┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : Adobe Inc.
│ CATEGORY : Document
│ MIME TYPE : application/pdf
│ MAGIC BYTES : 25504446
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is a PDF file?
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents consistently across all platforms and devices. PDFs can contain text, images, hyperlinks, forms, multimedia, and digital signatures.
How to open PDF files
PDF files are universally supported:
- Web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) — Built-in PDF viewers
- Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows, macOS) — The original PDF viewer
- Preview (macOS) — Built-in
- Sumatra PDF (Windows) — Free, lightweight
- Evince (Linux) — Free, open-source
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Current Version | PDF 2.0 (ISO 32000-2:2020) |
| Max Page Size | 14,400 × 14,400 inches |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Color Spaces | RGB, CMYK, Spot colors |
| Font Embedding | Full support (TrueType, OpenType, Type 1) |
| Accessibility | Tagged PDF, PDF/UA |
Common use cases
- Business documents: Invoices, contracts, reports
- Academic papers: Research publications, theses
- Government forms: Tax forms, applications
- Print production: Press-ready files with PDF/X compliance
- Archival: Long-term preservation with PDF/A standard