Forward- and backward-compatibility

The Adobe PDF Library is updated each time Adobe releases a new version of Acrobat, ensuring compatibility with the PDF Standard as it continues to evolve. And, just as current versions of Acrobat and Reader can open older PDF files, your PDF Library-enabled application can provide similar support.

Access to the Adobe Color Engine (ACE)

Adobe PDF Library-enabled applications can manage color using ACE, the same color module that's used in Acrobat.

Language interfaces for C/C++, .NET and Java

Language interfaces are provided for C/C++, .NET and Java.

Unicode/Double Byte support

Support complex character sets, right-to-left reading order and other complexities of non-English language PDFs.

Optimization, compression and linearization

Optimize PDFs that you create or that you process using the same techniques found in Acrobat.

Extensive font support

Embed and subset fonts, including Unicode fonts. Obtain detailed information about font/character usage within PDFs. An optional package of redistributable fonts (corresponding to the Adobe base 35 fonts) is available to ease the migration from other third-party libraries.

Additional Features

Take advantage of full compatibility with the latest PDF specification; full interoperability with Adobe products; consistent, reliable support on a broad range of platforms (see details below); as well as the following:

• Embed PDF manipulation within applications without the presence of Acrobat
• Create, edit, assemble, and compress documents
• High volume and variable data printing
• View and render PDF
• Encrypt documents and provide password security
• Use layers and grouping to provide selective viewing of content
• Provide searching and indexing