DemchaAV · DemchaAV · Jun 25, 2026 · Jun 25, 2026
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ PDF `GoTo` actions. External links are unchanged.
 
 ### Public API
 
+- **`addTableOfContents(...)` + `TocBuilder` / `DocumentLeader`** (`@since 1.9.0`).
+  A native, clickable table of contents: each `entry(label, anchor)` becomes a row
+  whose label links to the chapter (`linkTo`), a dotted or dashed leader fills the
+  gap, and the page number is resolved automatically from the laid-out document —
+  no manual two-pass. Built entirely from the existing primitives (auto/weight
+  columns, `line().fill()`, `addPageReference`) and added to the flow, so a long
+  contents paginates across pages.
+
 - **`addPageReference(anchor)` + `PageReferenceNode`** (`@since 1.9.0`). Prints the
   page a declared `anchor(...)` lands on — a native "see page N" cross-reference —
   in a single authoring pass. A document that contains a page reference is laid

@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ are with the canonical DSL, then jump to its detailed section below.
 | [PDF chrome](#pdf-chrome) | `DocumentMetadata`, `DocumentWatermark`, `DocumentHeaderFooter`, `DocumentBookmarkOptions` | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/pdf-chrome.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/chrome/PdfChromeExample.java) |
 | [Page numbering](#page-numbering) | `DocumentPageNumbering` — offset / restart / roman / suppress-on-first-page for `{page}` / `{pages}` footer tokens | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/page-numbering.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/chrome/PageNumberingExample.java) |
 | [Page references](#page-references) | `addPageReference(anchor)` — print the page an `anchor(...)` lands on (a native "see page N" cross-reference), resolved in one authoring pass | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/page-reference.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/navigation/PageReferenceExample.java) |
+| [Table of contents](#table-of-contents) | `addTableOfContents(toc -> toc.entry(label, anchor))` — a native clickable TOC with dot leaders and auto-resolved page numbers | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/table-of-contents.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/navigation/TocExample.java) |
 | [HTTP streaming](#http-streaming) | `writePdf(OutputStream)` for Servlet / S3 / GCS — caller's stream is not closed | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/invoice-http-stream.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/streaming/HttpStreamingExample.java) |
 | [Word export (DOCX)](#word-export-docx) | `DocxSemanticBackend` — the same session renders a fixed-layout PDF and an editable Word file; paragraphs / lists / tables / images map 1:1, charts fall back to their data table | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/word-export-companion.pdf) · [DOCX](../assets/readme/examples/word-export-companion.docx) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/docx/WordExportExample.java) |
 | [Layout snapshot regression](#layout-snapshot-regression) | Deterministic `layoutSnapshot()` workflow with baseline + drift report — production regression-testing pattern | [PDF](../assets/readme/examples/invoice-snapshot-regression.pdf) · [Source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/snapshots/LayoutSnapshotRegressionExample.java) |
@@ -722,6 +723,25 @@ flow.addRow(r -> r.columns(auto(), weight(1), auto())
 [📄 View PDF](../assets/readme/examples/page-reference.pdf) ·
 [📜 Full source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/navigation/PageReferenceExample.java)
 
+### Table of contents
+
+`addTableOfContents(...)` builds a native, clickable table of contents from the
+page-reference primitive: each `entry(label, anchor)` becomes a row whose label
+links to the chapter, a dotted (or dashed) leader fills the gap, and the page
+number is resolved automatically from the laid-out document — no manual two-pass.
+The rows are added to the flow, so a long contents paginates naturally.
+
+```java
+flow.addTableOfContents(toc -> toc.title("Contents")
+    .leader(DocumentLeader.DOTS)
+    .entry("Introduction", "intro")
+    .entry("Appendix", "appendix"));
+// ... chapters declared with .anchor("intro"), .anchor("appendix"), ...
+```
+
+[📄 View PDF](../assets/readme/examples/table-of-contents.pdf) ·
+[📜 Full source](src/main/java/com/demcha/examples/features/navigation/TocExample.java)
+
 ---
 
 ## Production patterns

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import com.demcha.examples.features.text.InlineHighlightExample;
 import com.demcha.examples.features.navigation.InPdfNavigationExample;
 import com.demcha.examples.features.navigation.PageReferenceExample;
+import com.demcha.examples.features.navigation.TocExample;
 import com.demcha.examples.features.text.RichTextShowcaseExample;
 import com.demcha.examples.features.text.SectionPresetsExample;
 import com.demcha.examples.features.themes.CustomBusinessThemeExample;
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
         System.out.println("Generated: " + SectionPresetsExample.generate());
         System.out.println("Generated: " + InPdfNavigationExample.generate());
         System.out.println("Generated: " + PageReferenceExample.generate());
+        System.out.println("Generated: " + TocExample.generate());
 
         // Theming + chrome
         System.out.println("Generated: " + CustomBusinessThemeExample.generate());

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package com.demcha.examples.features.navigation;
+
+import com.demcha.compose.GraphCompose;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.api.DocumentSession;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentColor;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentInsets;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentLeader;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentTextStyle;
+import com.demcha.examples.support.ExampleOutputPaths;
+
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+
+/**
+ * Runnable showcase for v1.9 {@code addTableOfContents(...)}: a native, clickable
+ * table of contents. Each {@code entry(label, anchor)} becomes a row whose label
+ * links to the chapter, a dotted leader fills the gap, and the page number is
+ * resolved automatically from the laid-out document — no manual two-pass.
+ *
+ * <pre>{@code
+ * flow.addTableOfContents(toc -> toc.title("Contents")
+ *     .leader(DocumentLeader.DOTS)
+ *     .entry("Introduction", "intro")
+ *     .entry("Appendix", "appendix"));
+ * // ... chapters declared with .anchor("intro"), .anchor("appendix"), ...
+ * }</pre>
+ *
+ * @author Artem Demchyshyn
+ */
+public final class TocExample {
+
+    private static final DocumentColor INK = DocumentColor.rgb(24, 28, 38);
+    private static final DocumentColor MUTED = DocumentColor.rgb(120, 126, 135);
+
+    private static final String[][] CHAPTERS = {
+            {"Introduction", "intro"},
+            {"Getting started", "start"},
+            {"A longer chapter title that runs on", "longer"},
+            {"Configuration reference", "config"},
+            {"Appendix", "appendix"},
+    };
+
+    private TocExample() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Renders a table-of-contents page followed by one page per chapter, with the
+     * contents page numbers resolved automatically.
+     *
+     * @return path to the generated PDF
+     * @throws Exception if rendering or file IO fails
+     */
+    public static Path generate() throws Exception {
+        Path pdfFile = ExampleOutputPaths.prepare("features/navigation", "table-of-contents.pdf");
+
+        DocumentTextStyle title = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT.withSize(20).withColor(INK);
+        DocumentTextStyle entry = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT.withSize(11).withColor(INK);
+        DocumentTextStyle number = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT.withSize(11).withColor(MUTED);
+        DocumentTextStyle chapterHeading = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT.withSize(18).withColor(INK);
+
+        try (DocumentSession document = GraphCompose.document(pdfFile)
+                .pageSize(360, 280)
+                .margin(DocumentInsets.of(34))
+                .create()) {
+            document.pageFlow(page -> {
+                page.addTableOfContents(toc -> {
+                    toc.title("Contents").titleStyle(title)
+                            .leader(DocumentLeader.DOTS)
+                            .entryStyle(entry)
+                            .pageNumberStyle(number);
+                    for (String[] chapter : CHAPTERS) {
+                        toc.entry(chapter[0], chapter[1]);
+                    }
+                });
+
+                for (String[] chapter : CHAPTERS) {
+                    page.addPageBreak(b -> b.name("to_" + chapter[1]));
+                    page.addSection(s -> s.anchor(chapter[1])
+                            .addParagraph(p -> p.text(chapter[0]).textStyle(chapterHeading)));
+                }
+            });
+            document.buildPdf();
+        }
+
+        return pdfFile;
+    }
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        System.out.println("Generated: " + generate());
+    }
+}
@@ -960,6 +960,26 @@ public T addSection(String name, Consumer<SectionBuilder> spec) {
         return add(BuilderSupport.configure(new SectionBuilder().name(name), spec).build());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Adds a native table of contents: an optional title and one clickable,
+     * page-numbered row per {@code entry(label, anchor)}. Each row links its label
+     * to the anchor, fills the gap with a leader, and prints the anchor's page —
+     * resolved automatically from the laid-out document, no manual two-pass. The
+     * rows are added to this flow, so a long table of contents paginates naturally.
+     *
+     * @param spec table-of-contents builder callback
+     * @return this builder
+     * @since 1.9.0
+     */
+    public T addTableOfContents(Consumer<TocBuilder> spec) {
+        TocBuilder toc = new TocBuilder();
+        Objects.requireNonNull(spec, "spec").accept(toc);
+        for (DocumentNode node : toc.buildEntries()) {
+            add(node);
+        }
+        return self();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Adds a page reference that prints the page number a named {@code anchor(...)}
      * lands on — the "see page N" cross-reference. The number is resolved from the

@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+package com.demcha.compose.document.dsl;
+
+import com.demcha.compose.document.node.DocumentNode;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.node.TextAlign;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentColor;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentLeader;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentLineCap;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentRowColumn;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentStroke;
+import com.demcha.compose.document.style.DocumentTextStyle;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Builds a native table of contents: an optional title followed by one entry row
+ * per {@code entry(label, anchor)}. Each row is laid out as
+ * {@code columns(auto(), weight(1), auto())} — a clickable label, a leader that
+ * fills the gap, and the entry's page number resolved automatically from the
+ * laid-out document (see {@link AbstractFlowBuilder#addPageReference(String)}).
+ *
+ * <p>The rows are added directly to the surrounding flow, so a long table of
+ * contents paginates across pages naturally.</p>
+ *
+ * @author Artem Demchyshyn
+ * @since 1.9.0
+ */
+public final class TocBuilder {
+
+    private static final DocumentColor DEFAULT_LEADER_COLOR = DocumentColor.rgb(150, 150, 150);
+
+    private String title = "";
+    private DocumentTextStyle titleStyle = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT.withSize(16);
+    private DocumentTextStyle entryStyle = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT;
+    private DocumentTextStyle pageNumberStyle = DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT;
+    private DocumentLeader leader = DocumentLeader.DOTS;
+    private DocumentColor leaderColor = DEFAULT_LEADER_COLOR;
+    private final List<Entry> entries = new ArrayList<>();
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a table-of-contents builder.
+     */
+    public TocBuilder() {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets an optional heading rendered above the entries.
+     *
+     * @param title heading text, or {@code null}/blank for no heading
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder title(String title) {
+        this.title = title == null ? "" : title;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the heading text style.
+     *
+     * @param style heading style
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder titleStyle(DocumentTextStyle style) {
+        this.titleStyle = style == null ? DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT : style;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds an entry linking {@code label} to a declared {@code anchor(...)} and
+     * printing that anchor's page number.
+     *
+     * @param label  the entry text (clickable, jumps to the anchor)
+     * @param anchor the target anchor name
+     * @return this builder
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if {@code label} or {@code anchor} is blank
+     */
+    public TocBuilder entry(String label, String anchor) {
+        if (label == null || label.isBlank()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Table-of-contents entry label must not be blank.");
+        }
+        if (anchor == null || anchor.isBlank()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Table-of-contents entry anchor must not be blank: " + label);
+        }
+        entries.add(new Entry(label, anchor));
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the leader filling the gap between label and page number.
+     *
+     * @param leader leader style; {@code null} resets to {@link DocumentLeader#NONE}
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder leader(DocumentLeader leader) {
+        this.leader = leader == null ? DocumentLeader.NONE : leader;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the leader color.
+     *
+     * @param color leader color
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder leaderColor(DocumentColor color) {
+        this.leaderColor = color == null ? DEFAULT_LEADER_COLOR : color;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the entry label text style.
+     *
+     * @param style entry style
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder entryStyle(DocumentTextStyle style) {
+        this.entryStyle = style == null ? DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT : style;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the page-number text style.
+     *
+     * @param style page-number style
+     * @return this builder
+     */
+    public TocBuilder pageNumberStyle(DocumentTextStyle style) {
+        this.pageNumberStyle = style == null ? DocumentTextStyle.DEFAULT : style;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Builds the heading (when set) and one row per entry, in source order. The
+     * caller appends these to the flow so they paginate naturally.
+     *
+     * @return the table-of-contents nodes
+     */
+    List<DocumentNode> buildEntries() {
+        List<DocumentNode> nodes = new ArrayList<>();
+        if (!title.isBlank()) {
+            nodes.add(new ParagraphBuilder().text(title).textStyle(titleStyle).build());
+        }
+        for (Entry entry : entries) {
+            nodes.add(buildEntryRow(entry));
+        }
+        return nodes;
+    }
+
+    private DocumentNode buildEntryRow(Entry entry) {
+        RowBuilder row = new RowBuilder()
+                .gap(6)
+                .columns(DocumentRowColumn.auto(), DocumentRowColumn.weight(1), DocumentRowColumn.auto());
+        row.addParagraph(p -> p.text(entry.label()).textStyle(entryStyle).linkTo(entry.anchor()));
+        if (leader == DocumentLeader.NONE) {
+            row.addSpacer(s -> s.width(1).height(1));
+        } else {
+            row.addLine(line -> {
+                line.fill().stroke(DocumentStroke.of(leaderColor, 1.0));
+                if (leader == DocumentLeader.DOTS) {
+                    line.dashed(0.1, 4).lineCap(DocumentLineCap.ROUND);
+                } else {
+                    line.dashed(3, 3);
+                }
+            });
+        }
+        row.addPageReference(entry.anchor(), pageNumberStyle, TextAlign.RIGHT);
+        return row.build();
+    }
+
+    private record Entry(String label, String anchor) {
+    }
+}
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package com.demcha.compose.document.style;
+
+/**
+ * Leader style filling the gap between a table-of-contents entry's label and its
+ * page number.
+ *
+ * @author Artem Demchyshyn
+ * @since 1.9.0
+ */
+public enum DocumentLeader {
+    /** No leader — the label and page number are separated by empty space. */
+    NONE,
+    /** A row of dots (the classic table-of-contents leader). */
+    DOTS,
+    /** A dashed line. */
+    DASHES
+}