⚠️ Platform note — read before running any command. The command examples here are written for macOS / Linux. On Windows: run python (or py) instead of python3, use $env:USERPROFILE\… and backslashes instead of ~/…, and translate any shell pipes/redirects (|, >, &&) to their PowerShell equivalents before running. The scripts themselves are cross-platform; only the way you invoke them differs.

PDF Processing Guide

Overview

This guide covers essential PDF processing operations using Python libraries and command-line tools. For advanced features, JavaScript libraries, and detailed examples, see reference.md. If you need to fill out a PDF form, read forms.md and follow its instructions.

Quick Start

from pypdf import PdfReader, PdfWriter

# Read a PDF
reader = PdfReader("document.pdf")
print(f"Pages: {len(reader.pages)}")