Capabilities

July 25, 2026 · View on GitHub

A one-glance map of what GraphCompose can do, the main API for each, and its stability tier. "Stability" rows use the tiers defined in the API stability policy; "Guide" links to the page that shows it in context.

This is a feature catalogue, not the contract — the API stability policy is authoritative for what each tier promises, and canonical ⇄ legacy parity tracks what is Partial or Planned.

Authoring

Capability	Main API	Stability	Guide
Open a document session	`GraphCompose.document(...)` → `DocumentSession`	Stable	Your first document
Describe content in reading order	`pageFlow(...)`, `module(...)`, `addSection(...)`	Stable	Getting started
Maintained document templates	`ModernInvoice`, `ModernProposal`, the `templates.cv.` / `templates.coverletter.` preset galleries	Stable	Templates
Reusable building blocks (helpers)	helper methods / widgets over the DSL	Stable	Diagrams
Custom node / backend	`NodeDefinition`, render-handler SPI, `FixedLayoutBackend`	Extension SPI (`@Beta`)	Extending

Content

Capability	Main API	Stability	Guide
Paragraphs & rich inline text	`addParagraph(...)`, `addRich(...)`, `RichText`	Stable	Recipes — rich text
Lists (flat & nested)	`addList(...)`, `ListBuilder`	Stable	Recipes
Tables (spans, zebra, totals, repeat header)	`addTable(...)`, `DocumentTableCell`	Stable	Advanced tables
Raster images	`addImage(...)`, fit modes	Stable	Shapes & images
Vector shapes, dividers, lines	`addShape(...)`, `addLine(...)`, `addEllipse(...)`	Stable	Shapes
Charts (bar / line / pie)	`chart(ChartSpec...)`, `ChartData`	Stable	Charts
Barcodes & QR	`addBarcode(...)`	Stable	Recipes

Layout

Capability	Main API	Stability	Guide
Columns that still flow	`addRow(row -> row.weights(...))`	Stable	Layered page design
Page-wide fills / bands	`pageBackground(...)`, `pageBackgrounds(...)`	Stable	Page backgrounds
Overlap & alignment	`addLayerStack(...)`	Stable	Layered page design
Shape-as-container	`addContainer(...)`, `addCircle(...)`, `addEllipse(...)`	Stable	Shape as container
Fixed (x, y) placement	`addCanvas(w, h, canvas -> canvas.position(...))`	Stable	Absolute placement
Bleed to page edge	`bleedToEdge(...)`	Stable	Page backgrounds
Transforms (rotate / scale)	`DocumentTransform`	Stable	Transforms

Output & testing

Capability	Main API	Stability	Guide
Write a PDF file	`buildPdf()`, `buildPdf(Path)`	Stable	Getting started
Stream to a caller-owned stream	`writePdf(OutputStream)`	Stable	Streaming
In-memory bytes	`toPdfBytes()`	Stable	Getting started
Geometry-identical PowerPoint deck	`buildPptx()`, `buildPptx(Path)`, `writePptx(OutputStream)`, `toPptxBytes()` — needs `graph-compose-render-pptx` on the classpath	Experimental (`@Beta`, first shipped in 2.1.0)	Backend capability matrix
Editable Word (semantic)	`export(new DocxSemanticBackend())`	Stable (semantic, not PDF parity)	Troubleshooting
PDF chrome (metadata / watermark / header / footer / protection)	`metadata(...)`, `watermark(...)`, `header(...)`, `footer(...)`, `protect(...)`	Stable	Getting started
Layout snapshot regression	`LayoutSnapshotAssertions.assertMatches(...)`	Stable	Layout snapshot testing
Visual (pixel) regression	`PdfVisualRegression`	Stable	Layout snapshot testing
Render-only debug overlays	`guideLines(...)`, `debug(...)`	Stable	Getting started

Capability	Main API	Stability	Guide
External links	`addLink(...)`, `inlineLink(...)`	Stable	Getting started
Internal jumps	`anchor("x")` + `linkTo("x")`	Stable	Getting started
PDF outline bookmarks	`bookmark(new DocumentBookmarkOptions(...))`	Stable	Getting started

New in 2.1.0

These ship from 2.1.0 onward — confirm your dependency version before relying on them:

Capability	Main API
Editable PowerPoint deck (`@Beta`)	`buildPptx(Path)`, `writePptx(OutputStream)`, `toPptxBytes()` — add `graph-compose-render-pptx`
Slide page-size presets	`DocumentPageSize.SLIDE_16_9`, `DocumentPageSize.SLIDE_4_3`
Select a render backend by format	`BackendProviders.fixedLayout("pptx")`
Keep a heading with its content	`SectionBuilder.keepWithNext()`, `LineBuilder.keepWithNext()`

New in 1.9.0

These ship from 1.9.0 onward:

Capability	Main API
Printed page references	`addPageReference("anchor")`
Generated Table of Contents	`addTableOfContents(toc -> toc.entry(...))`
Page preview images	`toImage(pageIndex, dpi)`, `toImages(dpi)`