Document Generation with python-docx: Create & Edit Word Files

What This Skill Does

Create and edit .docx Word documents programmatically using python-docx. Handles formatting, layout, tables, headers, footers, and images with a bundled render script for visual verification.

When to Use It

• Creating reports, memos, letters, or templates programmatically
• Editing existing Word documents (adding sections, updating content)
• Generating formatted documents from data (mail merge patterns)
• Verifying document layout with visual rendering

Key Features

Document Creation

Build documents from scratch with proper structure — headings, paragraphs, tables, images, page breaks, and styles.

Visual Verification

The bundled scripts/render_docx.py lets you render the document visually to verify formatting matches expectations before delivery.

Format Fidelity

Preserves Word-specific formatting including styles, numbering, table formatting, and page layout that plain text can't capture.

Best Practices

• Always render and visually check documents before final delivery
• Use styles instead of direct formatting for consistency
• Test with the target Word version if compatibility matters
• Keep templates for repeated document types