What it does
Coherent PDF Command Line Tools merges, splits, stamps, transforms, optimizes, and inspects PDF documents. It also manages bookmarks, metadata, attachments, and annotations.
Select page ranges, merge files and apply stamps in one command, writing the result to a chosen output PDF. Bookmark splitting can name files from bookmark labels, and annotation JSON supports structured round trips. Image extraction and rasterisation examples call external ImageMagick or Ghostscript tools, so those jobs need more than the core executable. Windows, Mac and Linux routes are documented. Cpdf offers AGPL source licensing at no cost and a commercial alternative; choose terms for the intended integration before embedding it.
Strengths
- Exposes navigation, metadata, and layout processing through one command-line toolkit.
Watch out for
- Some image operations need external programs; deployment licensing depends on the chosen AGPL or commercial route.
Best for
- Repeatable PDF production jobs with detailed document structure
Sources
- PDF Command Line Tools and API for Java, .NET, C, C++, Python and JavaScript (Oct 26, 2026)
- Cpdf AGPL and commercial dual licensing (Oct 26, 2026)
- Cpdf command-line worked input/output examples (Oct 26, 2026)
- Cpdf platform packages and version checks (Oct 26, 2026)