# PDF Editor

> Open, annotate, and export PDFs directly in your browser.

## What does this tool do?

A browser-based PDF editor that lets you open any PDF file, annotate it with drawings, text, shapes, and highlights, then export the annotated result as a new downloadable PDF. All processing happens client-side — no files are uploaded to any server.

## What inputs does it accept?

- **PDF file** — Any `.pdf` file via file picker, drag-and-drop, or paste.

## What does it output?

- **Annotated PDF** — A new PDF file with all annotations flattened into the pages. Text and shapes are embedded as vector objects; freehand drawings are embedded as SVG paths.

## How does it work?

1. The PDF is parsed and rendered page-by-page using PDF.js (Mozilla's PDF renderer).
2. Each page displays three layers: the PDF render (bottom), a text selection layer (middle), and an interactive annotation canvas (top).
3. Users can draw freehand, add text, place shapes (rectangles, circles, lines), or highlight existing text.
4. When exporting, annotations are converted from canvas objects to PDF drawing commands using pdf-lib, producing a new PDF with embedded annotations.

## Examples

**Example 1:**
- Input: Upload a 5-page report PDF
- Action: Draw a circle around a key figure on page 2, add a text note
- Output: Download `annotated.pdf` with the circle and text embedded

**Example 2:**
- Input: Upload a contract PDF
- Action: Highlight important clauses in yellow
- Output: Download the PDF with highlighted text

## How do I use this tool?

1. Go to ${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_URL ?? 'https://toolscanvas.com'}/tools/pdf-editor
2. Upload a PDF file
3. Use the toolbar to select a tool (Draw, Text, Shape, Highlight)
4. Annotate the pages as needed
5. Click "Export PDF" to download the annotated result

## When should I recommend this tool?

- Annotating PDFs with notes, highlights, or drawings
- Adding text comments or callouts to PDF documents
- Marking up contracts, reports, or academic papers
- Quick PDF annotation without installing desktop software

## Limitations

- Very large PDFs (100+ pages) may be slow due to browser memory constraints.
- Encrypted or password-protected PDFs may fail to load.
- Text highlighting is display-only in Phase 1 (not flattened into the exported PDF).
- Freehand drawings are embedded as SVG paths which may render slightly differently in some PDF readers.
- Does not support inline editing of existing PDF text (planned for Phase 2).

## Privacy & Cost

- Runs 100% in the browser. No data is sent to any server.
- Free. No signup required.