Adobe Acrobat family

• Adobe Acrobat Software Development Kit
• Develop plug-ins
• Use JavaScript with Acrobat
• Support Acrobat Inter-Application Communication

The Adobe Acrobat Software Development Kit (SDK) includes documentation, headers, sample code, and development tools for customizing Acrobat.

Customize solutions and features using the Acrobat SDK

Developers can create a variety of customized solutions and features for the Acrobat product line. With the SDK, developers can:

• Automatically submit printing jobs
• Build custom interfaces: Add menus and toolbars for specific tasks and workflows.
• Build custom workflows: Automatically add watermarks, bookmarks, links, or logos.
• Do a custom search
• Check spelling: Access customized dictionaries.

Learn more

Use C-based application programming interfaces (APIs) to develop plug-ins using supported development environments such as Microsoft Visual C++, Metrowerks CodeWarrior for Macintosh, and Gnu C compiler (GCC) for UNIX:

• Manipulate and modify Adobe PDF document pages and content.
• Customize the user interface.
• Extend functionality with productivity tools.
• Communicate with other applications, such as document management systems.

Reader Integration Key License Application

To build a plug-in for Adobe Reader, you must apply for a Reader key (encrypted digital certificate) from Adobe.

Find out how (PDF, 316K)

Use Acrobat JavaScript to enhance and extend PDF document functionality with JavaScript version 1.5 of ISO-16262:

• Easily integrate Acrobat with web services using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).
• Create, modify, and fill in interactive Adobe forms and save form data in XML, XDP, or Microsoft Excel format.
• Create and manage comments and approve documents.
• Integrate digital media into documents.
• Control and manage media players and multimedia preferences.
• Modify the user interface by using Adobe Dialog Manager to add navigation to PDF documents.

Write external applications that communicate with and control Acrobat Standard, Professional, or 3D software using the Interapplication Communication (IAC) APIs available in the Acrobat SDK:

• Control Acrobat remotely from an external application.
• Render PDF files in your application window.
• Invoke Acrobat JavaScripts as part of your Microsoft Visual Basic application.