Top PDF Viewer Libraries

SumatraPDF is a free, open-source PDF, eBook, and comic book reader for Windows.

Pros

• Lightweight and fast performance compared to many other PDF readers
• Supports a wide range of file formats beyond just PDFs
• Simple, clean interface with minimal distractions

Cons

• Limited annotation and editing features compared to more comprehensive tools like Xournal++
• Windows-only, unlike cross-platform options such as react-pdf or vue-pdf
• Fewer advanced features for academic or professional use compared to specialized tools like Sioyek or Obsidian Annotator

Xournal++ is an open-source note-taking software with PDF annotation capabilities, designed as a more feature-rich alternative to Xournal.

Pros

• Offers extensive handwriting and drawing tools, making it ideal for digital note-taking and sketching.
• Provides robust PDF annotation features, including highlighting, underlining, and adding text or images.
• Supports pressure-sensitive input devices, enhancing the natural writing experience.

Cons

• Limited to desktop platforms, unlike some other projects that offer mobile or web-based solutions.
• May have a steeper learning curve compared to simpler PDF viewers or annotators.
• Lacks some advanced collaborative features found in office suite solutions like ONLYOFFICE DocumentServer.

wojtekmaj/react-pdf is a React component for rendering PDF files in web applications.

Code Example

import { Document, Page } from 'react-pdf';

<Document file="sample.pdf">
  <Page pageNumber={1} />
</Document>

Pros

• Specifically designed for React applications, offering seamless integration
• Provides a high level of customization and control over PDF rendering
• Supports both client-side and server-side rendering

Cons

• Limited to web-based applications, unlike some other projects that offer desktop or mobile support
• May have a steeper learning curve compared to simpler PDF viewers
• Lacks advanced annotation features found in some specialized PDF tools

DImuthuUpe/AndroidPdfViewer is an Android library for rendering PDF files using PdfiumAndroid.

Code Example

PDFView pdfView = findViewById(R.id.pdfView);
pdfView.fromAsset("sample.pdf")
       .load();

Pros

• Specifically designed for Android, making it easier to integrate into Android apps
• Offers a simple API for loading and displaying PDF files
• Supports zooming, scrolling, and page navigation out of the box

Cons

• Limited to Android platform, unlike cross-platform solutions like react-pdf or vue-pdf
• May have fewer advanced features compared to full-fledged PDF readers like Sumatra PDF
• Lacks annotation and editing capabilities found in some other projects like Xournal++

Sioyek is a PDF viewer designed for reading research papers and technical documents, with features tailored for academic and scientific literature.

Pros

• Specialized features for academic reading, such as synctex support and reference jumping
• Fast and lightweight compared to more complex document viewers or office suites
• Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Cons

• Limited to PDF format, unlike some multi-format viewers or office suites
• Fewer general-purpose annotation tools compared to some alternatives like Xournal++
• Not web-based or easily embeddable in web applications, unlike some PDF viewing libraries