## Table of Contents

- [Caching and performance](#caching-and-performance)
- [Pdf-specific speedups](#pdf-specific-speedups)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example)
- [Cache strategy](#cache-strategy)
  - [CLI Microlink API example](#cli-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [cURL Microlink API example](#curl-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [JavaScript Microlink API example](#javascript-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Python Microlink API example](#python-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Ruby Microlink API example](#ruby-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [PHP Microlink API example](#php-microlink-api-example-1)
  - [Golang Microlink API example](#golang-microlink-api-example-1)

---

[](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[API](https://microlink.io/docs/api/getting-started/overview)

[](https://microlink.io/docs/guides)

GUIDES

[](https://microlink.io/docs/mql/getting-started/overview)

MQL

[](https://microlink.io/docs/sdk/getting-started/overview)

SDK

[](https://microlink.io/docs/cards/getting-started/overview)

CARDS

## Caching and performance

PDF generation is heavier than a normal metadata request because Microlink has to render the page and print it as a document. The fastest workflows skip unnecessary extraction and reduce rendering work.

## Pdf-specific speedups

If you only need the PDF, disable metadata extraction:

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications' URL with 'pdf' & 'meta' API parameters:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications&pdf
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications" \
  -d "pdf=true" \
  -d "meta=false"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications', {
  pdf: true,
  meta: false
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
    "pdf": "true",
    "meta": "false"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
  pdf: "true",
  meta: "false"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
    "pdf" => "true",
    "meta" => "false"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications")
    q.Set("pdf", "true")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications', {

  pdf: true,

  meta: false

})
```

Skipping metadata is usually the single biggest speedup for PDF-only requests.

The most effective PDF-specific optimizations are:

1.  **Set `meta: false`** for PDF-only requests.
2.  **Stay on `mediaType: 'print'`** (default for PDFs) unless the page genuinely needs screen CSS.
3.  **Prefer `waitForSelector`** over `waitForTimeout`.
4.  **Keep `adblock: true`** — reduces page noise and third-party overhead.
5.  **Disable `javascript`** when the page does not rely on client-side rendering.
6.  **Use `filter: 'pdf'`** when you want a smaller JSON payload.

## Cache strategy

For the cache controls that apply to all workflows — `ttl`, `staleTtl`, `force`, and how to verify caching through response headers — see [caching patterns](https://microlink.io/docs/guides/common/caching).

The following examples show how to use the Microlink API with CLI, cURL, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP & Golang, targeting 'https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications' URL with 'pdf', 'meta', 'ttl' & 'staleTtl' API parameters:

### CLI Microlink API example

``` bash
microlink https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications&pdf&ttl=1d&staleTtl=0
```

### cURL Microlink API example

``` bash
curl -G "https://api.microlink.io" \
  -d "url=https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications" \
  -d "pdf=true" \
  -d "meta=false" \
  -d "ttl=1d" \
  -d "staleTtl=0"
```

### JavaScript Microlink API example

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications', {
  pdf: true,
  meta: false,
  ttl: "1d",
  staleTtl: 0
})
```

### Python Microlink API example

``` python
import requests

url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

querystring = {
    "url": "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
    "pdf": "true",
    "meta": "false",
    "ttl": "1d",
    "staleTtl": "0"
}

response = requests.get(url, params=querystring)

print(response.json())
```

### Ruby Microlink API example

``` ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

base_url = "https://api.microlink.io/"

params = {
  url: "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
  pdf: "true",
  meta: "false",
  ttl: "1d",
  staleTtl: "0"
}

uri = URI(base_url)
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form(params)

http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
response = http.request(request)

puts response.body
```

### PHP Microlink API example

``` php
<?php

$baseUrl = "https://api.microlink.io/";

$params = [
    "url" => "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications",
    "pdf" => "true",
    "meta" => "false",
    "ttl" => "1d",
    "staleTtl" => "0"
];

$query = http_build_query($params);
$url = $baseUrl . '?' . $query;

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
    CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
    CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
    CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "GET"
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
    echo "cURL Error #: " . $err;
} else {
    echo $response;
}
```

### Golang Microlink API example

``` bash
package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "net/http"
    "net/url"
    "io"
)

func main() {
    baseURL := "https://api.microlink.io"

    u, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    q := u.Query()
    q.Set("url", "https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications")
    q.Set("pdf", "true")
    q.Set("meta", "false")
    q.Set("ttl", "1d")
    q.Set("staleTtl", "0")
    u.RawQuery = q.Encode()

    req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", u.String(), nil)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    client := &http.Client{}
    resp, err := client.Do(req)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    defer resp.Body.Close()

    body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(string(body))
}
```

``` javascript
import mql from '@microlink/mql'

const { data } = await mql('https://rauchg.com/2014/7-principles-of-rich-web-applications', {

  pdf: true,

  meta: false,

  ttl: "1d",

  staleTtl: 0

})
```

Cache for a day, serve stale instantly while refreshing in the background. Requires a

PRO

plan.

Learn how to generate PDFs from authenticated and session-based pages safely in [private pages](https://microlink.io/docs/guides/pdf/private-pages).