This skill provides practical instructions for PDF manipulation using Python libraries (pypdf, pdfplumber, reportlab) and CLI tools (pdftotext, qpdf, pdftk).
Install
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skillsThen run /plugin to install the skill set that includes it. In Claude.ai and the Claude app, Anthropic skills are built in: turn them on in Settings → Capabilities.
npx skills add anthropics/skills --skill pdfgit clone --depth 1 https://github.com/anthropics/skills.git /tmp/skills
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/skills/skills/pdf ~/.claude/skills/pdfPersonal skills live in ~/.claude/skills. Use .claude/skills in a project folder to share a skill with your team.
What this skill does
Comprehensive PDF manipulation toolkit for extracting text and tables, creating new PDFs, merging/splitting documents, and handling forms. When Claude needs to fill in a PDF form or programmatically process, generate, or analyze PDF documents at scale.
Trigger phrases
Claude loads this skill automatically when you say things like:
How it works
- Use pypdf for merging, splitting, metadata extraction, and page rotation
- Use pdfplumber for text and table extraction
- Use reportlab for creating PDFs from scratch
- Use CLI tools for batch operations and image extraction
When to use it
- When extracting text or tables from PDFs
- When creating new PDF documents
- When merging, splitting, or manipulating PDFs
Best practices
- Choose the right tool for each task type
- Use OCR for scanned documents
- Refer to forms.md for form-filling specifics
From the SKILL.md
# PDF Processing Guide
## Overview
This guide covers essential PDF processing operations using Python libraries and command-line tools. For advanced features, JavaScript libraries, and detailed examples, see REFERENCE.md. If you need to fill out a PDF form, read FORMS.md and follow its instructions.
## Quick Start
```python
from pypdf import PdfReader, PdfWriter
# Read a PDF
reader = PdfReader("document.pdf")
print(f"Pages: {len(reader.pages)}")
# Extract text
text = ""
for page in reader.pages:
text += page.extract_text()
```
## Python Libraries
### pypdf - Basic Operations
#### Merge PDFs
```python
from pypdf import PdfWriter, PdfReader
writer = PdfWriter()
for pdf_file in ["doc1.pdf", "doc2.pdf", "doc3.pdf"]:
reader = PdfReader(pdf_file)
for page in reader.pages:
writer.add_page(page)
with open("merged.pdf", "wb") as output:
writer.write(output)
```
#### Split PDF
```python
reader = PdfReader("input.pdf")
for i, page in enumerate(reader.pages):
writer = PdfWriter()
writer.add_page(page)
with open(f"page_{i+1}.pdf", "wb") as output:
writer.write(output)
```
#### Extract Metadata
```python
reader = PdfReader("document.pdf")
meta = reader.metadata
print(f"Title: {meta.title}")
print(f"Author: {meta.author}")
print(f"Subject: {meta.subject}")
print(f"Creator: {meta.creator}")
```
#### Rotate PagesDetails
- Skill name
pdf- Repository
- anthropics/skills
- Path
skills/pdf/SKILL.md
FAQ
What does the PDF skill do?
Comprehensive PDF manipulation toolkit for extracting text and tables, creating new PDFs, merging/splitting documents, and handling forms. When Claude needs to fill in a PDF form or programmatically process, generate, or analyze PDF documents at scale.
How do I install the PDF skill?
Claude Code plugin: /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills. Skills go in ~/.claude/skills (personal) or .claude/skills (project), and Claude loads them automatically when a task matches the description.
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