Python PDF Generation Made Simple: Add Text, Images & Tables Like a Pro

Learn how to create professional PDFs in Python using ReportLab—add text, images, tables, and automate reports with this step-by-step beginner-friendly guide.

Most of us don’t think about making PDFs until we really need one. And when that moment comes, you want it to look clean, polished, and easy to put together—ideally using Python.

Actually this is something Python can help with oddly enough, as there is a little library by the name of ReportLab. Whether you’re putting together invoices, certificates, reports, or even charts right into the page.

One of the nice things with this besides it being easy to get going without much of a learning curve is you can set up everything exactly how you want it—headers, tables, images, charts—you name it.

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this isn’t just for simple stuff. You can plug in data from spreadsheets, databases, or whatever else you’re using, and it can spit out multi-page PDFs on the fly. If you’ve ever needed to send out weekly reports or create branded docs automatically, this will make your life a whole lot easier.

Today I’ll show you how to get up and running with ReportLab—how to install it, add text, shapes, and images, and build your own custom PDF. The examples are short, useful, and easy to adjust for whatever you’re working on.

Alright, let’s jump in. Open up your terminal and run:

pip3 install reportlab

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Then sit back and watch as your PDFs come together—one clean, good-looking page at a time.

This Week’s ReportLab Tips