PDF

For other uses, see PDF (disambiguation).

Portable Document Format
Adobe PDF icon
Filename extension.pdf
Internet media type
  • application/pdf,[1]
  • application/x-pdf
  • application/x-bzpdf
  • application/x-gzpdf
Type codePDF [1] (including a single trailing space)
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)com.adobe.pdf
Magic number%PDF
Developed byAdobe Inc. (1991–2008)
ISO (2008–)
Initial releaseJune 15, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-06-15)
Latest release
2.0
Extended toPDF/A, PDF/E, PDF/UA, PDF/VT, PDF/X
StandardISO 32000-2
Open format?Yes
Websiteiso.org/standard/75839.html

Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems.[2][3] Based on the PostScript language, each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document, including the text, fonts, vector graphics, raster images and other information needed to display it. PDF has its roots in "The Camelot Project" initiated by Adobe co-founder John Warnock in 1991.[4] PDF was standardized as ISO 32000 in 2008.[5] The last edition as ISO 32000-2:2020 was published in December 2020.

PDF files may contain a variety of content besides flat text and graphics including logical structuring elements, interactive elements such as annotations and form-fields, layers, rich media (including video content), three-dimensional objects using U3D or PRC, and various other data formats. The PDF specification also provides for encryption and digital signatures, file attachments, and metadata to enable workflows requiring these features.

  1. ^ a b Hardy, M.; Masinter, L.; Markovic, D.; Johnson, D.; Bailey, M. (March 2017). The application/pdf Media Type. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC8118. RFC 8118.
  2. ^ Adobe Systems Incorporated (November 2006). "PDF Reference" (PDF). 1.7 (6th ed.). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Warnock, J. (October 14, 2004) [Original date 5 May 1995]. "The Camelot Project" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on July 18, 2011.
  4. ^ "What is a PDF? Portable Document Format | Adobe Acrobat DC". Adobe Systems Inc. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "ISO 32000-1:2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2018.