install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install pdfcpu

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install pdfcpu

MacPorts ports tree · textproc/pdfcpu/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add pdfcpu

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · pdfcpu · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#pdfcpu

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/pd/pdfcpu/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/pdfcpu

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/pdfcpu.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id pdfcpu.pdfcpu -e

Windows Package Manager source index · pdfcpu.pdfcpu · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

PDF processor written in Go

Project links

Commands and aliases

pdfcpu

history

Project history and usage

pdfcpu is a cross-platform PDF processor for the command line and Go applications, covering inspection, validation, optimization, transformation, security, forms, images, and document assembly.

Project history

pdfcpu was developed as an Apache-2.0-licensed PDF processor written in Go. The project remains explicitly marked alpha while steadily expanding from validation and optimization into document assembly, forms, encryption, images, annotations, certificates, and digital-signature workflows.

Recent releases have emphasized safer file handling, parser resource limits, shell pipelines, JSON output, and clearer certificate and signature trust boundaries.

Adoption history

pdfcpu is distributed both as a standalone command and as a Go library. Official releases provide binaries for Linux, macOS, Windows, and WebAssembly, while the input record shows packaging in Homebrew, Alpine, MacPorts, Nix, Scoop, and Winget.

How it is used

Use the pdfcpu command for tasks such as validation, optimization, merging, splitting, encryption, watermarking, form handling, image extraction, and signature inspection. Go programs can import the official API package.

pdfcpu creates config.yml on first command execution. `pdfcpu config list` prints its resolved location and contents; `-conf` can select a directory or disable configuration use.

Why package nerds care

pdfcpu offers a native-Go alternative to PDF tools built around external C or C++ libraries. Its combination of a broad CLI, importable API, cross-platform binaries, and configurable validation behavior makes it useful in both shell automation and Go services.

Timeline

2024: The v0.9.1 line introduced versioned configuration and the `pdfcpu config` list/reset workflow.
2025: The v0.10.2 line focused on digital signatures, certificate management, and image handling.
2026: The v0.13.0 release expanded stdin/stdout pipelines, safer overwrite behavior, JSON listing output, and parser resource limits.

Related projects

The repository provides separate Go packages for the processing API and CLI integration. Unlike utilities that wrap Poppler or Ghostscript, pdfcpu implements its PDF processing stack in Go.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for pdfcpu. Package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}/pdfcpu/config.yml~/.config/pdfcpu/config.yml

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`pdfcpu`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-09-19

manager version0.15.0

manager updated2026-09-13

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.15.0

https://github.com/pdfcpu/pdfcpu

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:pdfcpu
Version	0.15.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pdfcpu
Homepage	https://pdfcpu.io
Repository	https://github.com/pdfcpu/pdfcpu
Upstream docs	https://pdfcpu.io
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/pdfcpu/pdfcpu/archive/refs/tags/v0.15.0.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-09-13T06:24:53Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	pdfcpu
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

pdfcpu

nix profile install nixpkgs#pdfcpu

normalized package name match
Matched by: Pdfcpu

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/pd/pdfcpu/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

pdfcpu 0.13.0-r0

PDF processor written in Go

https://pdfcpu.io

sudo apk add pdfcpu

License: Apache-2.0
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: pdfcpu
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Pdfcpu

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: pdfcpu from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

MacPorts95%

pdfcpu

sudo port install pdfcpu

normalized package name match
Matched by: Pdfcpu

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: textproc/pdfcpu/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Scoop95%

main/pdfcpu

scoop install main/pdfcpu

normalized package name match
Matched by: Pdfcpu

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/pdfcpu.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

winget95%

pdfcpu.pdfcpu

winget install --id pdfcpu.pdfcpu -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Pdfcpu

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: pdfcpu.pdfcpu from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/pdfcpu.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install pdfcpu with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, winget