AutoGineer
Generated banner for Pdftk Server
Generated logo for Pdftk Server

Pdftk Server

GitHubOfficialFirst committed by jhaugaDistributed by GitHub

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Automation and integrations
  • MIT
  • Low risk
Download ZIP

From the author

Skill for using the command-line tool pdftk (PDFtk Server) for working with PDF files. Use when asked to merge PDFs, split PDFs, rotate pages, encrypt or decrypt PDFs, fill PDF forms, apply watermarks, stamp overlays, extract metadata, burst documents into pages, repair corrupted PDFs, attach or extract files, or perform any PDF manipulation from the command line.
— the description by jhauga

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

PDFtk Server is a powerful command-line utility designed for programmatic PDF document manipulation. It provides a robust set of operations for handling PDF files, including merging, splitting, rotating, and encrypting documents. It also supports advanced features like filling PDF forms, applying watermarks or stamps, extracting metadata, and repairing corrupted files. This tool is ideal for users who need to automate document processing tasks directly from a terminal or within scripts.

What it does

  • Merges multiple PDF files into a single document
  • Splits or bursts PDF files into individual pages
  • Encrypts and decrypts PDF files with password protection
  • Fills PDF form fields using FDF or XFDF data
  • Applies background watermarks or foreground stamps to pages
  • Extracts metadata, bookmarks, and embedded file attachments

When to use it

  • When you need to automate PDF processing tasks via command-line scripts
  • When performing batch operations on large numbers of PDF files
  • When you need to secure sensitive documents with password encryption
  • When preparing documents by merging, rotating, or removing specific pages
  • When extracting data or attachments from existing PDF files

Advantages

  • Enables automation of repetitive PDF tasks
  • Supports complex operations like form flattening and page collation
  • Lightweight command-line interface suitable for server environments
  • Provides granular control over PDF structure and security

Usage examples

“How do I merge three PDF files into one using PDFtk?”
The agent provides the command: pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf cat output merged.pdf.
“I need to password protect a PDF file, how can I do that?”
The agent provides the command: pdftk input.pdf output secured.pdf owner_pw mypassword user_pw userpass.
“How can I split a PDF into individual pages?”
The agent provides the command: pdftk input.pdf burst.
“How do I fill a PDF form and make it non-editable?”
The agent provides the command: pdftk form.pdf fill_form data.fdf output filled.pdf flatten.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/github/pdftk-server/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip pdftk-server.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by jhauga

PDFtk Server

PDFtk Server is a command-line tool for working with PDF documents. It can merge, split, rotate, encrypt, decrypt, watermark, stamp, fill forms, extract metadata, and manipulate PDFs in a variety of ways.

When to Use This Skill

  • Merging or joining multiple PDF files into one

  • Splitting or bursting a PDF into individual pages

  • Rotating PDF pages

  • Encrypting or decrypting PDF files

  • Filling PDF form fields from FDF/XFDF data

  • Applying background watermarks or foreground stamps

  • Extracting PDF metadata, bookmarks, or form field information

  • Repairing corrupted PDF files

  • Attaching or extracting files embedded in PDFs

  • Removing specific pages from a PDF

  • Collating separately scanned even/odd pages

  • Compressing or decompressing PDF page streams

Prerequisites

  • PDFtk Server must be installed on the system

    • Windows: winget install --id PDFLabs.PDFtk.Server

    • macOS: brew install pdftk-java

    • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): sudo apt-get install pdftk

    • Linux (Red Hat/Fedora): sudo dnf install pdftk

  • Access to a terminal or command prompt

  • Verify installation by running pdftk --version

Step-by-Step Workflows

Merge Multiple PDFs
pdftk file1.pdf file2.pdf cat output merged.pdf

Using handles for more control:

pdftk A=file1.pdf B=file2.pdf cat A B output merged.pdf
Split a PDF into Individual Pages
pdftk input.pdf burst
Extract Specific Pages

Extract pages 1-5 and 10-15:

pdftk input.pdf cat 1-5 10-15 output extracted.pdf
Remove Specific Pages

Remove page 13:

pdftk input.pdf cat 1-12 14-end output output.pdf
Rotate Pages

Rotate all pages 90 degrees clockwise:

pdftk input.pdf cat 1-endeast output rotated.pdf
Encrypt a PDF

Set an owner password and a user password with 128-bit encryption (default):

pdftk input.pdf output secured.pdf owner_pw mypassword user_pw userpass
Decrypt a PDF

Remove encryption using the known password:

pdftk secured.pdf input_pw mypassword output unsecured.pdf
Fill a PDF Form

Populate form fields from an FDF file and flatten to prevent further edits:

pdftk form.pdf fill_form data.fdf output filled.pdf flatten
Apply a Background Watermark

Place a single-page PDF behind every page of the input (input should have transparency):

pdftk input.pdf background watermark.pdf output watermarked.pdf
Stamp an Overlay

Place a single-page PDF on top of every page of the input:

pdftk input.pdf stamp overlay.pdf output stamped.pdf
Extract Metadata

Export bookmarks, page metrics, and document information:

pdftk input.pdf dump_data output metadata.txt
Repair a Corrupted PDF

Pass a broken PDF through pdftk to attempt automatic repair:

pdftk broken.pdf output fixed.pdf
Collate Scanned Pages

Interleave separately scanned even and odd pages:

pdftk A=even.pdf B=odd.pdf shuffle A B output collated.pdf

Troubleshooting

IssueSolution
pdftk command not foundVerify installation; check that pdftk is in your system PATH
Cannot decrypt PDFEnsure you are providing the correct owner or user password via input_pw
Output file is empty or corruptCheck input file integrity; try running pdftk input.pdf output repaired.pdf first
Form fields not visible after fillUse the flatten flag to merge fields into the page content
Watermark not appearingEnsure the input PDF has transparent regions; use stamp for opaque overlays
Permission denied errorsCheck file permissions on input and output paths

References

Bundled reference documents in the references/ folder:

Files

references/pdftk-server-license.md

PDFtk Server License

PDFtk Server can be used at no charge under its GPL license.

Commercial users will benefit from the comprehensive commercial support agreement.

To distribute PDFtk Server as part of your own commercial product you will need to purchase the PDFtk Server Redistribution License.

PDFtk Server Redistribution License

If you plan to distribute PDFtk Server as part of your own software, you will need a PDFtk Server Redistribution License. The exception to this rule is if your software is licensed to the public under the GPL or another compatible license.

The commercial redistribution license allows you, subject to the terms of the license, to distribute an unlimited number of PDFtk Server binaries as part of one distinct commercial product. Please read the full license:

PDFtk Server Redistribution License (PDF)

Now available for $995:

Buy the PDFtk Server Redistribution License

PDFtk Server GPL License

PDFtk Server (pdftk) is not public domain software. It can be used at no charge under its GNU General Public License (GPL) Version 2. Click here to read the complete text.

PDFtk uses third-party libraries. The licenses and source code for these libraries are described in the third-party-materials reference document.

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: GitHub Copilot

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

  • Instructions that use the network

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

First committed by
GitHub avatar of jhaugajhauga
Publisher
GitHub (Official)
Distributed by
GitHub
Source
github/awesome-copilot · skills/pdftk-server · commit 797337f
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
Contributors
jhauga

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by jhauga or GitHub.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download pdftk-server.zip