Software Engineer

2 minute read

4 min read 931 words

In our previous post, we looked at using Rotativa. While Rotativa is a classic, many modern .NET 10 projects are moving toward alternatives that offer better performance, modern CSS support, and native integration with Blazor.

If you are building a Blazor application in 2026, here are the top three alternatives you should consider.

1. QuestPDF: The “Code-First” Powerhouse

QuestPDF is widely considered the gold standard for .NET PDF generation today. Unlike other libraries, it doesn’t use HTML. Instead, it uses a fluent C# API to build layouts.

Why choose QuestPDF?

  • Performance: Significantly faster and uses less memory than HTML-based engines.
  • Type Safety: No more debugging CSS in a PDF; your layout is compiled C# code.
  • Previewer: Includes a hot-reloading preview tool that makes designing reports a breeze.

Example Code:

using QuestPDF.Fluent;
using QuestPDF.Helpers;
using QuestPDF.Infrastructure;

// Define your document
Document.Create(container =>
{
    container.Page(page =>
    {
        page.Size(PageSizes.A4);
        page.Header().Text("Monthly Report").FontSize(20).SemiBold().FontColor(Colors.Blue.Medium);
        
        page.Content().PaddingVertical(10).Column(column =>
        {
            column.Spacing(5);
            column.Item().Text("Hello from QuestPDF in .NET 10!");
            column.Item().Table(table => { /* ... table logic ... */ });
        });
        
        page.Footer().AlignCenter().Text(x =>
        {
            x.Span("Page ");
            x.CurrentPageNumber();
        });
    });
})
.GeneratePdf("report.pdf");

2. PuppeteerSharp: Pixel-Perfect HTML

If you MUST use HTML and CSS (perhaps you’re reusing dashboard styles), PuppeteerSharp is the way to go. It uses a headless Chromium browser, meaning it supports Flexbox, CSS Grid, and JavaScript.

Why choose PuppeteerSharp?

  • Full CSS Support: If it looks good in Chrome, it will look good in the PDF.
  • JavaScript Execution: Can wait for charts or maps to finish rendering before printing.

Example Code:

using PuppeteerSharp;

var browserFetcher = new BrowserFetcher();
await browserFetcher.DownloadAsync();

await using var browser = await Puppeteer.LaunchAsync(new LaunchOptions { Headless = true });
await using var page = await browser.NewPageAsync();

await page.SetContentAsync("<h1>Hello World</h1><p>Generated via Chromium</p>");
await page.PdfAsync("output.pdf", new PdfOptions { Format = PaperFormat.A4 });

3. The Secret Weapon: .NET 10 HtmlRenderer

One of the biggest hurdles in Blazor is that most PDF libraries can’t “see” your .razor components. In .NET 10, you can use the built-in HtmlRenderer to convert any Blazor component into a static HTML string.

You can then feed this string into PuppeteerSharp or any other HTML-to-PDF tool!

How to render a component to string:

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.Web;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

// 1. Setup the renderer
using var loggerFactory = LoggerFactory.Create(builder => builder.AddConsole());
var renderer = new HtmlRenderer(serviceProvider, loggerFactory);

// 2. Render the component
var html = await renderer.Dispatcher.InvokeAsync(async () =>
{
    var parameters = ParameterView.FromDictionary(new Dictionary<string, object?>
    {
        { "Title", "My PDF Title" }
    });
    
    var output = await renderer.RenderComponentAsync<MyRazorComponent>(parameters);
    return output.ToHtmlString();
});

// 3. Now pass 'html' to PuppeteerSharp or your choice of tool!

Comparison: Which one should you use?

Feature QuestPDF PuppeteerSharp Rotativa (Legacy)
Engine Native .NET Chromium wkhtmltopdf
Input C# Fluent API HTML/CSS MVC View (.cshtml)
CSS Support N/A Full (Flex/Grid) Limited (Partial)
Performance Extremely High Moderate/Low Moderate
Blazor Native Yes Via HtmlRenderer No (Bridge needed)

Summary for Blazor Developers

  • If you are building data-heavy reports (Invoices, Logs, Tables): Use QuestPDF.
  • If you need complex designs or reuse existing Web UI: Use HtmlRenderer + PuppeteerSharp.
  • Avoid Rotativa for new Blazor projects unless you are maintaining a legacy codebase.

Further Reading & References

Leave a comment

You may also enjoy