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Product Updates

Adobe PDF Library 21 Expands with .NET and Java Support

#Adobe PDF Library #.NET #Java
Published July 23, 2026

Adobe PDF Library 21 has grown beyond its C/C++ roots, and this release pushes that expansion further. If your team builds in .NET or Java, or if you're managing document workflows that need broader OCR and font coverage, this update changes what's available to you without touching your existing integration.

Datalogics has updated Adobe PDF Library 21 with expanded language support, refreshed package distributions, and a handful of refinements across the SDK. Here's what's new, and what it means for teams evaluating or already running APDFL.

TL;DR
  • Adobe PDF Library 21 now fully supports .NET, .NET Framework, and Java, alongside Adobe C/C++ and Modern C++.
  • NuGet and Maven packages are both updated to version 21.0.0 for easier dependency management.
  • OCR now recognizes Vietnamese text, adding to the library's global document coverage.
  • Forms Extension installers support the Modern C++ interface, and XPS2PDF now surfaces clearer errors for missing joboptions files.
  • Existing Adobe C/C++ integrations are unaffected — no changes required to adopt this release.

Expanded Programming Language Support

Adobe PDF Library 21 now supports .NET, .NET Framework, and Java, joining Adobe C/C++ and Modern C++ as fully supported development options.

This means teams building in .NET or Java environments can integrate Adobe PDF Library directly into their existing stack, without standing up a separate C++ development environment. Combined with the Modern C++ SDK introduced earlier in the v21 line, developers across a much wider range of technology stacks now have a direct path to building PDF functionality into their applications.

No Migration Required
If you're already on Adobe C/C++, nothing changes for you. The new language support is additive, not a replacement path.

Updated Packages: NuGet and Maven

To support this expanded language coverage, both major package distributions have been updated:

PackageVersion
NuGet21.0.0
Maven21.0.0

.NET and Java developers can now pull the latest Adobe PDF Library release directly through the package managers they already use.

bash
dotnet add package Datalogics.PDFL --version 21.0.0
pom.xmlxml
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.datalogics</groupId>
  <artifactId>pdfl</artifactId>
  <version>21.0.0</version>
</dependency>

Expanded OCR Language Support: Vietnamese

OCR language support has been expanded to include Vietnamese text recognition, giving developers broader coverage for recognizing and digitizing documents in additional global markets.

Additional Changes in This Release

  • Forms Extension installers now support the NEW Modern C++ interface.
  • The XPS2PDF plugin now reports a specific error when the joboptions file cannot be found, making troubleshooting easier.
Missing Joboptions File
If XPS2PDF previously failed silently or with a generic error on a missing joboptions file, expect a clearer, more specific error message going forward.

A Quick Recap: Also in Adobe PDF Library 21

These updates build on the broader v21 release, which introduced:

  • A Modern C++ SDK built to C++17 standards, with RAII-based resource management, exception-based error handling, and a unified datalogics_interface namespace.
  • A new WebToPDF plugin for converting HTML (via URL or file tree) directly to PDF.
  • GB18030 font support for accurate Simplified and Traditional Chinese rendering.
  • A new ListStructureTree sample for inspecting tagged PDF structure, useful for accessibility and PDF/UA workflows.
No Breaking Changes
Existing Adobe C/C++ integrations remain fully supported, and none of these updates require any changes to current implementations.

Next Steps

Whether you're working in Adobe C/C++, Modern C++, .NET, or Java, this release gives you a path to broader language support, simpler package management, and expanded OCR coverage.