02/04/2025, 22:36 History of PDF - Wikipedia

History of PDF
The Portable Document Format (PDF) was created by Adobe Systems, introduced at the Windows
and OS/2 Conference in January 1993 and remained a proprietary format until it was released as
an open standard in 2008. Since then, it has been under the control of an International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) committee of industry experts.

Development of PDF began in 1991 when Adobe's co-founder John Warnock wrote a paper for a
project then code-named Camelot, in which he proposed the creation of a simplified version of
Adobe's PostScript format called Interchange PostScript (IPS).[1] Unlike traditional PostScript,
which was tightly focused on rendering print jobs to output devices, IPS would be optimized for
displaying pages to any screen and any platform.[1]

PDF was developed to share documents, including text formatting and inline images, among
computer users of disparate platforms who may not have access to mutually-compatible
application software.[2] It was created by a research and development team called Camelot,[3]
which was personally led by Warnock himself. PDF was one of a number of competing electronic
document formats in that era such as DjVu, Envoy, Common Ground Digital Paper, Farallon
Replica and traditional PostScript itself. In those early years before the rise of the World Wide Web
and HTML documents, PDF was popular mainly in desktop publishing workflows.

PDF's adoption in the early days of the format's history was slow.[4] Indeed, the Adobe Board of
Directors attempted to cancel the development of the format, as they could see little demand for
it.[5] Adobe Acrobat, Adobe's suite for reading and creating PDF files, was not freely available;
early versions of PDF had no support for external hyperlinks, reducing its usefulness on the
Internet; the larger size of a PDF document compared to plain text required longer download times
over the slower modems common at the time; and rendering PDF files was slow on the less
powerful machines of the day.

Adobe distributed its Adobe Reader (now Acrobat Reader) program free of charge from version 2.0
onwards,[6] and continued supporting the original PDF, which eventually became the de facto
standard for fixed-format electronic documents.[7]

In 2008 Adobe Systems' PDF Reference 1.7 became ISO 32000:1:2008. Thereafter, further
development of PDF (including PDF 2.0) is conducted by ISO's TC 171 SC 2 WG 8 with the
participation of Adobe Systems and other subject matter experts.

Adobe specifications
From 1993 to 2006 Adobe Systems changed the PDF specification several times to add new
features. Various aspects of Adobe's Extension Levels published after 2006 were accepted into
working drafts of ISO 32000-2 (PDF 2.0), but developers are cautioned that Adobe's Extensions
are not part of the PDF standard.[8]

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Acrobat
[9] Year of Reader
Version Edition New features
publication version
support

Text, images, pages, hypertext links, bookmarks,

1.0 First 1993 Carousel[11]
thumbnail sketches[10]
Passwords, encryption (MD5, RC4 40bit), device-
First, independent color, threads and links, binary format for
1.1 1994 2.0
revised
smaller files[12]
Interactive page elements (radio buttons, checkboxes &c);
interactive, fill-in forms (AcroForm); Forms Data Format
(FDF) for interactive form data that can be imported,
First, exported, transmitted and received from the Web; mouse
1.2 1996 events; external movie reproduction; external or 3.0
revised
embedded sound reproduction; zlib/deflate compression
of text or binary data; Unicode; advanced color features
and image proxying[12]
Digital signatures; ICC and DeviceN color spaces;
JavaScript actions; embedded file streams of any type
(e.g. used for attachments); new annotation types; new
features of the Adobe PostScript Language Level 3
imaging model; masked images; alternate representations
for images; smooth shading; enhanced page numbering;
Web capture, a facility for capturing information from
1.3 Second 2000 World Wide Web and converting it to PDF; representation 4.0
of logical structure independently of graphical structure;
additional support for CIDFonts; data structures for
mapping strings and numbers to PDF objects; information
for prepress production workflows support; new functions
for several function object types that represent
parameterized classes of functions;[13][14] Acrobat Forms
JavaScript Object Specification Version 4.05
JBIG2; transparency; RC4 encryption key lengths greater
than 40 bits (40–128 bits); enhancements to interactive
forms and Forms Data Format (FDF), XML form
submissions, embedded FDF files, Unicode specification
of field export values, remote collaboration and digital
signatures in FDF files; accessibility to disabled users;
metadata streams using Extensible Metadata Platform
1.4 Third 2001 (XMP); tagged PDF; inclusion of printer's marks; display 5.0
and preview of production-related page boundaries; new
predefined CMaps; alternate presentations; importing
content from one PDF document into another;
EmbeddedFiles entry in the PDF document's name
dictionary, a standard location for the embedded
data.;[14][15] Acrobat Forms JavaScript Object
Specification Version 4.05[16]
1.5 Fourth 2003 JPEG 2000; enhanced support for embedding and 6.0
playback of multimedia; object streams; cross reference
streams; XML Forms Data Format (XFDF) for interactive
form submission (replaced the XML format in PDF 1.4);
support for forms, rich text elements and attributes based
on Adobe's XML Forms Architecture (XFA) 2.02 (which
defines only static XFA forms); public-key security
handlers using PKCS#7 (introduced in PDF 1.3 but not
documented in the Reference until 1.5), public-key
encryption, permissions, usage rights (UR) signatures
(does not require document encryption), PKCS#7 with
SHA-1, RSA up to 4096-bits; security handler can use its
own encryption and decryption algorithms; document
sections selectively viewed or hidden by authors or
readers for items such as CAD drawings, layered artwork,
maps, and multi-language documents; Alternate

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Presentations – the only type is slideshow – invoked by
means of JavaScript actions (Adobe Reader supports
only SVG 1.0);[14][17][18] Acrobat JavaScript Scripting
Reference, Version 6.0;[19] support for MS Windows 98
dropped.

3D artwork, e.g. support for Universal 3D file format;

OpenType font embedding; support for XFA 2.2 rich text
elements and attributes (XFA 2.1 and 2.2 defined for
example the following features: dynamic XFA forms, W3C
XML digital signatures for XFA, XFA support for Web
Services, XFA 'doc-literal' SOAP operations over HTTP,
the Web Service's WSDL defines SOAP binding
1.6 Fifth 2004 operations, etc.); AES encryption; PKCS#7 with SHA256, 7.0
DSA up to 4096-bits; NChannel color spaces; additional
support for embedded file attachments, including cross-
document linking to and from embedded files;
enhancements and clarifications to digital signatures
related to usage rights and modification detection and
prevention signatures;[14] Acrobat JavaScript Scripting
Reference, Version 7.0[20]
Increased presentation of 3D artwork; XFA 2.4 rich text
elements and attributes; multiple file attachments
1.7 (portable collections); document requirements for a PDF
(ISO consumer application; PKCS#7 with SHA384, SHA512
32000- Sixth 2006 and RIPEMD160; JavaScript for Acrobat API Reference 8
1:2008) Version 8.0 (the documentation of the objects, properties
[21] and methods of the JavaScript extensions for Adobe
Acrobat Professional, Acrobat Standard and Adobe
Reader)[22]
XFA 2.5 (Extensions Level 1) and XFA 2.6 (Extensions
1.7 Adobe Level 2) (XFA 2.6 defined for example the following
Extension 2008 features: XFA Secure submit, new profile - XFA 8.1
Level 1[23] Foreground (XFAF) - each page of the XFA form overlays
a PDF background, etc.)[24]
256-bit AES encryption; incorporation of XFA Datasets
into a file conforming PDF/A-2; improved attachment of
Adobe Flash applications (SWF), video (including Flash
video with H.264), audio, and other multimedia, two-way
1.7 Adobe scripting bridge between Flash player and conforming
Extension 2008 applications, navigator SWF file may be loaded as an 9
Level 3 Adobe Flex 2 module or as an ordinary SWF; XFA 2.5 and
2.6 rich text conventions,[24] XFA 2.7 and 2.8[25] (XFA 2.7
and 2.8 defined for example the following features:
Authentication policy for web services, Submit via
WSDL/SOAP, locale set typefaces, etc.)
1.7 Adobe
Extension 2009 XFA 3.0 9.1
Level 5[26]
1.7 Adobe
Extension 2009 XFA 3.1 9.1
Level 6[27]

XFA 3.3 (e.g. Flash/SWF integration in XFA),[29] AES-256

1.7 Adobe different password handling than in Extension Level 3,
Extension 2011 because of a weakness in the password checking X (10)
Level 8[28] algorithm.[30][31] Specification not published as of
November 2014.[21]

Adobe declared that it is not producing a PDF 1.8 Reference. Future versions of the PDF
Specification will be produced by ISO technical committees. However, Adobe published documents
specifying what proprietary extended features for PDF, beyond ISO 32000-1 (PDF 1.7), are

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supported in its newly released products. This makes use of the extensibility features of PDF as
documented in ISO 32000–1 in Annex E.[21]

The specifications for PDF are backward inclusive. The PDF 1.7 specification includes all of the
functionality previously documented in the Adobe PDF Specifications for versions 1.0 through 1.6.
Where Adobe removed certain features of PDF from their standard, they are not contained in ISO
32000-1[9] either. Some features are marked as deprecated.

ISO standardization
On January 29, 2007, Adobe announced that it would release the full Portable Document Format
1.7 specification to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Enterprise Content
Management Association (AIIM), for the purpose of publication by the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO).[32] By virtue of this change, ISO produces versions of the PDF
specification beyond 1.7, and Adobe will be only one of the ISO technical committee members.[21]

ISO standards for "full function PDF"[32] are published under the formal number ISO 32000. Full
function PDF specification means that it is not only a subset of Adobe PDF specification; in the
case of ISO 32000-1 the full function PDF includes everything defined in Adobe's PDF 1.7
specification. However, Adobe later published extensions that are not part of the ISO standard.[21]
There are also proprietary functions in the PDF specification, that are only referenced as external
specifications.[33][34] These were eliminated in PDF 2.0, which includes no proprietary technology.

Year of
Version New feature
publication

1.7
The ISO standard ISO 32000-1:2008 and Adobe PDF 1.7 are
(ISO 32000-1:2008)[21] 2008
technically consistent.[21][35][36]

2.0 Elimination of all proprietary elements, updating, enhancing and

(ISO 32000-2:2017)[37] 2017 clarifying the documentation, and the establishment of tighter
rules.[38] PDF 2.0 also includes many new features.

2.0
(ISO 32000- Clarifications, corrections and critical updates to normative
2020
2:2020)[39][40] references.[41]

PDF documents conforming to ISO 32000-1 carry the PDF version number 1.7. Documents
containing Adobe extended features still carry the PDF base version number 1.7 but also contain an
indication of which extension was followed during document creation.[21]

PDF documents conforming to ISO 32000-2 carry the PDF version number 2.0, and are known to
developers as "PDF 2.0 documents".

ISO 32000-1:2008 (PDF 1.7)

The final revised documentation for PDF 1.7 was approved by ISO Technical Committee 171 in
January 2008 and published as ISO 32000-1:2008 on July 1, 2008, and titled Document
management – Portable document format – Part 1: PDF 1.7.

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ISO 32000-1:2008 is the first ISO standard for full function PDF. The previous ISO PDF standards
(PDF/A, PDF/X, etc.) are subsets intended for more specialized uses. ISO 32000-1 includes all of
the functionality previously documented in the Adobe PDF Specifications for versions 1.0 through
1.7. Adobe removed certain features of PDF from previous versions; these features are not
contained in PDF 1.7 either.[9]

The ISO 32000-1 document was prepared by Adobe Systems Incorporated based upon PDF
Reference, sixth edition, Adobe Portable Document Format version 1.7, November 2006. It was
reviewed, edited and adopted under a special fast-track procedure, by ISO Technical Committee
171 (ISO/TC 171), Document management application, Subcommittee SC 2, Application issues, in
parallel with its approval by the ISO member bodies.

According to the ISO PDF standard abstract:[42]

ISO 32000-1:2008 specifies a digital form for representing electronic documents to

enable users to exchange and view electronic documents independent of the
environment they were created in or the environment they are viewed or printed in. It
is intended for the developer of software that creates PDF files (conforming writers),
software that reads existing PDF files and interprets their contents for display and
interaction (conforming readers) and PDF products that read and/or write PDF files
for a variety of other purposes (conforming products).

Some proprietary specifications under the control of Adobe Systems (e.g. Adobe Acrobat
JavaScript or XML Forms Architecture) are in the normative references of ISO 32000-1 and are
indispensable for the application of ISO 32000-1.[32]

ISO 32000-2: 2017 (PDF 2.0)

A new version of the PDF specification, ISO 32000-2 (PDF 2.0) was published by ISO's TC 171 SC 2
WG 8 Committee in July, 2017.[43]

The goals of the ISO committee developing PDF 2.0 include evolutionary enhancement and
refinement of the PDF language, deprecation of features that are no longer used (e.g. Form
XObject names), and standardization of Adobe proprietary specifications (e.g. Adobe JavaScript,
Rich Text).[34][44]

Known in PDF syntax terms as "PDF-2.0", ISO 32000-2 is the first update to the PDF specification
developed entirely within the ISO Committee process (TC 171 SC 2 WG 8). Interested parties
resident in TC 171 Member or Observer countries and wishing to participate should contact their
country's Member Body or the secretary of TC 171 SC 2.[45] Members of the PDF Association may
review and comment on drafts via that organization's Category A liaison with ISO TC 171 SC 2.[46]

ISO 32000-2: 2020 (PDF 2.0)

In December 2020, the second edition of PDF 2.0, ISO 32000-2:2020, was published, including
clarifications, corrections and critical updates to normative references.[47] ISO 32000-2 does not
include any proprietary technologies as normative references.[40]

On April 5, 2023, the PDF Association and its sponsors, Adobe, Apryse and Foxit, made ISO
32000-2 available at no cost.[48]
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ISO TC 171 SC 2 WG 8
Formed in 2008 to curate the PDF Reference as an ISO Standard, ISO TC 171 SC 2 Working Group
8 typically meets twice a year, with members from fifteen or more countries attending in person.
Attendance is also possible via conference call.

ISO standardized subsets of PDF

Since 1995, Adobe participated in some of the working groups that create technical specifications
for publication by ISO and cooperated within the ISO process on specialized subsets of PDF
standards for specific industries and purposes (e.g. PDF/X or PDF/A).[32] The purpose of
specialized subsets of the full PDF specification is to remove those functions that are not needed or
can be problematic for specific purposes and to require some usage of functions that are only
optional (not mandatory) in the full PDF specification.

The following specialized subsets of PDF specification has been standardized as ISO standards (or
are in standardization process):[9][49][50][51]

PDF/X (since 2001 - series of ISO 15929 and ISO 15930 standards) - a.k.a. "PDF for
Exchange" - for the Graphic technology - Prepress digital data exchange - (working in ISO
Technical committee 130), based on PDF 1.3, PDF 1.4 and later also PDF 1.6
PDF/A (since 2005 - series of ISO 19005 standards) - a.k.a. "PDF for Archive" - Document
management - Electronic document file format for long-term preservation (working in ISO
Technical committee 171), based on PDF 1.4 and later also ISO 32000-1 - PDF 1.7
PDF/E (since 2008 - ISO 24517) - a.k.a. "PDF for Engineering" - Document management -
Engineering document format using PDF (working in ISO Technical committee 171), based on
PDF 1.6
PDF/VT (since 2010 - ISO 16612-2) - a.k.a. "PDF for exchange of variable data and
transactional (VT) printing" - Graphic technology - Variable data exchange (working in ISO
Technical committee 130), based on PDF 1.6 as restricted by PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5[52]
PDF/UA (since 2012 - ISO 14289-1) - a.k.a. "PDF for Universal Accessibility" - Document
management applications - Electronic document file format enhancement for accessibility
(working in ISO Technical committee 171), based on ISO 32000-1 - PDF 1.7

Other standardized subsets of PDF

The PDF Association published a subset of PDF 2.0 called PDF/raster 1.0 in 2017.[53] PDF/raster is
intended for storing, transporting and exchanging multi-page raster-image documents, especially
scanned documents.

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External links
Who Created the PDF? (https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2015/06/18/who-created-pdf#gs.48
ny3d) June 18, 2015 blogpost by Adobe Corporate Communications (https://blog.adobe.com/e
n/authors/adobe-corporate-communications) archived (https://web.archive.org/web/202106182
31633/https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2015/06/18/who-created-pdf.html)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_PDF&oldid=1254285186"

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