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Vivliostyle

vivliostyle.org

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Spec score 8.2 #10 of 28 in Book Layout Software

What it is

Vivliostyle is an open-source typesetting project for digital and web publishing based on web standards. Vivliostyle Viewer presents HTML with CSS typesetting in a browser and can display EPUB files and web publications. The command-line tool typesets HTML and CSS and exports PDFs, including PDFs generated from EPUB files. For print production, its PRESS-READY option supports PDF/X-1a output and requires Ghostscript and Xpdf.

Vivliostyle Pub is a web application for editing text, Markdown, or HTML and previewing typesetting; its new version is in alpha. Themes are distributed as npm packages and applied through vivliostyle.config.js. Viewer can display HTML hosted on GitHub or Gist, or be copied into a public web-server directory. The CLI requires Node.js, and the installation tutorial lists macOS, Windows, and Linux. Vivliostyle uses AGPLv3, which allows modification and commercial use subject to reciprocal license terms. Its FAQ says publications made with the software need not publish their HTML or CSS source data. The project is maintained by Vivliostyle Foundation.

Spec sheet

What it does
Vivliostyle is an open-source CSS typesetting ecosystem for producing paginated digital and print publications with web technologies.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Purpose
Vivliostyle is an open-source typesetting project for digital and web publishing based on web standards.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
API
Documentation publishes Core API, CLI configuration reference and a JavaScript API reference.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Integrations
Viewer can display HTML files hosted on GitHub or Gist, and it can be copied into a public directory on a web server for website use.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Support
The project directs users to documentation, GitHub contribution channels and a Slack development community.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
License
Vivliostyle Core, Viewer and CLI use the GNU AGPL version 3 license.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Headquarters
The foundation lists its location as Minami-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama 336-0015, Japan.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Founded
2018Read 28 Sep 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Maker
Vivliostyle Foundation is represented by Shinyu Murakami and was founded in August 2018.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Browser editor
Vivliostyle Pub is a web application for editing text, Markdown, or HTML and previewing typesetting, and its new version is in alpha.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Changelog
GitHub release notes record fixes for Node 22 compatibility, CSS import resolution, interrupted-build cleanup and browser updates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
CLI
Vivliostyle CLI typesets HTML or Markdown from the command line and generates publication files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
CLI output
Vivliostyle CLI typesets HTML with CSS on the command line and exports PDF.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Commercial use
The FAQ permits commercial use, but modified distributed Vivliostyle code must provide corresponding source under AGPL obligations.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Dependencies
PDF/X-1a output requires Ghostscript and Xpdf in addition to Vivliostyle CLI.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Documentation depth
Documentation includes user guides, supported CSS references, API references, contribution guides and a development plan.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
EPUB support
Viewer and CLI can load unzipped EPUB content, and CLI can convert EPUB files to PDF.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Extensibility
Developers can create and publish custom Vivliostyle themes as npm packages with a theme scaffolding command.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Formats
Vivliostyle Viewer can display EPUB, HTML, and web publications, while CLI can generate PDFs from EPUB files.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Independent description
The Mind the Gap software survey describes Vivliostyle as browser-based CSS typesetting for paginated EPUB, web publications and PDF export.Read 15 Oct 2026 · assets.pubpub.org
Independent pipeline
The ADA Multi-Format guide documents a publishing pipeline connecting Fidus Writer and Git repositories with Vivliostyle CSS typesetting.Read 15 Oct 2026 · tibhannover.github.io
Independent use
A Typebase engineer chose Vivliostyle because Markdown authoring and an npm plus Node.js setup were convenient.Read 15 Oct 2026 · zenn.dev
Limit: automatic TOC
The Typebase review found automatic TOC generation showed chapter titles but not section entries, so the author wrote a custom script.Read 15 Oct 2026 · zenn.dev
Limit: Markdown expressiveness
The Typebase review reports that Markdown-based authoring limits expression compared with more specialized systems.Read 15 Oct 2026 · zenn.dev
Limit: page counters
The Typebase review describes manual counter-reset adjustments as necessary when front-matter page counts change.Read 15 Oct 2026 · zenn.dev
Markdown
Vivliostyle Flavored Markdown extends CommonMark and GitHub Flavored Markdown for book authoring.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Math
Viewer supports MathML, TeX and AsciiMath formulas through MathJax integration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Node requirement
CLI setup requires Node.js, and current documentation specifies Node.js 22.12.0 or later.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Organization
Vivliostyle Foundation says it maintains the open-source project and community and promotes CSS typesetting and accessibility-related standards work.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Outputs
The ecosystem supports WebPub, PDF, EPUB and print-ready PDF/X-1a output.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Package
The npm package exposes create, init, build, preview and theme commands and is licensed AGPL-3.0.Read 15 Oct 2026 · npmjs.com
Package usage
The npm listing reported 7,301 weekly downloads and version 11.3.3 when opened.Read 15 Oct 2026 · npmjs.com
Praise: setup
The independent Typebase account says a Node.js-only environment could be established quickly and suited its workflow.Read 15 Oct 2026 · zenn.dev
Print PDF
CLI supports PDF/X-1a output with the PRESS-READY option, which requires Ghostscript and Xpdf.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Pub license
Vivliostyle Pub's own code is described as Apache License 2.0 while its embedded Viewer component remains AGPLv3.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Publication rights
The FAQ says publications made with Vivliostyle do not need to publish their HTML or CSS source data.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Requirements
CLI requires Node.js, and the installation tutorial lists macOS, Windows, and Linux as supported operating systems.Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Security policy
The privacy policy says the foundation follows Japanese privacy law, limits use to stated purposes and applies measures against leakage, loss and damage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Self-hosting
The Viewer is downloadable and can run from a user-controlled web server, while CLI runs locally or in server-side workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Templates
The CLI includes Minimal, Basic, Documentation, Novel, Academic and Magazine project templates.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
Themes
Official and community themes are distributed as npm packages and can be selected through CLI options or configuration.Read 15 Oct 2026 · docs.vivliostyle.org
TOC
The CLI can generate a table of contents and PDF bookmarks from document structure.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Viewer
Vivliostyle Viewer paginates HTML and CSS documents in a browser.Read 15 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org
Web integration
The Viewer can be copied into a public web-server directory and embedded as a separate viewer application.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Vivliostyle Free Open-source typesetting software; no paid plan or usage limits stated Read 9 Oct 2026 · vivliostyle.org

Every Vivliostyle plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Viewer displays HTML, EPUB, and web publications
  • CLI exports PDF, including from EPUB
  • Themes available as npm packages
  • Publications need not expose HTML or CSS source
  • Free open-source software

Limits

  • Vivliostyle Pub’s new version is in alpha
  • CLI requires Node.js
  • PDF/X-1a workflow requires Ghostscript and Xpdf

Who it suits

Vivliostyle suits publishers and authors who want browser-based or command-line typesetting from web formats. Users seeking PDF/X-1a output need to account for the additional Ghostscript and Xpdf requirements.

Verdict

Vivliostyle covers browser viewing, editing previews, and command-line PDF generation, with its component roles and requirements specified. The alpha status of Pub and extra print-output dependencies are worth noting.

Where Specifiction places it

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