Exporting
The default output of vplan is an interactive HTML page. When you need a static artifact to attach
to a ticket, drop in a doc, email, or print, export the plan to a PDF or a JPG instead:
vplan export pdf plan.mdx # paginated A4 document -> plan.pdf
vplan export jpg plan.mdx # one full-page hi-dpi image -> plan.jpgExport builds the exact same self-contained page the HTML render produces, then captures it with a
headless Chromium, so the output is the fully rendered plan, diagrams, charts, and typeset math
included, not a degraded copy. The file is written next to the source (<file>.pdf / <file>.jpg)
and opened.
Formats
pdfprints a paginated A4 document, so a long plan flows across pages and prints cleanly.jpgcaptures a single full-page, high-DPI screenshot of the whole plan, best for a preview thumbnail or pasting an image inline.
Flags
| Flag | Effect |
|---|---|
--out <path> | Write to <path> instead of <file>.<pdf|jpg>. Required when reading from stdin. |
--theme <theme> | Override the baked color scheme: light, dark, or system. |
--browser <path> | Render with a specific Chromium binary instead of auto-discovering one. |
--no-open | Do not open the exported file. |
The plan can come from a file, -, or piped stdin; when the input is stdin there is no source name
to derive an output from, so --out is required.
Chromium
Export needs a Chromium to render the page. It is sourced without bundling a browser, so the CLI stays small:
- A system Chrome or Edge, if one is installed.
- Otherwise a
playwright-installed Chromium.
If neither is found, the command stops and tells you to run npx playwright install chromium. You
can also point it at a specific binary with --browser <path> or the VPLAN_CHROMIUM environment
variable.
Which output should I use?
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Read, review, or interact with the plan | the HTML render (vplan plan.mdx) |
| Get a sign-off decision | review mode (--review) |
| Send a link with nothing to install | share (vplan share) |
| Attach a static file to a ticket, doc, or email | export (vplan export) |
See the CLI reference for the command in the context of every other flag.