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PDF Cheat Sheets, 2nd edition

Updated October 29, 2024

• All cheat sheets in a single PDF collection
• Basics
• Common objects
• Graphics operators and operands
• Color
• Logical structure
• Standard structure elements
• Standard structure attributes
• MathML in PDF
• Arlington PDF Model

To help developers whose relationship with PDF’s specification is casual or tangential, the PDF Association provides the 2nd edition of free PDF “cheat sheets”  to aid in remembering key terms and concepts without constantly referring to ISO 32000.

What these cheat sheets are not

These cheat sheets don’t introduce PDF technology, and don’t substitute for an initial learning phase. Nor do they displace the official core PDF specification.

Where the cheat sheets don’t address a subject in sufficient detail, developers should always refer to the latest ISO 32000-2 (now available at no cost), as this is the latest and most up-to-date edition of the core PDF specification.

What these cheat sheets are

These cheat sheets are designed to help developers work more efficiently while ensuring that their knowledge of PDF is technically correct. They are highly condensed summaries, with logical groupings of information to help jog one’s memory about nuances or details that are often forgotten without regular and repeated use. These cheat sheets use simple sentences, illustrations and color coding wherever possible to optimize support for the global community of PDF developers.

Download the PDF Association’s Cheat Sheets today!

All cheat sheets together

This PDF collection provides all cheat sheets in a convenient set. You can get each cheat sheet individually, via the following links. If you’d like to provide feedback to help us improve these sheets, or make suggestions for additional such sheets, please email us at info@pdfa.org.

PDF Basics

Get the PDF Basics cheat sheet

PDF’s common objects

Get the Common Objects cheat sheet.

PDF’s graphic operators and operands

Get the Graphic Operators and Operands cheat sheet.

PDF color

Get the color cheat sheet.

PDF’s logical structure

Get the logical structure cheat sheet.

PDF’s standard structure elements

Get the standard structure elements cheat sheet.

PDF’s structure attributes

Get the structure attributes cheat sheet.

MathML in PDF

Get the Math cheat sheet.

Arlington PDF Model

Get the Arlington PDF Model cheat sheet.

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Download all cheat sheets in a PDF collection.