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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.blinkpdf.io/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The /v1/render endpoint is the core of Blink PDF. You send a JSON body containing your Markdown content and optional document metadata, and the API returns a binary PDF file — typically in under 100 milliseconds. Use this endpoint to generate invoices, reports, documentation, letters, or any document whose content you can express in Markdown. 
POST https://api.blinkpdf.io/v1/render
Only successful 200 OK render responses count toward your plan’s render quota. Requests that return an error (4xx or 5xx) are not counted.

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Request Headers

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Authorization
string
required
Your Blink PDF API key, provided as a Bearer token.Format: Bearer sk_live_...See Authentication for details on obtaining and using your API key.
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Content-Type
string
required
Must be application/json. The request body is always a JSON object.

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Request Body

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markdown
string
required
The full Markdown content you want to convert to a PDF. Standard CommonMark syntax is supported, including headings, bold, italic, lists, tables, and code blocks.The maximum allowed size depends on your plan. Payloads that exceed the limit receive a 413 Payload Too Large response.
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metadata
object
Optional PDF document metadata embedded in the output file. This information is read by PDF viewers and is useful for document management systems.

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Response — 200 OK

A successful request returns a binary PDF file. Write the response body directly to a .pdf file — do not attempt to read it as text or JSON.
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Content-Type
string
Always application/pdf. The response body is a raw binary PDF — write it directly to a file.
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X-Render-Ms
integer
Server-side render duration in milliseconds. Useful for performance monitoring and benchmarking.
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X-Request-Id
string
A unique identifier for this request, formatted as req_xxxxxxx. Include this value when contacting support so the team can locate your request in logs.

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Error Responses

Status CodeMeaning
400 Bad RequestThe request body is malformed, is not valid JSON, or the required markdown field is missing
401 UnauthorizedThe Authorization header is absent or the API key is invalid or revoked
403 ForbiddenYour plan does not include a feature used in this request
413 Payload Too LargeThe markdown field exceeds your plan’s maximum input size
429 Too Many RequestsYou have hit your plan’s rate limit. Wait the number of seconds indicated in the Retry-After response header before retrying
500 Internal Server ErrorThe rendering pipeline encountered an unexpected error. If this persists, contact support with your X-Request-Id

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Examples

curl -X POST https://api.blinkpdf.io/v1/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "markdown": "# Invoice 0042\n\nHi Jane, thanks for your business!\n\n## What'\''s included\n\n- **Pro plan** — unlimited renders\n- Priority support\n\n**Total: $39** — paid on May 23, 2026.",
    "metadata": { "title": "Invoice 0042" }
  }' \
  --output invoice.pdf

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Example Response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/pdf
X-Render-Ms: 96
X-Request-Id: req_8f3e2a...

<binary PDF content>