Reading map
A suggested order through the actual specs. If you're targeting modern files, read the 1.7 column; use 1.4 when you need the prose explanation, since Adobe's book is often easier to read than the ISO text.
| # | Topic | PDF 1.4 | ISO 32000-1 (1.7) |
|---|
Errata
Adobe published errata for each edition of the PDF Reference, including the third edition (1.4, last updated 2003) and the sixth edition (1.7, 2007). Check them before relying on a detail. The Specs page links to every edition and its errata.
Tools for poking at real files
Reading real PDFs is the fastest way to learn. These commands make them human-readable.
On Debian or Ubuntu: apt-get install qpdf mupdf-tools poppler-utils.