Raw API Route

POST /api/compile is a plain Node.js Route Handler — the same one the Client Component pattern calls. It’s a normal HTTP endpoint, so it works from curl, a mobile app, or any other client, not just this app.

Code

app/api/compile/route.ts

import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import { compile } from '@nandan-varma/platex';

export const runtime = 'nodejs';

export async function POST(req: Request) {
  const { source } = await req.json();
  const result = await compile(source, { bibliography: 'bibtex' });

  return NextResponse.json({
    pdf: result.pdf ? result.pdf.toString('base64') : null,
    errors: result.errors,
    warnings: result.warnings,
  });
}

curl

Every field except source is optional — see the API reference for the full request shape.

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/compile \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"source": "\\documentclass{article}\\begin{document}Hi\\end{document}"}' \
  | jq -r '.pdf' | base64 -d > output.pdf

Tip

Don’t want to hand-write this route? export const POST = handleCompileRequest does the same thing in one line, and works in every framework — see Request handlers and Framework recipes.

See also

• Request handlers — the drop-in handler, response codes, and JSON mode.
• Client Components — the browser UI that calls this route.
• HTTP API — the underlying service wire format.