Introduction
PDF, short for Portable Document Format, is a file format used to present and exchange documents reliably, independent of software, hardware, or operating system. It was created by Adobe in the early 1990s, making it easy to share documents without worrying about compatibility issues.
Advantages of PDF
- Universally accessible
- Preserves formatting
- Security features
Use Cases
Businesses use PDFs for invoices, contracts, and reports. Students use them for research papers and assignments. Government agencies use them for official documents. PDFs are versatile and critical for many industries.
Case Study: Financial Reports
A financial services company creates PDF reports for clients. With PDF, the company ensures that the reports maintain their structure and design across different devices, providing consistent and professional-looking documents.
Statistics
According to Adobe, there are over 2.5 trillion PDFs in the world, highlighting the widespread use and acceptance of the format. 70% of business professionals prefer PDFs for document sharing and communication.
