How to Generate a PDF in Laravel?

Shivendra Gupta

23 March 2026

Generate a PDF in Laravel to create product documents for marketing, as it is a common practice in Laravel eCommerce systems.

It allows businesses to share product details in a neat and printable way.

This makes it easier for customers, partners, and team members to understand the product information clearly.

These PDF files are often used for catalogs, invoices, quotes, and marketing materials in online shops.

They simplify the process of downloading, printing, and sharing important information quickly and effectively.

In this article, we will explore how to generate a PDF in Laravel step by step using easy methods and tools.

What is dompdf library?

Dompdf is an HTML to PDF converter. Dompdf is (mostly) the CSS 2.1-compliant HTML layout and rendering engine written in PHP.

It is the style-driven renderer that will download and read external stylesheets, inline style tags, and all the style attributes of individual HTML elements.

It also supports most presentational HTML attributes.

How to generate a PDF in Laravel?

Step 1: Install the laravel-dompdf package

With the help of a composer, you can easily install the dependencies of the Laravel-DomPDF package.

Simply run this command inside your Laravel project:

composer require barryvdh/laravel-dompdf

1	composer require barryvdh/laravel-dompdf

It will install all the dependencies of the laravel-dompdf package in your Laravel project.

➜  laravel6 git:(master) composer require barryvdh/laravel-dompdf
Using version ^0.8.5 for barryvdh/laravel-dompdf
./composer.json has been updated
Loading composer repositories with package information
Updating dependencies (including require-dev)
Package operations: 5 installs, 0 updates, 0 removals
  - Installing sabberworm/php-css-parser (8.3.0): Downloading (100%)
  - Installing phenx/php-svg-lib (v0.3.3): Downloading (100%)
  - Installing phenx/php-font-lib (0.5.1): Downloading (100%)
  - Installing dompdf/dompdf (v0.8.3): Downloading (100%)
  - Installing barryvdh/laravel-dompdf (v0.8.5): Downloading (100%)
dompdf/dompdf suggests installing ext-imagick (Improves image processing performance)
dompdf/dompdf suggests installing ext-gmagick (Improves image processing performance)
Writing lock file
Generating optimized autoload files
> Illuminate\Foundation\ComposerScripts::postAutoloadDump
> @php artisan package:discover --ansi
Discovered Package: barryvdh/laravel-dompdf
Discovered Package: facade/ignition
Discovered Package: fideloper/proxy
Discovered Package: laravel/tinker
Discovered Package: laravel/ui
Discovered Package: nesbot/carbon
Discovered Package: nunomaduro/collision
Package manifest generated successfully.

➜ laravel6 git:(master) composer require barryvdh/laravel-dompdf

Using version ^0.8.5 for barryvdh/laravel-dompdf

./composer.json has been updated

Loading composer repositories with package information

Updating dependencies (including require-dev)

Package operations: 5 installs, 0 updates, 0 removals

- Installing sabberworm/php-css-parser (8.3.0): Downloading (100%)

- Installing phenx/php-svg-lib (v0.3.3): Downloading (100%)

- Installing phenx/php-font-lib (0.5.1): Downloading (100%)

- Installing dompdf/dompdf (v0.8.3): Downloading (100%)

- Installing barryvdh/laravel-dompdf (v0.8.5): Downloading (100%)

dompdf/dompdf suggests installing ext-imagick (Improves image processing performance)

dompdf/dompdf suggests installing ext-gmagick (Improves image processing performance)

Writing lock file

Generating optimized autoload files

> Illuminate\Foundation\ComposerScripts::postAutoloadDump

> @php artisan package:discover --ansi

Discovered Package: barryvdh/laravel-dompdf

Discovered Package: facade/ignition

Discovered Package: fideloper/proxy

Discovered Package: laravel/tinker

Discovered Package: laravel/ui

Discovered Package: nesbot/carbon

Discovered Package: nunomaduro/collision

Package manifest generated successfully.

Step 2: Configure the laravel-dompdf package

Just go to Config/App.php and create these entries in providers and aliases.

'providers' => [
    ....
    Barryvdh\DomPDF\ServiceProvider::class,
],
'aliases' => [
    ....
    'PDF' => Barryvdh\DomPDF\Facade::class,
],

'providers' => [

....

Barryvdh\DomPDF\ServiceProvider::class,

'aliases' => [

....

'PDF' => Barryvdh\DomPDF\Facade::class,

Step 3: Create a blade file

Inside the resources → views folder, create a new file called layout.blade.php.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="ie=edge">
  <title>Laravel 6 CRUD Example</title>
  <link href="{{ asset('css/app.css') }}" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>
<body>
  <div class="container">
    @yield('content')
  </div>
  <script src="{{ asset('js/app.js') }}" type="text/js"></script>
</body>
</html>

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<title>Laravel 6 CRUD Example</title>

</head>

<body>

@yield('content')

</div>

</body>

</html>

Step 4: Create Models and Migrations for it

To create the migration, run this command

php artisan make:migration create_pdf_data_table

1	php artisan make:migration create_pdf_data_table

To create the Model, run this command

php artisan make:model PDFData

1	php artisan make:model PDFData

Now go to the migration file, i.e., create_pdf_data_table, and add your columns.

public function up()
{
        Schema::create('disneypluses', function (Blueprint $table) {
            $table->bigIncrements('id');
            $table->string('show_name');
            $table->string('series');
            $table->string('lead_actor');
            $table->timestamps();
        });
}

public function up()

{

Schema::create('disneypluses', function (Blueprint $table) {

$table->bigIncrements('id');

$table->string('show_name');

$table->string('series');

$table->string('lead_actor');

$table->timestamps();

});

}

Now run the migrate command

php artisan migrate

1	php artisan migrate

Step 5: Create controllers and Routes

Example: PDF controller. So, run this command

php artisan make:controller PDF Controller -resources

1	php artisan make:controller PDF Controller -resources

Now, inside your web → routes.php, create two routes for creating and storing the data

Route::get('disneyplus', 'DisneyplusController@create')->name('disneyplus.create');
Route::post('disneyplus', 'DisneyplusController@store')->name('disneyplus.store');

1 2	Route::get('disneyplus', 'DisneyplusController@create')->name('disneyplus.create'); Route::post('disneyplus', 'DisneyplusController@store')->name('disneyplus.store');

Step 6: Get the data from the user

Create a form, get the data from the user, and send it to the controller via the routes you have created already.

Step 7: Store your data in the database

Store the data you have fetched from the form and create an entry into the database:

<?php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use App\PDFGenerate;

class PDFGenerateController extends Controller
{
    public function create()
    {
        return view('form');
    }

    public function store(Request $request)
    {
        $validatedData = $request->validate([
            'company_name' => 'required|max:255',
            'department_name' => 'required|max:255',
            'team_lead_name' => 'required|max:255',
        ]);
        PDFGenerate::create($validatedData);
   
        return redirect('/pdfgenerate')->with('success', 'Your PDF Data is successfully saved');
    }
}

<?php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;

use App\PDFGenerate;

class PDFGenerateController extends Controller

{

public function create()

{

return view('form');

}

public function store(Request $request)

{

$validatedData = $request->validate([

'company_name' => 'required|max:255',

'department_name' => 'required|max:255',

'team_lead_name' => 'required|max:255',

]);

PDFGenerate::create($validatedData);

return redirect('/pdfgenerate')->with('success', 'Your PDF Data is successfully saved');

}

Also, add the fillable fields inside the PDFData.php model file.

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Disneyplus extends Model
{
    protected $fillable = ['show_name', 'series', 'lead_actor'];
}

<?php

namespace App;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class Disneyplus extends Model

{

protected $fillable = ['show_name', 'series', 'lead_actor'];

}

Step 8: View the data into a blade file

Route::get('pdfdata/list', 'PDFDataController@index')->name('disneyplus.index');

1	Route::get('pdfdata/list', 'PDFDataController@index')->name('disneyplus.index');

@extends('layout')
@section('content')
<table class="table table-striped">
  <thead>
    <th>ID</th>
    <th>Show Name</th>
    <th>Series</th>
    <th>Lead Actor</th>
    <th>Action</th>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    @foreach($shows as $show)
    <tr>
      <td>{{$show->id}}</td>
      <td>{{$show->company_name}}</td>
      <td>{{$show->department_name}}</td>
      <td>{{$show->team_lead_name}}</td>
    </tr>
    @endforeach
  </tbody>
</table>
@endsection

@extends('layout')

@section('content')

<thead>

<th>Series</th>

<th>Lead Actor</th>

<th>Action</th>

</thead>

<tbody>

@foreach($shows as $show)

<tr>

<td>{{$show->company_name}}</td>

<td>{{$show->department_name}}</td>

</tr>

@endforeach

</tbody>

</table>

@endsection

Step 9: Create a route to download the PDF file

Add the following code inside the route file.

Route::get('/downloadPDF/{id}','PDFDataController@downloadPDF');

1	Route::get('/downloadPDF/{id}','PDFDataController@downloadPDF');

Now, update the list.blade.php file and add the Download PDF link.

@foreach($shows as $show)
    <tr>
      <td>{{$show->id}}</td> 
      <td>{{$show->company_name}}</td> 
      <td>{{$show->department_name}}</td> 
      <td>{{$show->team_lead_name}}</td>
      <td><a href="{{action('PDFDataController@downloadPDF', $show->id)}}">Download PDF</a></td>
    </tr>
@endforeach

@foreach($shows as $show)

<tr>

<td>{{$show->company_name}}</td>

<td>{{$show->department_name}}</td>

<td><a href="{{action('PDFDataController@downloadPDF', $show->id)}}">Download PDF</a></td>

</tr>

@endforeach

Step 10: Create the pdf.blade.php file to design the PDF

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title></title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <table class="table table-bordered">
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <td><b>Company Name</b></td>
        <td><b>Department Name</b></td>
        <td><b>Team Lead name</b></td>     
      </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>
          {{$show->company_name}}
        </td>
        <td>
          {{$show->department_name}}
        </td>
        <td>
          {{$show->team_lead_name}}
        </td>
      </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </body>
</html>

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

</head>

<body>

<thead>

<tr>

<td><b>Company Name</b></td>

<td><b>Department Name</b></td>

</tr>

</thead>

<tbody>

<tr>

<td>

</td>

<td>

</td>

<td>

</td>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

</body>

</html>

We have created a simple table that will be generated inside the PDF.

Step 11: Write a controller function to download the PDF

public function downloadPDF($id) {
        $show = Disneyplus::find($id);
        $pdf = PDF::loadView('pdf', compact('show'));
        
        return $pdf->download('disney.pdf');
}

public function downloadPDF($id) {

$show = Disneyplus::find($id);

$pdf = PDF::loadView('pdf', compact('show'));

return $pdf->download('disney.pdf');

}

And this is it. You can now download your generated file in PDF Format.
Source:
DOM PDF Github

Collaborate with Laravel Development Company to develop customized solutions for E-commerce, CRM, and third-party API integrations.

Final Thoughts

Adding PDF generation features to a Laravel application makes document handling simpler and improves daily workflow.

It helps teams create and share important files in a clear and consistent format.

Libraries like Dompdf make it easy to convert HTML content into well-structured PDF documents without complex coding steps.

This helps developers save time and work more efficiently on web projects.