PDF Workshops

before PDF Days Europe 2025

September 11-12, 2025

The first event in 2025’s “PDF Triathlon”, this year’s PDF Workshop is a unique opportunity for library and application developers, computer scientists and technology researchers.

Audience

This workshop targets the next generation of PDF experts, providing a foundational understanding for doing PDF correctly.

The knowledge gained will lift attendees’ understanding of PDF to the next level and give them the confidence and skills to safely and securely implement today’s PDF specifications, confidently understand and propose new PDF features, and help to drive PDF forward. Today’s pragmatic implementation decisions must be balanced with forward-thinking, forward-looking, and secure approaches, which can only occur with advanced insights and expertise.

Whether representing PDF consuming software, PDF creation software, interactive applications, server-side technologies, embedded platform developers, forensic document analysts, or any other technical PDF stakeholder, this workshop will lift your knowledge and understanding about PDF.

The intended audience for the PDF workshops are software developers, software team leaders, technical support personnel and other experts responsible for PDF software technologies. Membership in the PDF Association is NOT required to attend.

Areas to be covered

Workshop attendees are assumed to have basic knowledge of PDF’s specification and programming. Participants should bring their laptops to maximize outcomes.

PDF as a page description language

• Why PDF? How/why it differs from HTML
• The PDF environment and ecosystem
• Understanding ISO-ese
• File format vs processor
• What is and is not specified – and why

Correctness: compliance vs compatibility

• Lexical, syntax, file structure, object model
• PDF versions
• Redundancy
• Page appearance – the essence of PDF

When things are not according to plan

• Specification vs. implementation vs. real-world files
• Malforms, private data,
• Permissiveness
• Metadata
• Cyber-security

PDF’s ongoing evolution

• Is “breaking PDF” bad?
• Innovation and differentiation vs compliance
• Seeking clarification

Tools

• Document forensics
• Validation
• What can you trust?

Logistics

Coffee, snacks and a light lunch are included with your registration.

The event will be conducted in English.

About Peter Wyatt

CTO of the PDF Association, Peter Wyatt is an independent PDF technology expert who, after decades of experience leading PDF-related software development at Canon, created the Arlington PDF Model, funded by DARPA’s SafeDocs program, now leveraged by veraPDF and many other applications. As such, Peter is uniquely qualified to lead a workshop that’s all about the finer points of getting PDF right.

Tickets

Tickets for this event are available now! Get your tickets here.

Staying at the SI Hotel

The workshop will be held at the SI Hotel, the same location as PDF Days the following week. The hotel has a very limited number of rooms available starting at 125€/night (including breakfast). Please get in touch with Melina to book for these nights at this price.

Otherwise you can book your SI Hotel stay here.

Other hotels in the area include:

• Anna 1908 by little BIG hotels (20 min walk or 15 min public transport)
• Seminaris CampusHotel Berlin (30 min walk or 15 min public transport)

NOTE: If you prefer other accommodations, the SI Hotel is directly located at the S-Bahn station “Rathaus Steglitz” on the S1 line, which stops at major locations in central Berlin, such as “Brandenburger Tor” and “Potsdamer Platz”.

Disclosures

Peter Wyatt represents the PDF Association. All information presented will be vendor and platform neutral, and programming language agnostic.

Peter’s use of and/or demonstration of various PDF tools during the workshop does not represent an endorsement.