pdfmake is a JavaScript PDF generation library and declarative document engine that transforms structured JavaScript objects into formatted PDF files. It functions as a layout engine capable of producing documents on both the client side within a web browser and on the server side using Node.js.
The library utilizes a declarative approach to translate object-based document definitions into final PDFs. It distinguishes itself through a virtual layout engine that calculates element positions and page breaks and an inheritance-based style system that uses dictionaries to maintain visual consistency.
The toolkit covers advanced table construction with cell spanning and repeating headers, as well as automated page configuration for headers, footers, and tables of contents. It also supports custom font embedding and provides mechanisms to trigger browser downloads or system print dialogs.