What is a PDF file?

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format developed by Adobe as a means of distributing compact, platform-independent documents. It is superficially similar to HTML; a PDF document may contain images and text, as well as hyperlinks. However, as PDF is based on a variant of PostScript, each document is self-contained, packing text, graphics, and fonts into a single file. With the aid of Adobe Acrobat, many word processing and desktop publishing applications can be used to create PDF files. For this reason, and because PDF documents are web accessible, yet display exactly as intended, print publishers often favor PDF over HTML.

You can view PDF files either with the Adobe Reader or via a web browser with the PDF Viewer plug-in. To download these programs or find out more about PDF, visit Adobe's Products web site.

If you are affiliated with Indiana University, you can obtain this software from IUware. The plug-in is included with current versions of Adobe Reader.

Additionally, Mac OS X offers built-in support for creating PDF files and includes a free application called Preview for viewing PDF files. For more information, see In Mac OS X, how do I convert a document to PDF?

Note: In Mac OS (but not Mac OS X), CD-ROM file-sharing preferences are also called PDF files. They are unrelated to Adobe's Portable Document Format.

Also see:

• What is StuffIt Expander, and where can I get it?
• What are hyperlinks?
• Using Adobe Reader, can I edit a PDF document?
• In an IU Windows STC, how can I convert a document to a PDF file?