavaScript/Browser example
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('input_type', 'image');
formData.append('images', file1);  // File from input[type=file]
formData.append('images', file2);
formData.append('options', JSON.stringify({
  format: 'A4',
  margin: { top: '10mm', right: '10mm', bottom: '10mm', left: '10mm' },
  fit: 'contain'
}));

const response = await fetch('https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'X-API-Key': apiKey },
  body: formData
});

Each image becomes one page in the PDF.

Request Fields

For HTML/Markdown (JSON):

Field	Type	Required	Description
`input_type`	string	✅	`"html"`, `"markdown"`, or `"image"`. Must be enabled for your plan (see `enabled_conversion_types` in plan details).
`html`	string	✅*	HTML content (*required if input_type is html)
`markdown`	string	✅*	Markdown content (*required if input_type is markdown)
`options`	object	❌	PDF generation options
`options.format`	string	❌	Paper format: `"A4"`, `"Letter"`, etc. (default: `"A4"`)
`options.margin`	object	❌	Margins for the PDF
`options.margin.top`	string	❌	Top margin (e.g., `"20mm"`)
`options.margin.right`	string	❌	Right margin
`options.margin.bottom`	string	❌	Bottom margin
`options.margin.left`	string	❌	Left margin
`options.printBackground`	boolean	❌	Print background graphics (default: `true`)
`options.scale`	number	❌	Scale of rendering (default: `1.0`)
`options.landscape`	boolean	❌	Landscape orientation (default: `false`)

For Images (Multipart form-data):

Field	Type	Required	Description
`input_type`	string	✅	Must be `"image"`
`images`	file(s)	✅	One or more PNG or JPEG image files (repeat field for multiple)
`options`	string	❌	JSON string with options
`options.format`	string	❌	Page size (default: `"A4"`)
`options.margin`	object	❌	Margins (default: `10mm` all sides)
`options.fit`	string	❌	How to fit image: `"contain"` (default), `"cover"`, `"fill"`, `"none"`
`options.landscape`	boolean	❌	Landscape orientation (default: `false`)

Image Limits:

Maximum 5MB per image
Maximum 10MB total payload
Maximum 10000×10000 pixels per image
Each image = 1 page in the PDF
Maximum images per request: Same as page limit (e.g., 100 images in production)

Response

Success (200 OK)

You receive the PDF file directly as binary data.

Headers:

Content-Type: application/pdf
Content-Disposition: inline; filename="document.pdf"
X-PDF-Pages: 5
X-Job-Id: 9f0a4b78-2c0c-4d14-9b8b-123456789abc

Page Count

The X-PDF-Pages header tells you how many pages were generated.

Timeout (408 Request Timeout)

If generation takes longer than 30 seconds:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "QUICKJOB_TIMEOUT",
    "message": "Job processing exceeded 30-second timeout. Please use /longjob endpoint for larger documents.",
    "details": {
      "job_id": "9f0a4b78-2c0c-4d14-9b8b-123456789abc",
      "timeout_seconds": 30,
      "suggestion": "use_longjob_endpoint"
    }
  }
}

Timeout? Use LongJob

If you hit the timeout, your document is too large for QuickJob.
Use the LongJob endpoint instead →

Error Responses

Status	Code	Meaning	Solution
400	`INVALID_INPUT_TYPE`	Invalid or missing input_type	Use "html", "markdown", or "image"
400	`MISSING_CONTENT`	Missing html, markdown, or images	Provide content
400	`PAGE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED`	PDF exceeds max pages	Reduce content or use LongJob
400	`INVALID_IMAGE_FORMAT`	Image is not PNG or JPEG	Use PNG or JPEG only
400	`INVALID_IMAGE_DATA`	Image is corrupted or invalid	Check image file
400	`IMAGE_TOO_LARGE`	Image exceeds 5MB or 10000×10000px	Resize or compress image
400	`MISSING_IMAGES`	No image files provided	Include at least one image
400	`INVALID_MULTIPART`	Malformed multipart request	Check Content-Type and form data
401	`UNAUTHORIZED`	Invalid or missing API key	Check your API key
403	`ACCOUNT_NOT_FOUND`	Account doesn't exist	Create an account
403	`CONVERSION_TYPE_NOT_ENABLED`	Conversion type not enabled for plan	Check plan's `enabled_conversion_types`
403	`RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED`	Too many requests	Wait 1 minute (free tier: 20/min)
403	`QUOTA_EXCEEDED`	Free tier quota used up	Upgrade to paid plan via dashboard
408	`QUICKJOB_TIMEOUT`	Took too long	Use /longjob instead
429	`TOO_MANY_REQUESTS`	API throttle limit	Wait and retry
500	`INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR`	Server error	Try again later

Complete Examples

Images to PDF (cURL)

# Single image
curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: $PODPDF_API_KEY" \
  -F "input_type=image" \
  -F "images=@photo.jpg" \
  -F 'options={"format":"A4","fit":"contain"}' \
  --output photo.pdf

# Multiple images (photo album)
curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: $PODPDF_API_KEY" \
  -F "input_type=image" \
  -F "images=@photo1.jpg" \
  -F "images=@photo2.jpg" \
  -F "images=@photo3.jpg" \
  -F 'options={"format":"A4","margin":{"top":"5mm","right":"5mm","bottom":"5mm","left":"5mm"}}' \
  --output album.pdf

Images to PDF (JavaScript)

const FormData = require('form-data');
const fs = require('fs');
const fetch = require('node-fetch');

async function imagesToPDF() {
  const formData = new FormData();
  formData.append('input_type', 'image');
  formData.append('images', fs.createReadStream('photo1.jpg'));
  formData.append('images', fs.createReadStream('photo2.jpg'));
  formData.append('options', JSON.stringify({
    format: 'A4',
    fit: 'contain',
    margin: { top: '10mm', right: '10mm', bottom: '10mm', left: '10mm' }
  }));

  const response = await fetch('https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'X-API-Key': process.env.PODPDF_API_KEY,
    },
    body: formData
  });

  if (response.ok) {
    const buffer = await response.buffer();
    fs.writeFileSync('output.pdf', buffer);
    console.log('PDF created successfully!');
  }
}

imagesToPDF();

Images to PDF (Python)

import requests
import os

def images_to_pdf():
    api_key = os.getenv('PODPDF_API_KEY')
    
    files = [
        ('images', ('photo1.jpg', open('photo1.jpg', 'rb'), 'image/jpeg')),
        ('images', ('photo2.jpg', open('photo2.jpg', 'rb'), 'image/jpeg')),
    ]
    
    data = {
        'input_type': 'image',
        'options': '{"format":"A4","fit":"contain"}'
    }
    
    response = requests.post(
        'https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob',
        headers={'X-API-Key': api_key},
        files=files,
        data=data
    )
    
    if response.status_code == 200:
        with open('output.pdf', 'wb') as f:
            f.write(response.content)
        print('PDF created successfully!')

images_to_pdf()

JavaScript (Node.js)

const fetch = require('node-fetch');
const fs = require('fs');

async function generatePDF() {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'X-API-Key': process.env.PODPDF_API_KEY, // Use environment variable
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      input_type: 'html',
      html: '<h1>Hello World</h1><p>My first PDF!</p>'
    })
  });

  if (response.ok) {
    const buffer = await response.buffer();
    fs.writeFileSync('output.pdf', buffer);
    console.log('PDF created successfully!');
  } else {
    console.error('Error:', await response.json());
  }
}

generatePDF();

Python

import requests
import os

def generate_pdf():
    api_key = os.getenv('PODPDF_API_KEY')  # Use environment variable
    
    response = requests.post(
        'https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob',
        headers={
            'X-API-Key': api_key,
            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
        },
        json={
            'input_type': 'html',
            'html': '<h1>Hello World</h1><p>My first PDF!</p>'
        }
    )
    
    if response.status_code == 200:
        with open('output.pdf', 'wb') as f:
            f.write(response.content)
        print('PDF created successfully!')
    else:
        print('Error:', response.json())

generate_pdf()

cURL

curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "input_type": "html",
    "html": "<h1>Hello World</h1><p>My first PDF!</p>"
  }' \
  --output output.pdf

PHP

<?php
$apiKey = getenv('PODPDF_API_KEY');

$data = array(
    'input_type' => 'html',
    'html' => '<h1>Hello World</h1><p>My first PDF!</p>'
);

$ch = curl_init('https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array(
    'X-API-Key: ' . $apiKey,
    'Content-Type: application/json'
));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode($data));

$response = curl_exec($ch);
$httpCode = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($ch);

if ($httpCode == 200) {
    file_put_contents('output.pdf', $response);
    echo "PDF created successfully!";
} else {
    echo "Error: " . $response;
}
?>

Tips & Best Practices

✅ DO:

Keep HTML under 5MB for best performance
Include all CSS inline in your HTML
Test with small documents first
Use quickjob for simple documents (up to 25 pages or 25 images maximum)
Handle timeout errors gracefully
Store API keys in environment variables
Images: Use PNG or JPEG format, keep under 5MB each
Images: Each image becomes one page (great for photo albums)

❌ DON'T:

Don't use external CSS/JS links (they won't load)
Don't generate large reports with quickjob
Don't forget to check the X-PDF-Pages header
Don't ignore timeout responses
Don't hardcode API keys in your code
Images: Don't use unsupported formats (GIF, WebP, etc.)
Images: Don't exceed 10000×10000 pixel dimensions

Image Fit Options

When converting images to PDF, you can control how images fit on the page:

contain (default) - Fit entire image on page, maintain aspect ratio
cover - Fill entire page, may crop image
fill - Stretch to fill (may distort)
none - Use natural image size

Example:

curl -X POST https://api.podpdf.com/quickjob \
  -H "X-API-Key: $PODPDF_API_KEY" \
  -F "input_type=image" \
  -F "images=@photo.jpg" \
  -F 'options={"fit":"cover"}' \
  --output photo.pdf

Limits

Limit	Free Tier	Paid Plan
Rate Limit	20 req/min	Unlimited
Quota	100 PDFs total	Unlimited
Max Pages	100 pages	100 pages
Max Input Size	~5 MB	~5 MB
Timeout	30 seconds	30 seconds

Need More?

Upgrade to unlimited PDFs via your dashboard

When to Use​

Quick Example​

Authentication​

Request​

Endpoint​

Request Body​

Request Fields​

Response​

Success (200 OK)​

Timeout (408 Request Timeout)​

Error Responses​

Complete Examples​

Images to PDF (cURL)​

Images to PDF (JavaScript)​

Images to PDF (Python)​

JavaScript (Node.js)​

Python​

cURL​

PHP​

Tips & Best Practices​

✅ DO:​

❌ DON'T:​

Image Fit Options​

Limits​

Next Steps​