GitHub - athola/simple-resume: Generate a simple, elegant PDF/HTML/LaTeX resume from YAML

Generate polished PDF and HTML resumes from a single YAML file.

simple-resume

simple-resume is a Python 3.10+ CLI and library for converting structured YAML into production-ready resumes (PDF, HTML, or LaTeX). Templates and static assets ship with the package such that users can render without needing to create additional content.

Supported platforms

Python: 3.10+ (tested in CI)
OS: Linux, macOS, Windows. PDF output uses WeasyPrint; ensure Cairo/Pango/GTK are available on your platform (see Usage Guide).

Installation

# With uv (recommended)
uv add simple-resume

# With pip
pip install simple-resume

Why Simple-Resume

Keep your resume version-controlled as plain YAML.
Swap templates, palettes, and formats without rewriting content.
Pure-Python core with shell adapters; effects are testable and side-effect aware.
Bundled HTML templates and static assets prevent "TemplateNotFound" errors in wheels/editable installs.

Feature Comparison

Feature	simple-resume	JSON Resume	HackMyResume	Resume.io
Open Source	✓	✓	✓	✗
Data Format	YAML	JSON	JSON/FRESH	Proprietary
Version Control	✓ Git-friendly	✓ Git-friendly	✓ Git-friendly	✗ Cloud-only
Local Processing	✓ 100% private	✓ 100% private	✓ 100% private	✗ Cloud storage
Template System	HTML + Jinja2	JSON themes	Multiple formats	Web builder
LaTeX Support	✓ Professional	✗	✗	✗
Python API	✓ Native	✗	✗	✗
CLI Tools	✓	✓	✓	✗
Real-time Preview	✓ HTML + auto-reload	✗	✗	✓
Custom Themes	✓ Unlimited	~ Limited	~ Limited	~ Paid only
Color Palettes	✓ Professional	✗	~ Basic	~ Limited
Privacy	✓	✓	✓	✗ Data stored on servers
Setup Time	5 min	10 min	15 min	2 min
Learning Curve	Moderate	Easy	Easy	Easiest

Key Advantages

Best for Developers: Version control, automation, Python integration, privacy Best for Privacy: 100% local processing with no data exposure Most Flexible: HTML templates + unlimited customization Professional Output: LaTeX typesetting for academic/technical resumes

Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not Supported, ~ = Limited

See Detailed Comparison for full analysis and use case recommendations.

Development setup

git clone https://github.com/athola/simple-resume.git
cd simple-resume
uv sync --dev --extra utils   # or: pip install -e .[dev,utils]

Quick start (CLI)

Create a minimal YAML in resume_private/input/my_resume.yaml:

template: resume_no_bars
full_name: Jane Doe
email: jane.doe@example.com
body:
  Experience:
    - title: Senior Engineer
      company: TechCorp
      start: 2022
      end: Present
      description: |
        - Lead microservices migration
        - Improved latency by 40%

Generate output:

uv run simple-resume generate --format pdf         # PDF
uv run simple-resume generate --format html --open # HTML + open in browser

Built-in templates: resume_no_bars, resume_with_bars, demo.html (see src/simple_resume/shell/assets/templates/html/). Static assets live under .../assets/static/.

Python API

from simple_resume import generate, preview
from simple_resume.shell.generate import GenerateOptions

options = GenerateOptions(formats=["pdf", "html"], template="resume_with_bars")
results = generate("resume_private/input/my_resume.yaml", options)
print(results["pdf"].output_path)

# Browser preview
preview("resume_private/input/my_resume.yaml")

For batch operations:

from simple_resume.shell.session import ResumeSession

with ResumeSession(data_dir="resume_private") as session:
    session.generate_all(format="pdf")

Customization

Palettes: --palette "Professional Blue" or --palette path/to/palette.yaml.
Custom templates: --template custom.html with --templates-dir /path/to/templates.
LaTeX: set config.output_mode: latex and compile with your TeX toolchain (see Usage Guide).
Color utilities: simple_resume.core.colors.get_contrasting_text_color for accessibility checks.

Release workflow

Releases are automated via GitHub Actions. To create a new release:

# Tag the version (must start with 'v')
git tag v0.1.2
git push origin v0.1.2

The workflow builds the package, generates a changelog from commit history, and publishes a GitHub release with distribution artifacts.

Workflows & docs

Guides: Getting Started, Usage, Workflows, Path Handling.
Architecture: Architecture Guide and wiki/architecture/.
Migration: Migration Guide plus Generate module migration.
Development: Development Guide, Contributing, PDF renderer evaluation.
Samples: sample/ directory; sample_dark_sidebar.html preview.

Troubleshooting

TemplateNotFound: confirm installation includes packaged assets (bundled in wheels/editable installs); custom templates require --templates-dir.
PDF on Linux: install system libs cairo, pango, gdk-pixbuf (WeasyPrint requirement).

Contributing

Follow the Development Guide to set up tools.
Run make lint and make test (or make check-all validate) before opening a PR.
Submit issues or ideas in GitHub Issues or discussions.

License

MIT License. See LICENSE.