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# Apache PDFBox
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Apache PDFBox is a comprehensive Java library for programmatic manipulation of PDF documents. It provides capabilities for creating new PDFs, parsing existing documents, extracting content, rendering pages to images, and handling advanced features like forms, encryption, and digital signatures.
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## Package Information
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- **Package Name**: pdfbox
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- **Package Type**: maven
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- **Language**: Java
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- **Installation**: Add dependency to your Maven `pom.xml`:
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```xml
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<dependency>
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    <groupId>org.apache.pdfbox</groupId>
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    <artifactId>pdfbox</artifactId>
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    <version>3.0.5</version>
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</dependency>
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```
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## Core Imports
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```java
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import org.apache.pdfbox.Loader;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPage;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPageContentStream;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.common.PDRectangle;
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```
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## Basic Usage
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```java
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import org.apache.pdfbox.Loader;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPage;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPageContentStream;
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import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.font.PDType1Font;
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import java.io.File;
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import java.io.IOException;
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// Load an existing PDF
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PDDocument document = Loader.loadPDF(new File("example.pdf"));
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// Create a new PDF
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PDDocument newDocument = new PDDocument();
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PDPage page = new PDPage(PDRectangle.A4);
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newDocument.addPage(page);
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// Add text to a page
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PDPageContentStream contentStream = new PDPageContentStream(newDocument, page);
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contentStream.beginText();
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contentStream.setFont(PDType1Font.HELVETICA, 12);
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contentStream.newLineAtOffset(100, 700);
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contentStream.showText("Hello, PDFBox!");
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contentStream.endText();
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contentStream.close();
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// Save and close
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newDocument.save("output.pdf");
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newDocument.close();
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document.close();
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```
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## Architecture
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PDFBox is structured into several architectural layers:
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- **High-Level API (pdmodel)**: User-friendly document manipulation classes
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- **Content Stream Processing**: Parsing and generating PDF content streams
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- **Low-Level COS Layer**: Direct PDF object manipulation (Carousel Object System)
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- **Parsing Engine**: PDF file format parsing and writing
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- **Rendering Engine**: Converting PDF pages to images
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- **Text Processing**: Extracting and analyzing text content
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## Capabilities
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### Document Operations
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Core document loading, creation, saving, and manipulation functionality. Essential for all PDF operations.
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```java { .api }
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// Document loading
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public static PDDocument loadPDF(File file) throws IOException;
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public static PDDocument loadPDF(InputStream input) throws IOException;
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public static PDDocument loadPDF(File file, String password) throws IOException;
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// Document creation and manipulation
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public void addPage(PDPage page);
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public void removePage(int pageIndex);
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public int getNumberOfPages();
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public void save(File file) throws IOException;
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public void close() throws IOException;
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```
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[Document Operations](./document-operations.md)
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### Text Operations
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Comprehensive text extraction capabilities with support for area-based extraction, text positioning, and formatting control.
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```java { .api }
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public String getText(PDDocument document) throws IOException;
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public void setStartPage(int startPage);
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public void setEndPage(int endPage);
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public void addRegion(String regionName, Rectangle2D rect);
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public String getTextForRegion(String regionName);
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```
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[Text Operations](./text-operations.md)
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### Rendering and Graphics
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Convert PDF pages to images with control over resolution, color spaces, and rendering quality.
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```java { .api }
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public BufferedImage renderImage(int pageIndex) throws IOException;
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public BufferedImage renderImageWithDPI(int pageIndex, float dpi) throws IOException;
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public BufferedImage renderImage(int pageIndex, float scale, ImageType imageType) throws IOException;
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```
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[Rendering and Graphics](./rendering-graphics.md)
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### Multi-PDF Operations
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Utilities for merging, splitting, and overlaying multiple PDF documents with flexible configuration options.
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```java { .api }
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public void mergeDocuments(MemoryUsageSetting memUsageSetting) throws IOException;
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public List<PDDocument> split() throws IOException;
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public void overlay(Map<Integer, String> overlayGuide) throws IOException;
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```
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[Multi-PDF Operations](./multi-pdf-operations.md)
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### Interactive Forms
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Handle PDF forms including text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, and form submission with full AcroForm support.
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```java { .api }
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public PDAcroForm getAcroForm();
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public List<PDField> getFields();
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public void setValue(String value) throws IOException;
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public String getValue();
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public void flatten() throws IOException;
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```
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[Interactive Forms](./interactive-forms.md)
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### Security and Encryption
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PDF encryption, decryption, access permissions, and digital signatures for document security.
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```java { .api }
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public void encrypt(AccessPermission ap, StandardProtectionPolicy spp) throws IOException;
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public boolean isEncrypted();
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public void addSignature(PDSignature signature) throws IOException;
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public List<PDSignature> getSignatureDictionaries();
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```
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[Security and Encryption](./security-encryption.md)
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### Content Stream Processing
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Low-level content stream parsing and generation for advanced PDF content manipulation and custom rendering.
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```java { .api }
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public void processPage(PDPage page) throws IOException;
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protected void processOperator(Operator operator, List<COSBase> operands) throws IOException;
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public void processStream(PDContentStream contentStream, PDPage page, PDResources resources) throws IOException;
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```
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[Content Stream Processing](./content-stream-processing.md)
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### Low-Level COS Operations
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Direct manipulation of PDF objects using the Carousel Object System for advanced use cases and custom PDF structure handling.
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```java { .api }
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public COSBase getItem(COSName key);
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public void setItem(COSName key, COSBase value);
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public void add(COSBase object);
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public COSBase get(int index);
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```
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[Low-Level COS Operations](./cos-operations.md)