pdfkmp

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Use this skill when the user asks to generate a PDF document from Kotlin (Android, iOS, or Kotlin Multiplatform) using the PdfKmp library. Triggers: 'generate a PDF', 'export to PDF', 'create a PDF report', 'invoice PDF', 'PDF receipt', 'multi-page PDF', any time the user wants to author or modify code that calls into `com.conamobile:pdfkmp` (the `pdf { … }` DSL, `PdfDocument`, `PdfColor`, `TextStyle`, `column`/`row`/`box`/`card`/`table`, headers/footers/watermarks, hyperlinks, or i18n fonts). Covers vector PDF generation, the full DSL surface, common pitfalls, and the path to test/build (`./gradlew :pdfkmp:iosSimulatorArm64Test`).

ConaMobileDev By ConaMobileDev schedule Updated 6/7/2026
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name: pdfkmp description: "Use this skill when the user asks to generate a PDF document from Kotlin (Android, iOS, or Kotlin Multiplatform) using the PdfKmp library. Triggers: 'generate a PDF', 'export to PDF', 'create a PDF report', 'invoice PDF', 'PDF receipt', 'multi-page PDF', any time the user wants to author or modify code that calls into com.conamobile:pdfkmp (the pdf { … } DSL, PdfDocument, PdfColor, TextStyle, column/row/box/card/table, headers/footers/watermarks, hyperlinks, or i18n fonts). Covers vector PDF generation, the full DSL surface, common pitfalls, and the path to test/build (./gradlew :pdfkmp:iosSimulatorArm64Test)."

PdfKmp — author PDF documents from Kotlin

PdfKmp is a Kotlin Multiplatform PDF generator. Authors compose a tree of layout nodes via a Compose-style DSL; the library renders vector text and shapes to a real PDF on Android and iOS.

When in doubt about the API surface, read AGENTS.md at repo root or the full Samples.kt in pdfkmp/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/samples/Samples.kt — every feature is exercised there.

Mental model

pdf {                                  // → PdfDocument
    metadata { title = "…"; language = "en"; pdfACompliance = true }
    encryption { ownerPassword = "…" } // optional — full JVM, partial iOS, no-op Android
    attachment("file.xml", bytes)      // optional — embed a file (JVM only)
    defaultTextStyle = TextStyle(…)    // optional document-wide defaults
    defaultPagePadding = Padding.all(40.dp)

    page(size = PageSize.A4) {          // one logical page = one or more physical pages
        spacing = 12.dp
        pageBreakStrategy = PageBreakStrategy.Slice  // or MoveToNextPage (default)
        header { ctx -> … }            // ctx.pageNumber/totalPages/isFirst/isLast/isEven/isOdd
        footer { ctx -> … }
        watermark { aligned(BoxAlignment.Center) { … } }

        text("…") { align = TextAlign.Justify; maxLines = 2; overflow = TextOverflow.Ellipsis }
        column { … } / row { … } / box { … } / card { … }   // + dropShadow / rotation / opacity
        columns(count = 2) { … } / grid(columns = 3) { … } / keepTogether { … }
        table(columns = …, repeatHeader = true) { header { … }; row { cell(…) } }
        image(bytes, width = …, contentScale = ContentScale.Fit, altText = "…")
        vector(xml = svgString, width = …)
        circle(diameter = …, fill = …)
        ellipse(width = …, height = …)
        qrCode("…") / barcode("…")
        barChart(series, width, height) / lineChart(points, …) / pieChart(slices, diameter) / donutChart(…)
        freeDraw(w, h) { path(fill = …) { moveTo(…); lineTo(…); close() } }
        divider(thickness = …, style = LineStyle.Dashed)
        bulletList(items = listOf(…))
        numberedList(items = listOf(…), startAt = 1)
        link(url = "https://…") { text("…") { color = PdfColor.Blue; underline = true } }
        anchor("id") / linkToAnchor("id") { … }     // internal cross-references
        bookmark("…", level) / tableOfContents()    // outline + auto-TOC
        textField("name", width = …) / checkBox("name", checked = …)  // AcroForm
        richText { span("normal "); span("2") { script = TextScript.Superscript } }
    }
}

pdf { … } returns a PdfDocument. Get bytes via .toByteArray(). Save via .save(StorageLocation.Cache, "report.pdf").

Imports cheat sheet

import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.pdf
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.PdfDocument
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.geometry.ContentScale
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.geometry.PageSize
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.geometry.Padding
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.BoxAlignment
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.HorizontalAlignment
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.HorizontalArrangement
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.PageBreakStrategy
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.VerticalAlignment
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.layout.VerticalArrangement
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.BorderSides
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.BorderStroke
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.CornerRadius
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.DropShadow
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.FontWeight
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.LineStyle
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.PdfColor
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.PdfFont
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.PdfPaint
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TableBorder
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TableColumn
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TextAlign
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TextDirection
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TextOverflow
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TextScript
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.style.TextStyle
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.storage.StorageLocation
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.storage.save
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.unit.dp
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.unit.sp
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.vector.VectorImage

// Charts (extension DSL):
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.dsl.ChartSeries
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.dsl.barChart
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.dsl.lineChart
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.dsl.pieChart
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.dsl.donutChart
// QR error-correction level:
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.barcode.QrErrorCorrection
// Diagnostics, JVM signing, Markdown module:
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.PdfLog
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.sign.PdfSigner          // jvmMain only
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.markdown.markdown        // pdfkmp-markdown artifact
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.markdown.MarkdownTheme

Always import — never use fully-qualified inline names. The library has explicitApi() on, so any new declaration in :pdfkmp itself must be public or internal.

Recipes

Hello world

val doc = pdf {
    metadata { title = "Hello" }
    page {
        text("Hello, world!") {
            fontSize = 24.sp; bold = true; color = PdfColor.Blue
        }
    }
}
val bytes = doc.toByteArray()

Invoice (table + totals + footer)

data class LineItem(val name: String, val qty: Int, val price: String, val total: String)

val items = listOf(
    LineItem("Service A", 1, "$100", "$100"),
    LineItem("Service B", 2, "$50",  "$100"),
)

pdf {
    metadata { title = "Invoice #1042" }
    page {
        spacing = 16.dp

        // Header section
        row(horizontalArrangement = HorizontalArrangement.SpaceBetween) {
            text("INVOICE") { fontSize = 28.sp; bold = true }
            column(horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End) {
                text("#1042") { bold = true }
                text("2026-04-30") { color = PdfColor.Gray; fontSize = 11.sp }
            }
        }
        divider()

        // Line items
        table(
            columns = listOf(
                TableColumn.Weight(3f),
                TableColumn.Fixed(50.dp),
                TableColumn.Fixed(80.dp),
                TableColumn.Fixed(80.dp),
            ),
            border = TableBorder(color = PdfColor.LightGray, width = 0.5.dp),
            cellPadding = Padding.symmetric(horizontal = 10.dp, vertical = 8.dp),
        ) {
            header(background = PdfColor.fromRgb(0xF5F5F5)) {
                cell("Item") { bold = true }
                cell("Qty",   bold = true, horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
                cell("Price", bold = true, horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
                cell("Total", bold = true, horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
            }
            items.forEach { item ->
                row {
                    cell(item.name)
                    cell(item.qty.toString(), horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
                    cell(item.price,          horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
                    cell(item.total,          horizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.End)
                }
            }
        }

        // Totals box pinned to the right
        row(horizontalArrangement = HorizontalArrangement.End) {
            card(
                background = PdfColor.fromRgb(0xF5F5F5),
                cornerRadius = 8.dp,
                padding = Padding.all(12.dp),
            ) {
                row(spacing = 24.dp) {
                    text("TOTAL") { bold = true }
                    text("$200")  { bold = true; color = PdfColor.Blue }
                }
            }
        }

        // Footer note
        spacer(height = 24.dp)
        text("Thank you for your business.") {
            fontSize = 11.sp; color = PdfColor.Gray; align = TextAlign.Center
        }
    }
}

Multi-page report (header + footer + slicing)

pdf {
    metadata { title = "Annual Report" }
    page {
        pageBreakStrategy = PageBreakStrategy.Slice
        header { ctx ->
            row(horizontalArrangement = HorizontalArrangement.SpaceBetween) {
                text("Annual Report") { bold = true; fontSize = 12.sp }
                text("Page ${ctx.pageNumber} of ${ctx.totalPages}") {
                    fontSize = 11.sp; color = PdfColor.Gray
                }
            }
            divider(thickness = 0.5.dp, color = PdfColor.LightGray)
        }
        footer { _ ->
            text("Confidential") {
                fontSize = 10.sp; color = PdfColor.Gray; align = TextAlign.Center
            }
        }
        text("Executive Summary") { fontSize = 22.sp; bold = true }
        // body — overflows naturally onto new physical pages
        bodyParagraphs.forEach { text(it) }
    }
}

Hero with gradient overlay + image

box(width = 480.dp, height = 200.dp, cornerRadius = 16.dp) {
    image(bytes = heroBytes, width = 480.dp, height = 200.dp, contentScale = ContentScale.Crop)
    box(width = 480.dp, height = 200.dp,
        backgroundPaint = PdfPaint.linearGradient(
            from = PdfColor(0f, 0f, 0f, 0f),
            to   = PdfColor(0f, 0f, 0f, 0.7f),
            endX = 0f, endY = 200f,
        ),
    ) {}
    aligned(BoxAlignment.BottomStart) {
        column(padding = Padding.all(20.dp)) {
            text("Title") { fontSize = 32.sp; bold = true; color = PdfColor.White }
        }
    }
}

Save to disk (cross-platform)

import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.storage.StorageLocation
import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.storage.save

val saved = doc.save(StorageLocation.Downloads, filename = "report.pdf")
println(saved.path)

StorageLocation options: Cache, AppFiles, AppExternalFiles (Android), Downloads, Documents, Temp, Custom("/abs/path/dir").

Non-Latin scripts

text("漢字 中文 日本語") { font = PdfFont.SystemCJK; fontSize = 18.sp }
text("مرحبًا")        { font = PdfFont.SystemArabic; fontSize = 18.sp }
text("سلام دنیا")      { font = PdfFont.SystemPersian; fontSize = 18.sp }

// Or register a guaranteed font:
val noto = PdfFont.Custom("NotoCJK", bytesFromAssets)
pdf {
    registerFont(noto)
    page { text("永和九年") { font = noto } }
}

Extended API reference

These are the newer DSL entries. Verify exact signatures in ContainerScope.kt / Charts.kt / DocumentScope.kt; copy canonical usage from Samples.kt.

Advanced text

text(long) { align = TextAlign.Justify }                            // real word-spacing
text(long) { maxLines = 2; overflow = TextOverflow.Ellipsis }       // clamp + ellipsize (or Clip)
text(long) { minLinesBeforeBreak = 2; minLinesAfterBreak = 2 }      // orphan/widow under Slice
text("שלום עולם") { fontSize = 14.sp }                              // direction = Auto detects RTL
text("forced") { direction = TextDirection.Rtl }
richText { span("a"); span("2") { script = TextScript.Superscript } } // super/subscript spans
// Soft hyphen U+00AD inside a word = invisible break point.

Layout & pagination

columns(count = 2, gap = 18.dp, spacing = 8.dp) { /* balanced multi-column flow */ }
grid(columns = 3, spacing = 10.dp) { /* row-major equal-width cells */ }
keepTogether { /* moves whole to next page under Slice */ }
table(columns = …, repeatHeader = true) { … }    // header repeats per page (default)
page(PageSize.A4.landscape) { … }                 // mixed orientations
header { ctx -> if (ctx.isFirst) Unit else if (ctx.isEven) … else … }  // book-style chrome

Decorations (column / row / box / card)

card(dropShadow = DropShadow(offsetY = 4.dp, blur = 10.dp)) { … }
card(cornerRadius = 0.dp, border = BorderStroke(1.dp, PdfColor.Gray, LineStyle.Dashed)) { … } // sharp corners only
box(rotation = -8f, opacity = 0.85f) { … }

Graphics

qrCode("https://…", size = 110.dp, errorCorrection = QrErrorCorrection.H)
barcode("INV-2026-00042", height = 50.dp)         // Code 128, caption not auto-drawn
val series = listOf(ChartSeries("Q1", 10f, PdfColor.Red), ChartSeries("Q2", 20f, PdfColor.Green))
barChart(series, width = 300.dp, height = 160.dp)
lineChart(listOf(3f, 7f, 4f, 9f), width = 300.dp, height = 120.dp, fillUnderLine = true)
pieChart(series, diameter = 160.dp); donutChart(series, diameter = 160.dp, holeRatio = 0.55f)
freeDraw(60.dp, 60.dp) { path(fill = PdfColor.Red) { moveTo(30f, 4f); lineTo(56f, 52f); lineTo(4f, 52f); close() } }
image(bytes, width = 300.dp, altText = "chart")   // accessibility alt text

Navigation & document features

bookmark("Introduction", level = 0)               // outline (all platforms via Android post-processor)
anchor("intro"); linkToAnchor(anchor = "intro") { text("← back") { color = PdfColor.Blue; underline = true } }
tableOfContents(maxLevel = 1)                      // page body only; clickable rows w/ dry-run page numbers
textField("fullName", width = 300.dp); checkBox("agree", checked = true)  // interactive Desktop; static Android/iOS
pdf {
    metadata { language = "en"; pdfACompliance = true }   // best-effort PDF/A (JVM only)
    encryption { ownerPassword = "owner"; userPassword = "user"; allowPrinting = false } // full JVM, partial iOS, no-op Android
    attachment("factur-x.xml", xmlBytes, mimeType = "application/xml")  // JVM only
    page { /* … */ }
}
PdfLog.logger = { msg -> println("PdfKmp: $msg") }         // surface silently-handled conditions

JVM digital signing (jvmMain only)

val signed = PdfSigner.sign(pdfBytes, name = "Jane Doe", reason = "Approved") { content ->
    myCmsService.signDetached(content)            // DER-encoded CMS/PKCS#7 SignedData
}
// or from a KeyStore (needs org.bouncycastle:bcpkix-jdk18on on the runtime classpath):
val signed2 = PdfSigner.sign(pdfBytes, keyStore, alias = "mykey", password = pwd.toCharArray())

Markdown (pdfkmp-markdown artifact)

import com.conamobile.pdfkmp.markdown.markdown
page { markdown("# Title\n**bold** and [a link](https://example.com)\n- item", theme = MarkdownTheme()) }
// Standalone links clickable; inline links styled-only; code has no monospace face.

Pitfalls (read before writing code)

  1. TextAlign.Justify distributes real word spacing (last line of each paragraph stays ragged; also stretches space runs in richText).
  2. Hyperlinks, internal links, and the outline click on all three platforms now. Android has no native annotation API, so finish() post-processes the bytes with a pure-Kotlin incremental update (info dict + link/GoTo annotations + outline); any parse surprise returns the original bytes unchanged.
  3. Coordinates are in PDF points, top-left origin. Don't flip Y.
  4. Layout sizing is intrinsic. Use weighted(1f) inside a row/column to claim leftover space.
  5. cornerRadiusEach wins over cornerRadius. Don't set both expecting them to combine.
  6. Header / footer / watermark are per-page, not document-wide. Either repeat them, or extract a helper.
  7. PageContext.totalPages is exact — the renderer counts pages with a dry-run pass before the real render. ctx also has isFirst / isLast / isEven / isOdd for book-style chrome.
  8. Watermarks render BEHIND body content. For a stamp on top, draw at end of body or use a box overlay.
  9. bulletList / numberedList items are plain strings. For styled list items, build the list manually with column { row { circle(...); weighted(1f) { text(...) } } }, or use the pdfkmp-markdown module for inline-styled lists.
  10. Custom fonts are auto-collected from any TextStyle.font = PdfFont.Custom(...) in the document tree. registerFont is only needed for fonts that no node references but should still be embedded.
  11. Forms are interactive only on Desktop/JVM. textField / checkBox render as static visuals on Android and iOS.
  12. Encryption: full on JVM, partial on iOS (no "allow modification" flag), no-op on Android. Attachments, PDF/A, and PdfSigner are JVM-only. PDF/A is best-effort, not full veraPDF conformance.
  13. Dashed / dotted borders require sharp corners — a non-zero cornerRadius falls back to a solid outline.
  14. Mixed-style RTL in richText keeps source span order, not visual reorder — author a whole RTL paragraph as one text(...) when segment order matters.

Common color helpers

PdfColor.Red / Green / Blue / Black / White / Gray / LightGray / DarkGray
PdfColor(r, g, b, a)                      // floats in 0..1
PdfColor.fromRgb(0xFF5722)                // hex literal

Verifying a change

# Common test on iOS Simulator (the canonical test surface)
./gradlew :pdfkmp:iosSimulatorArm64Test

# JVM / Desktop test surface (PdfBox backend's own gate; fast, no simulator)
./gradlew :pdfkmp:jvmTest

# No Mac? Type-check iosMain without a simulator or Apple toolchain:
./gradlew :pdfkmp:compileIosMainKotlinMetadata

# Build all platform artifacts
./gradlew :pdfkmp:assemble

# Run the Android sample on a connected device
./gradlew :sample:installDebug

When adding a feature, also extend Samples.kt and SamplesSmokeTest.kt so the new path is exercised end-to-end on iOS Simulator.

Repository layout

  • :pdfkmp — library (Android aar + iOS framework PdfKmp).
  • :sample — Android demo (Compose).
  • iosApp/ — iOS demo (SwiftUI). Build phase runs :pdfkmp:embedAndSignAppleFrameworkForXcode.

Reference files

  • pdfkmp/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/samples/Samples.kt — feature-by-feature example documents (incl. textAdvanced, longTable, barcodes, designExtras, navigation, newsletter, pageTemplates, formsAndAccessibility).
  • pdfkmp/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/dsl/ContainerScope.kt — all DSL functions available inside column/row/box (incl. QR/barcode, bookmarks, anchors, TOC, columns, grid, keepTogether, freeDraw, form fields).
  • pdfkmp/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/dsl/Charts.kt — chart DSL + ChartSeries.
  • pdfkmp/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/dsl/DocumentScope.kt — document-level encryption / attachment / pdfA / metadata.
  • pdfkmp-markdown/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/conamobile/pdfkmp/markdown/Markdown.kt — markdown(...) + MarkdownTheme.
  • AGENTS.md (root) — universal agent guide (this skill is the Claude Code-specific version).
  • README.md — end-user docs.
  • CLAUDE.md — repo conventions for agents working ON this codebase (not on USING the library).
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/ConaMobileDev/PdfKmp --skill pdfkmp
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