PDF (Portable Document Format)

The PDF format is a widely used document format containing text, images, and other 2D content in a read-only format. The format was introduced in 1992 by Adobe as a royalty-free format and is largely based on the earlier PostScript file format, with some of its scripting features later removed.

PDF files can contain rasterized images and vector graphics, which can optionally be compressed and encrypted for successful transmission. The format has evolved over the years to include features such as layers, metadata, accessibility features, and interactive forms.