[GH-ISSUE #4175] [FR] Functional built-in blocks when exporting to PDF #1871

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opened 2026-03-23 21:17:53 +00:00 by mirror · 2 comments

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:17:53 +00:00

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Originally created by @PhilJbt on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/4175

Description

Since the PDF export is planned (https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/2938, https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/4054), I would like to emphasize that some options are generally expected from the user.

Indeed, the Referenced Document and Outline blocks also have to work in the exported PDF as clickable links to jump to a specific title or page. These blocks would be very useful to create a table of contents, or just to facilitate navigation.

Impact

AppFlowy could become an easy-to-use documentation writer tool if equipped with a highly functional PDF export.
And from what I've read during my searches on the internet, many people are also looking for a solution to this lack on the market.

There are currently three “alternatives”:

Use Libre/Open/OnlyOffice which are not as pleasant nor quick to use
Use any markdown editor and use an external lib to forge the PDF, which is a living hell, especially on Windows (pandoc library only available in a bundle, obscures nowhere to be found dependencies, write command lines, etc.)
Export all pages, then use a PDF merger

This means that there is currently no real answer for people looking for a fast or accessible solution. And given that this feature is very regularly used when documentation is shared with third parties, I think it's a must-have.

Additional Context

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Originally created by @PhilJbt on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/4175 ### Description _Since the PDF export is planned (https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/2938, https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy/issues/4054), I would like to emphasize that some options are generally expected from the user._ Indeed, the `Referenced Document` and `Outline` blocks also have to work in the exported PDF as clickable links to jump to a specific title or page. These blocks would be very useful to create a table of contents, or just to facilitate navigation. ### Impact _AppFlowy could become an easy-to-use documentation writer tool if equipped with a highly functional PDF export. And from what I've read during my searches on the internet, many people are also looking for a solution to this lack on the market._ There are currently three “alternatives”: - Use Libre/Open/OnlyOffice which are not as pleasant nor quick to use - Use any markdown editor and use an external lib to forge the PDF, which is a living hell, especially on Windows (pandoc library only available in a bundle, obscures nowhere to be found dependencies, write command lines, etc.) - Export all pages, then use a PDF merger This means that there is currently no real answer for people looking for a fast or accessible solution. And given that this feature is very regularly used when documentation is shared with third parties, I think it's a must-have. ### Additional Context _No response_

mirror added the

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2026-03-23 21:17:53 +00:00

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:17:53 +00:00

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@annieappflowy commented on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023):

Could you please share a bit about what you would do with the PDFs exported from AppFlowy?

@annieappflowy commented on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023): Could you please share a bit about what you would do with the PDFs exported from AppFlowy?

mirror commented

2026-03-23 21:17:54 +00:00

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@PhilJbt commented on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023):

As a video game developer, I share a lot of documentation with the people I work with.
Especially Game Design Documents (a document describing the entire game in minute detail, such as gameplay mechanics, character list, scenario, lore, graphic styling and visual identity, user interface, music, audio effects, etc.),
and Art Design Documents (a document listing all the graphic assets to be produced by the artists, including visual references, technical specs, detailed descriptions, etc.).

Since their role is to respond to any uncertainties during the production phase, these documents are lengthy.

Writing documentation takes up a lot of my time, and use AppFlowy would save me a lot because the entire layout is automatic. I've noticed that for reasons of readability, I tend to use Libre/Open/OnlyOffice to produce documentation whose simplicity tends towards Notion's layout, hence my interest in AppFlowy.

I hope I've answered your questions.

@PhilJbt commented on GitHub (Dec 20, 2023): As a video game developer, I share a lot of documentation with the people I work with. Especially _Game Design Documents_ (a document describing the entire game in minute detail, such as gameplay mechanics, character list, scenario, lore, graphic styling and visual identity, user interface, music, audio effects, etc.), and _Art Design Documents_ (a document listing all the graphic assets to be produced by the artists, including visual references, technical specs, detailed descriptions, etc.). Since their role is to respond to any uncertainties during the production phase, these documents are lengthy. Writing documentation takes up a lot of my time, and use AppFlowy would save me a lot because the entire layout is automatic. I've noticed that for reasons of readability, I tend to use Libre/Open/OnlyOffice to produce documentation whose simplicity tends towards Notion's layout, hence my interest in AppFlowy. I hope I've answered your questions.

mirror referenced this issue

2026-03-23 22:17:13 +00:00

[PR #2110] [MERGED] fix: allow # in links when pasting #5099