Portable Document Format (PDF) is the internationally acclaimed document interchange format. One can distribute content with rich graphics in structured form with uniformity in platform-neutral environments. It provides strong support for advanced features like hypertext links, vector graphics, font embedding and so on. Creating PDF files from a live application or web is what is popularly known as dynamic PDF.
There are two methods prevalent for dynamically creating PDF — PDF via HTML and PDF using API. The latter is thought to be a wiser option since it offers graphically rich output that will be almost replica of print version. In case of PDF via HTML, graphics and tables are usually distorted and the document loses its appeal. The dynamic PDF components basically consists of class libraries that allow one to create (from scratch or a database) and manipulate (merge, append, split stamp, form fill, etc.) PDF in a live application environment.
Over the years, Java has been polished, advanced, and proven by millions of software developers. Java technology has become robust and mature allowing developers to build platform-independent applications. Thus, the rising tide in the Java-based applications from a handheld cell phone to enterprise level business solutions demands for a feature-rich PDF library that can be deployed with ease. These PDF class libraries are deployable virtually with any Java application to generate high-quality PDF on fly.
Applications and enterprises that require dynamic PDF are usually interacting constantly with behemoth data (that is growing constantly) from a variety of sources. It becomes, therefore, very important for the PDF library to be able to communicate with these data sources smoothly without congestion.
Apart from these important features, a truly international PDF library is one that suffices needs of users sitting in every corner of the world. Almost one-third population of the world uses CJK (Chinese-Japanese-Korean) and BiDi (Bi-Directional) fonts for interaction. Support for these CJK and BiDi fonts thus becomes essential for internationalization of a PDF library.
To conclude, a PDF library, to meet the international standards, requires to not only be able to create PDF dynamically on the fly, but essentially should also have excellent deployability with standard technology platform like Java, seamless interaction with a variety of data sources, as well as ability to cater every single individual user's need.