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003-client-side-export.md

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ADR-003: Client-Side PDF and DOCX Export

Status

Accepted

Context

Users need to export their markdown documents to PDF and Word formats. We need to decide between:

  • Server-side rendering and export
  • Client-side generation
  • Third-party API services

Requirements:

  • Privacy (no data sent to servers)
  • No backend infrastructure
  • Good quality output
  • Cross-browser support

Decision

We will implement client-side export using:

  • PDF: jsPDF with html2canvas
  • DOCX: docx library

Consequences

Positive

  • Privacy: All data stays in the user's browser
  • No infrastructure: No servers to maintain
  • Instant export: No network latency
  • Offline capable: Works without internet
  • Cost-effective: No server or API costs

Negative

  • Bundle size: Adds ~500KB to the bundle
  • Browser limitations: Some features limited by browser APIs
  • Performance: Large documents may be slow on weak devices
  • Consistency: Output may vary slightly between browsers

Neutral

  • Quality is good enough for most use cases
  • Limited customization compared to server-side solutions

Implementation Details

PDF Export

// Create temporary container with print styles
// Render markdown to HTML
// Use html2canvas to capture
// Generate PDF with jsPDF
// Handle pagination for long documents

DOCX Export

// Parse markdown to tokens
// Map tokens to Word document structure
// Apply appropriate styles
// Generate binary DOCX file

Alternatives Considered

  1. Server-side rendering: Requires backend, privacy concerns
  2. External APIs: Cost, privacy, and reliability concerns
  3. Browser print API: Limited control over output format
  4. WebAssembly solutions: More complex, larger bundle