# pdfjam

> command-line program for manipulating PDFs

**Wikidata**: [Q100213220](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100213220)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pdfjam

## Summary
Pdfjam is a free, open-source command-line tool designed for manipulating PDF files on Unix-like systems. It allows users to perform operations such as merging, splitting, and resizing PDFs using simple shell commands. The software was developed by David Firth and is widely used in academic and technical environments.

## Key Facts
- **Developer**: David Firth  
- **License**: GNU General Public License v2.0 or later  
- **Programming Language**: Shell script  
- **Operating System**: Unix-like systems (e.g., Linux, macOS)  
- **Latest Stable Version**: 2.08 (released November 14, 2010)  
- **Dependencies**: Requires LaTeX and the `pdfpages` package  
- **Part Of**: TeX Live distribution  
- **Source Code Repository**: https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam  
- **Supported Input Formats**: PDF, JPEG, PNG  
- **Output Format**: PDF  

## FAQs
### Q: What can you do with pdfjam?
A: Pdfjam enables users to manipulate PDF documents through the command line. Common tasks include combining multiple PDFs into one, creating n-up layouts (e.g., 2 pages per sheet), trimming margins, and rotating pages.

### Q: Is pdfjam still maintained?
A: While active development has slowed since its last major release in 2010, pdfjam remains functional and supported via GitHub where bug reports and contributions are accepted.

### Q: How do I install pdfjam?
A: On many Unix-like systems, pdfjam can be installed via package managers like apt (Debian/Ubuntu), portage (Gentoo), or pkgsrc (NetBSD). Alternatively, it can be manually downloaded from its official GitHub repository.

## Why It Matters
Pdfjam plays a critical role in document processing workflows within academia, publishing, and system administration. As a lightweight, scriptable utility, it integrates easily into automated processes, making large-scale PDF manipulation more efficient than GUI-based tools. Its inclusion in TeX Live further underscores its importance in typesetting and scientific document preparation ecosystems. Despite being over a decade old, its simplicity and reliability continue to make it a go-to solution for power users who require precise control over their PDF output without graphical overhead.

## Notable For
- Being part of the widely-used TeX Live distribution  
- Supporting complex PDF manipulations via intuitive command-line syntax  
- Requiring only basic Unix tools and LaTeX dependencies  
- Having remained stable and usable despite infrequent updates  
- Being packaged across numerous Linux distributions and BSD variants  

## Body
### Overview
Pdfjam is a collection of shell scripts that provide a high-level interface for manipulating Portable Document Format (PDF) files. It leverages existing tools from the LaTeX ecosystem—particularly `pdfpages`—to enable flexible transformations of PDF content directly from the terminal.

### Development & Licensing
The project was created and is primarily maintained by statistician David Firth. Pdfjam is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 or later, ensuring it qualifies as free software. This licensing model supports community use, modification, and redistribution.

### Technical Requirements
To function properly, pdfjam requires:
- A Unix-like operating system (Linux, macOS, etc.)
- A working installation of LaTeX
- The `pdfpages` LaTeX package

These prerequisites reflect its integration into the broader TeX ecosystem.

### Supported Operations
Common functionalities offered by pdfjam include:
- Combining multiple PDFs (`pdfjoin`)
- Creating multi-page layouts (`pdfnup`, e.g., 2-up, 4-up printing)
- Scaling and rotating pages
- Trimming page edges
- Extracting specific pages or ranges

All these features are accessible through straightforward command-line arguments.

### Distribution & Packaging
Pdfjam is included in the TeX Live suite and is also available as standalone packages in various OS repositories:
- Debian/Ubuntu: Available via `apt-get`
- Gentoo: Listed as `app-text/pdfjam`
- NetBSD: Packaged under `print/pdfjam`

This wide availability contributes to its persistent usage across diverse computing platforms.

### Documentation & Support
Official documentation includes a help file hosted on GitHub:
- User Manual URL: https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/blob/master/pdfjam-help.txt

Bug tracking and feature requests are handled through GitHub Issues:
- Issue Tracker: https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/issues

### Version History Highlights
Notable releases include:
- **v2.08** – Released on November 14, 2010; final major update
- **v2.00** – Initial stable series released March 14, 2010
- Earlier versions date back to at least January 19, 2009 (v1.21)

Despite limited recent updates, no significant issues have been reported affecting core functionality.

### Source Availability
The full source code is publicly accessible:
- Repository: https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam
- Programming Language: POSIX-compliant shell script

This transparency aligns with its status as free software and facilitates auditing and customization by end-users.

## References

1. [Source](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/blob/master/bin/pdfjam)
2. [COPYING](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/blob/master/COPYING)
3. [README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam)
4. [What is pdfjam?. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam#-what-is-pdfjam)
5. [Version history. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/blob/9664dd92ea9385f9e60a397561ec238305fcea92/README.md#history)
6. [Release 3.02. 2019](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.02)
7. [Release 3.02. 2019](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.02)
8. [Release 3.03](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.03)
9. [Release 3.03. 2019](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.03)
10. [Release 3.04. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.04)
11. [Release 3.05. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.05)
12. [Release 3.06. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.06)
13. [Release 3.07. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.07)
14. [Release 3.08. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.08)
15. [Release 3.09. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.09)
16. [Release 3.10. 2023](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.10)
17. [Release 3.11. 2024](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.11)
18. [Release 3.12. 2024](https://github.com/rrthomas/pdfjam/releases/tag/v3.12)
19. [Release 4.00. 2025](https://github.com/pdfjam/pdfjam/releases/tag/v4.00)
20. [Release 4.1. 2025](https://github.com/pdfjam/pdfjam/releases/tag/v4.1)
21. [Release 4.2. 2025](https://github.com/pdfjam/pdfjam/releases/tag/v4.2)
22. [Release 4.3. 2026](https://github.com/pdfjam/pdfjam/releases/tag/v4.3)
23. [Release 4.3.1. 2026](https://github.com/pdfjam/pdfjam/releases/tag/v4.3.1)
24. [Pre-requisites. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/#-pre-requisites)
25. [New CTAN package: pdfjam. 2010](https://www.ctan.org/ctan-ann/id/mailman.762.1271103334.2352.ctan-ann@dante.de)
26. [Source](http://web.archive.org/web/20191122013609/https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics/staff/academic-research/firth/software/pdfjam)
27. [What is pdfjam?. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam/#-what-is-pdfjam)
28. [Reporting bugs. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam#-reporting-bugs)
29. [Pre-requisites. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam#-pre-requisites)
30. [Documentation. README](https://github.com/DavidFirth/pdfjam#-documentation)