PDF1x

PDF1x refers to a family of file formats used for representing documents in an electronic format, independent of software, hardware, and operating systems. The '1' in PDF1x signifies the first major version of the Portable Document Format, and the 'x' denotes subsequent revisions or iterations within that generation. Initially developed by Adobe Systems, PDF has become a widely adopted standard for document exchange.

The primary goal of PDF was to ensure that documents would look exactly as intended on any device or platform. This was achieved through a rich set of features including text formatting, fonts, vector graphics, raster images, and other necessary information to display a document. PDF1x versions laid the groundwork for many features that are still prevalent today, such as embedding fonts and supporting color spaces.

Over time, Adobe released several updates to the PDF specification, building upon the foundational PDF1x structure. These updates introduced new functionalities and improvements, addressing evolving technological needs. While later versions of PDF, such as PDF 2.0, have introduced significant enhancements, the early PDF1x formats remain foundational to the understanding of the PDF standard and continue to be supported by most PDF readers and creators. The evolution of PDF1x was a crucial step in the widespread adoption of digital document workflows.