PoDoFo 1.0 released

After two and a half years of development, the open source PoDoFo C++ PDF manipulation library gets a new release reaching its first major version.

PoDoFo 1.0 represents a complete reimagination of the library originally written by German developer Dominik Seichter: started in 2005 as a hobby project, PoDoFo steadily grew in features and scope through contributions from the open source community, reaching a wider audience with inclusion in major Linux distributions and package managers.

Starting in 2019, the library entered a new phase of modernization and API refinement: the process emphasized code quality, robustness, and thoughtful API design, resulting in a cleaner and more consistent foundation. This effort has led to even more advanced manipulation capabilities, while also fixing many long-standing bugs and introducing a high-level PDF signing API. Support for modern PDF standards is a major focus: PoDoFo 1.0 includes several PDF 2.0 features, such as support for modern PAdES signing profiles and ECDSA encryption. Special care is also put to ensure PDF/A and PDF/UA compliances are preserved upon common manipulation tasks: PoDoFo 1.0.1 is the first release capable of correctly signing all documents in the PDF/UA Reference Suite.

The project is currently sustained by contracting companies and other organizations that need a robust native solution for complex PDF workflows. There is still room for improvements and contributions: if you are interested in supporting the continued development of PoDoFo, please reach out to the author of this article.