PDF

<p>Portable document format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a <a href="/facts/File_format/qrXbwJaH">file format</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Adobe_Inc./Bj1d5XvJ">Adobe</a> in 1992 to present <a href="/facts/Document/H4Hdxu91">documents</a>, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of <a href="/facts/Application_software/YQuj7Kog">application software</a>, <a href="/facts/Computer_hardware/8jSjsCNv">hardware</a>, and <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating systems</a>. Based on the <a href="/facts/PostScript/4EeEtnLv">PostScript</a> language, each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document, including the text, <a href="/facts/Font/04Q7sE8J">fonts</a>, <a href="/facts/Vector_graphics/y8ok7M2P">vector graphics</a>, <a href="/facts/Raster_images/HkXNc8oI">raster images</a> and other information needed to display it. PDF has its roots in "The Camelot Project" initiated by Adobe co-founder <a href="/facts/John_Warnock/u6DY0Ssv">John Warnock</a> in 1991.
PDF was standardized as ISO 32000 in 2008. The last edition as ISO 32000-2:2020 was published in December 2020.
</p><p>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, <a href="/facts/Rich_media/4TnPQC4K">rich media</a> (including video content), three-dimensional objects using <a href="/facts/U3D/l4ET2ehX">U3D</a> or <a href="/facts/PRC_(file_format)/vk6E0jtb">PRC</a>, and various other <a href="/facts/File_format/qrXbwJaH">data formats</a>. The PDF specification also provides for encryption and <a href="/facts/Digital_signature/tY7e2pnW">digital signatures</a>, file attachments, and <a href="/facts/Metadata/qt35z79C">metadata</a> to enable <a href="/facts/Workflow/Ig8zvxF2">workflows</a> requiring these features.
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