What is your best recommendations for a PDF reader/editor in Linux?

Applications
1

Hello Friends

About PDF in Linux, what is your best recommendation(s) according with your own experience?

It about to be able to:

  • Create/update notes to write short and long content
  • Select a paragraph and highlight with a color

Consider you bought an ebook and you need both features.

In the same way, you already have a pdf file opened and edited in Windows through Adobe reader and you need in Linux a pdf reader to

  • Read notes
  • See a paragraph highlight with color

Thanks in advance

p.d in this network was suggested SumatraPDF but it is only available for Windows

1 Like
2

I prefer Okular reader, but all I ever do is read. Notes and highlights really belong in the source document… eg in .tex file or in Word or Office.
Editing pdf files is a modern idea.

4 Likes
3

Hello Neville

I have some ebooks about Java in pdf format and I need see, create, update the “notes”.
Same way I need highlight any paragraph as need it. Therefore the only and unique source available for me is the PDF file, there is no neither a .docx or .adoc file

Anyway I will see your suggestion, perhaps exists some extra plugin to install

3 Likes
4

That is the problem.. Pdf file makers should be required to disclose the source.

3 Likes
5

Hi @Manuel_Jordan

I don’t edit PDF documents so can’t recommend but this itsfoss article may be of interest.

6 Likes
6

I’ve now moved to using GNOME Papers which you should be able to download from Flathub via your disro’s software application.
Create/update notes :check_box_with_check: shortcut = s
Select a paragraph and highlight :check_box_with_check: select text then Ctrl+H
Can’t speak to your question about Windows (haven’t used it for over 10 years) but as the app is a Flatpak, perhaps that will be possible?

4 Likes
7

Xournal++

Yes, it converts the PDF to its own format, but then you can edit to your heart’s desire. When finished, you can export it again as a PDF.

5 Likes
8

PDFArranger

2 Likes
9

Neville

That is the problem.. Pdf file makers should be required to disclose the source.

It according the kind of business

Gary

Thanks for the link, valuable tutorial… but as usual I always do the research in this network (forum) it to get a direct experience

Graham

I’ve now moved to using GNOME Papers which you should be able to download from Flathub via your disro’s software application.

Thanks for the recommendation

Create/update notes :check_box_with_check: shortcut = s
Select a paragraph and highlight :check_box_with_check: select text then Ctrl+H

Sounds great

Can’t speak to your question about Windows (haven’t used it for over 10 years) but as the app is a Flatpak, perhaps that will be possible?

I want for Linux … so it is ok :+1:

Xander

Xournal++

Thank you

Yes, it converts the PDF to its own format, but then you can edit to your heart’s desire. When finished, you can export it again as a PDF.

Sounds great!

Luis

PDFArranger

Thanks I will see it

4 Likes
10

I rarely edit PDFs I didn’t create from my own source. In case I need to touch foreign PDFs, I use an Online service like Stirling PDF.
Thus, I don’t have to install anything.

I know that this might end up in a privacy concern, but I can live with it.

3 Likes
11

My favorite Linux PDF editor is Master PDF Editor by Code Industry. It’s a commercial product and has made my life much better. :slightly_smiling_face:

6 Likes
12

I don’t know about editor but for reader I use zathura which is very minimal and based on classic vi/vim key bindings.

5 Likes
13

Despite being commercial and paid app for Windows, the version 4 was still free for Linux.

http://code-industry.net/public/master-pdf-editor-4.3.89_qt5.amd64.deb

Did not test thoroughly, but seems to work on Debian 12 :wink:

2 Likes
14

Hello Friends

As usual thanks for the replies

Alfred

I rarely edit PDFs I didn’t create from my own source. In case I need to touch foreign PDFs, I use an Online service like Stirling PDF.
Thus, I don’t have to install anything.

I need to edit the pdf file itself to:

  • Add and update comments
  • Put colors in any paragraph as need it

Daniel

My favorite Linux PDF editor is Master PDF Editor by Code Industry. It’s a commercial product and has made my life much better

Thanks for that recommendation (Master PDF Editor | Edit text and images in PDF files)

penguin

I don’t know about editor but for reader I use zathura which is very minimal and based on classic vi/vim key bindings.

Thanks for that point, is it pwmt.org?

Laszlo

Despite being commercial and paid app for Windows, the version 4 was still free for Linux.
http://code-industry.net/public/master-pdf-editor-4.3.89_qt5.amd64.deb
Did not test thoroughly, but seems to work on Debian 12

Thanks for too

Best to all

2 Likes
15

I believe SumatraPDF works via Wine. Haven’t tried it in a while, but I remember this program had some annotation features: Homepage Johannes Hofmann - flpsed I never had much luck finding a simple pdf editor on Linux. I do like programs for reading or working with PDF such as sdlbook (based on mupdf library), pdftxt (command line PDF text display also using mupdf library) great for searching multiple PDF files, qpdf (command line PDF tools).

2 Likes
16

Just read a positive review on

Its not something I use so not going to recommend it, just another option.

17

I tried the pdfGear download. It is a Google Play app… not a Linux program.
That does not mean it you cant use it … you need a Google account to run Google Play apps.

The best free Linux choices would seem to be Okular or LibreOffice.

4 Likes
18

Okular and LibreOffice Draw

1 Like
19

Hi @Alinah , Yes you are correct there.
Welcome to itsFOSS.
Regards
Neville

1 Like
20

As a reader, GNOME Pages is what I use. But for editing and notes, I can only recommend OnlyOffice, as it recently gained PDF capabilities and it works for me.

2 Likes