Process documents at scale — entirely in Java

Convert between PDF and Office formats, automate document generation from templates, and ensure PDF/UA accessibility compliance. Near‑instant cold starts and tiny footprints keep microservices lean.



Automatic file type handling

Drop in any supported file — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, Markdown, images, and more — and convert bidirectionally between PDF and Office formats. Edit, transform, and repurpose content with high fidelity.

Proven core

Runs on the battle‑tested engine behind Nutrient Web and Document Engine SDKs that’s trusted by thousands of enterprises worldwide.

Always current

Standalone package that tracks the same updates as our Web Viewer SDK and Document Engine; just bump the version to stay up to date with the latest technology.


Conversion and editing toolkit built for modern Java

From one‑call file conversions to precise PDF edits, everything lives in one SDK — no extra servers, CLI tools, or runtimes.

Java capabilities

Bidirectional conversion

Convert Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, emails, images, and CAD files to PDF — and convert PDFs back to editable Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or web-ready HTML. Unlock content for repurposing with high fidelity.

Template-based automation

Process Word templates with JSON data to generate thousands of personalized documents automatically. Perfect for contracts, invoices, reports, and letters at scale with consistent formatting.

Edit and assemble PDFs

Merge documents across different formats into single PDFs; split and reorder pages; insert custom pages, text, or images; preserve Word comments and tracked changes; and manage XMP metadata.

Compliance and accessibility

Generate PDF/A documents for long-term archiving and auto-tagged PDF/UA (ISO 14289) for WCAG 2.2, Section 508, ADA, and EN 301 549 compliance. Accessibility is built in, not bolted on.

Minimal code, powerful results

Most operations take 3–4 lines of code. Add Nutrient to your project in minutes, and then extend or customize every step with a clear, chainable Java API.

package io.nutrient.Sample;
import io.nutrient.sdk.Document;
public class WordDocumentToPDF {
public static void main(String[] args){
try (Document document = Document.open("input.docx")){
document.exportAsPdf("output.pdf");
}
}
}

Reasons to build with Nutrient

Nutrient SDKs and Cloud APIs add full document lifecycle support to any platform, tech stack, or infrastructure in minutes. The same technology meets Fortune 500 requirements while helping startups ship fast.

Ready for context engineering

Clean documentation, drop-in code, and MCP hooks for both hands-on developers and AI agents.

Build for and deploy anywhere

Web, mobile, desktop, server, or Nutrient Cloud — with no lock-in.

Secure and accessible

SOC 2 Type 2 and WCAG 2.2-compliant workflows with PDF/UA-accessible documents.

AI-first document workflows

Built-in document AI with support for leading LLMs and their private implementations.



PROVEN AT SCALE

Trusted by the brands that move the world


The digital arm of Germany’s national railway digitizes millions of track maintenance blueprints with the Nutrient PDF SDK, keeping 40,000 trains rolling each day.


Governance portal trusted by 2,000+ boards in 30 countries embeds Nutrient Web SDK to enable in‑portal annotations and cross‑device continuity, achieving 80 percent user engagement.


Rolled out nationwide PAdES-compliant signatures with the Nutrient PDF SDK, letting every Austrian citizen sign official documents securely in seconds.


FREE TRIAL

Ready to get started?

Start building with our Java SDK in minutes — no payment information required.


Java PDF libraries

What are the advantages?

Integrating PDF functionality into Java applications can significantly enhance document management capabilities. This section will explore the essentials of Java PDF libraries to guide you through this integration.

What is a Java PDF library?

A Java PDF library is a set of APIs enabling developers to process, convert, and manage documents within Java applications. These libraries provide functionality such as converting between PDF and Office formats, automating document generation from templates, modifying existing documents, and ensuring accessibility compliance.

How to choose the right Java PDF library

Selecting the right Java PDF library depends on your specific document processing needs. Consider the following factors:

  • Conversion capabilities — Look for bidirectional conversion between PDF and Office formats, not just one-way processing.
  • Automation features — Consider template-based document generation for contracts, invoices, and reports at scale.
  • Compliance and accessibility — Ensure support for PDF/UA, PDF/A, and regulatory standards like Section 508 and WCAG 2.2.
  • Performance and scalability — Look for optimization for high-volume batch processing and enterprise workloads.
  • Developer experience — Evaluate API simplicity, documentation quality, and integration effort required.
What are the benefits of using Nutrient’s Java PDF library?

Nutrient Java SDK offers unique advantages for server-side document processing:

  • Bidirectional conversion — Convert between PDF and Office formats in both directions, preserving formatting, layouts, and even Word comments during conversion.
  • Template-based automation — Generate thousands of personalized documents from Word templates and JSON data with consistent formatting.
  • Built-in accessibility — PDF/UA compliance integrated at the core, not bolted on, meeting Section 508, ADA, and WCAG 2.2 requirements.
  • Minimal code required — Most operations take just 3–4 lines of Java code with idiomatic builders and try-with-resources support.
  • Enterprise performance — Designed for high-volume batch processing with optimized memory usage and near-instant cold starts.
How does Nutrient’s Java PDF library compare to other solutions?

Nutrient Java SDK differentiates itself through unique server-side capabilities. While open source libraries like Apache PDFBox focus on basic manipulation and iText emphasizes PDF creation, Nutrient specializes in bidirectional Office conversion, template automation, and accessibility compliance — features critical for modern document workflows.

The SDK integrates seamlessly with Spring Boot microservices and Jakarta EE servers, and it supports Maven and Gradle build systems. With comprehensive documentation, working examples, and dedicated support, Nutrient enables developers to implement sophisticated document processing workflows quickly while meeting enterprise requirements for performance, security, and compliance.


Frequently asked questions

What makes Nutrient Java SDK different from other Java PDF libraries?

Nutrient Java SDK stands out with unique capabilities not found in most Java PDF libraries. Unlike open source options like Apache PDFBox or iText, Nutrient offers bidirectional conversion between PDF and Office formats — convert PDFs back to editable Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, not just Office to PDF. The SDK also preserves Word comments and tracked changes during conversion, essential for legal and compliance workflows.

For document automation, Nutrient excels with template-based generation using Word templates and JSON data, automatically creating thousands of personalized documents. Built-in PDF/UA accessibility compliance (Section 508, WCAG 2.2, ADA) is integrated at the core, not an afterthought. The clean API requires just 3–4 lines of code for most operations, with idiomatic Java builders and try-with-resources support that makes integration straightforward.

How does Nutrient Java SDK ensure high-fidelity document conversion?

The SDK uses proven document processing technology built on more than 20 years of development, which also powers Nutrient’s .NET SDK (formerly GdPicture) and Document Engine products. This ensures accurate format conversion that preserves complex layouts, formatting, fonts, and document structure across all supported formats: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, and Markdown.

Can I use Nutrient Java SDK to merge and convert documents?

Definitely. Our Java SDK provides robust tools to merge multiple documents — including different formats — into a single PDF. The SDK automatically handles format conversion during the merge process, so you can combine Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, images, and PDFs into one unified PDF file while preserving formatting and page order.

Beyond merging, the Java SDK supports bidirectional conversion between PDF and Office formats. Convert Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files to PDF with high fidelity, or convert PDFs back to editable Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and HTML documents. You can also convert Markdown to PDF and preserve Word comments and tracked changes during conversion — essential for legal and compliance workflows.

For automated document workflows, the SDK excels at template-based generation: Combine Word templates with JSON data to create thousands of personalized PDFs automatically. All conversions support PDF/A archiving and PDF/UA accessibility standards, making it suitable for high-volume enterprise document operations.

Is Nutrient Java SDK suitable for enterprise-level applications?

Absolutely. The SDK is designed to be safe, reliable, and scalable, making it well-suited for enterprise applications that require robust document processing capabilities. It’s trusted by industry leaders, and it ensures compliance with various security and privacy standards. The SDK includes optimization features for memory usage and processing speed, making it suitable for server applications that need to process thousands of files.

Can Nutrient Java SDK parse PDF files?

Yes. The Nutrient Java PDF library is designed to parse PDF files, enabling developers to efficiently extract, analyze, and manipulate document content. Whether working with text, images, metadata, or structured elements like tables and forms, the library provides powerful parsing capabilities to ensure accurate data retrieval. For businesses handling invoices, contracts, or financial reports, the SDK also enables the parsing of form fields and structured elements, making it easy to extract user-submitted data for processing and integration into databases or third-party systems.