pdfn

PDFn is a fictional open document standard introduced as an evolution of the Portable Document Format. It defines a modular container that can package text, graphics, multimedia, and interactive elements, with enhanced metadata and built‑in versioning. The design emphasizes backward compatibility, seeking to be readable by existing PDF viewers through a compatibility profile, while enabling new features for compliant applications.

History and governance: The PDFn specification was proposed by the PDFn Alliance, a standards consortium formed in the early 2020s. After several public drafts and interoperability trials, the final specification was published in 2023. The alliance maintains ongoing maintenance and certification programs for software implementing the format.

Key features: PDFn introduces progressive loading and streaming from multiple sources, better support for tagging and semantic structure for accessibility, and more granular permissions and digital provenance for security. It supports embedded fonts and media with licensing controls, enhanced forms and scripting restrictions, and defined extension points for custom modules. The format also includes a formalized version history to track edits and document lineage.

Compatibility and adoption: As a successor to PDF, PDFn aims for broad compatibility with existing readers via a compatibility layer, though full feature utilization requires updated viewer and authoring tools. Conversion utilities are provided by the PDFn Alliance, and several major software vendors have released beta readers and authoring suites. Adoption remains ongoing, with pilot deployments in government and enterprise workflows.

See also: Portable Document Format; PDF/A; PDF/UA.