How to Easily Create Images from HTML Content Using JavaScript
Converting HTML elements into images is a common requirement for tasks like generating screenshots, sharing webpage content, or saving visual data. In JavaScript, two popular libraries — html2canvas and dom-to-image offer effective solutions. This guide explores both methods, their advantages, and implementation details.
Method 1: Using html2canvas
How It Works
html2canvas traverses the DOM structure, captures styles, and renders the content onto a <canvas> element before converting it into an image.
Implementation
Include via CDN:
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/html2canvas/1.4.1/html2canvas.min.js"></script>
HTML Structure:
<div id="capture" style="padding: 10px; background: #f5da55">
<h4>Convert this content</h4>
<p>Hello World!</p>
</div>
<button onclick="exportToImage()">Generate Image</button>
JavaScript Code:
<script>
async function exportToImage() {
const element = document.getElementById('capture');
try {
const canvas = await html2canvas(element, {
allowTaint: true,
useCORS: true,
scale: 2,
});
const imgUrl = canvas.toDataURL('image/png');
const img = new Image();
img.src = imgUrl;
document.body.appendChild(img);
// Download Image
const link = document.createElement('a');
link.download = 'screenshot.png';
link.href = imgUrl;
link.click();
} catch (err) {
console.error('Error converting HTML to image:', err);
}
}
</script>
Method 2: Using dom-to-image
How It Works
dom-to-image converts HTML elements into PNG, JPEG, or SVG formats using SVG serialization and CSS parsing.
Implementation
Include via CDN:
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/dom-to-image/2.6.0/dom-to-image.min.js"></script>
JavaScript Code:
<script>
const element = document.getElementById('capture');
// Export to PNG
domtoimage
.toPng(element)
.then(imgUrl => {
const img = new Image();
img.src = imgUrl;
document.body.appendChild(img);
})
.catch(err => console.error(err));
// Export to JPEG with quality setting
domtoimage.toJpeg(element, { quality: 0.95 }).then(imgUrl => {
/* Handle image */
});
// Export to SVG
domtoimage.toSvg(element).then(svgData => {
/* Handle image */
});
</script>
Key Considerations
Cross-Domain Resource Issues
- External images may not be captured unless the server allows CORS (
Access-Control-Allow-Origin). - Use
{ useCORS: true }when initializinghtml2canvas.
CSS Compatibility
- Some properties like
box-shadowandfiltermay not render accurately. -
position: fixedelements may be ignored.
Performance Optimization
- High-resolution exports (
scale: 2or more) improve quality but increase processing time. - Consider using
window.devicePixelRatiofor better adaptation to high-DPI screens.
Font Rendering
- Ensure custom fonts are fully loaded before conversion (use FontFaceObserver if needed).
Alternative: Using SVG and Canvas
For native implementation without third-party libraries, an SVG foreignObject approach can be used:
<script>
const svgStr = `
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="200" height="200">
<foreignObject width="100%" height="100%">
<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">${document.getElementById('content').innerHTML}</div>
</foreignObject>
</svg>
`;
const imgUrl = `data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,${encodeURIComponent(svgStr)}`;
</script>
However, due to browser security restrictions, this method may not support external resources properly.
Choosing the Right Solution
| Requirement | Recommended Method |
|---|---|
| General Use | html2canvas |
| High-Quality Exports | dom-to-image (SVG) |
| Cross-Domain Content | Ensure CORS settings |
By following these approaches, you can efficiently convert HTML elements into images using JavaScript while handling common pitfalls effectively.