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Guide · Open source

How to use react-pdf: display PDFs in a React app

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

react-pdf is an open-source TypeScript library, published under the MIT licence, that lets a React application display PDF documents. According to its description, it does this about as easily as showing an image. This guide is for developers who want to add PDF display to an existing React project and need to know what the project is, how to get its source, and whether it fits their needs. The source material for this guide is a truncated README, so the details of the API and supported features are not covered here.

react-pdfwojtekmaj/react-pdf · ★ 11.2k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Decide if react-pdf fits. Confirm your project uses React and that you need to display PDFs, not edit them. react-pdf is a library for display.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run the git clone command to download the source from GitHub.
  3. 3Open the README. Read packages/react-pdf/README.md in the cloned repository for the full instructions.
  4. 4Confirm the API. Check the component names, props and setup steps in the full README before writing code.
  5. 5Check the licence. The project is MIT-licensed. Read the licence file in the repository to confirm terms for your use.
  6. 6Compare alternatives if needed. If your needs go beyond display, review PDF.js or react-pdf-viewer before you commit.

What react-pdf is and who it is for

react-pdf is a code library, not a ready-made PDF reader application. You add it to a React project so your own components can show PDF files. The project is written in TypeScript and is built for React apps.

  • Best for developers adding PDF display to an existing React app
  • Good fit for teams that want an MIT-licensed PDF viewing option
  • Not for non-developers looking for a standalone PDF reader
  • Not for projects that are not using React

Get the react-pdf source code

The README provided for this guide lists a single install-related command: cloning the repository from GitHub. Run it in a terminal to download the source locally so you can read the code and documentation.

The README was truncated, so no package install command or required prerequisites were confirmed in the source. Read the full README in the repository before you add the library to your project.

git clone https://github.com/wojtekmaj/react-pdf.git

Check the README for usage and features

The project description says react-pdf lets you display PDFs in a React app. The available README excerpt only shows a file path, packages/react-pdf/README.md, so the component names, props and setup steps could not be confirmed from it.

Open that file in the cloned repository to find the usage instructions. Do not assume editing or form-filling features exist unless the README describes them.

  • Open packages/react-pdf/README.md in the cloned repository
  • Confirm the component API and props before writing code
  • Check the project homepage at https://projects.wojtekmaj.pl/react-pdf for more information

Compare react-pdf with similar projects

Two projects are commonly compared with react-pdf: PDF.js and react-pdf-viewer. Choose based on what your app needs. This guide does not include benchmarks or feature-by-feature comparisons, because the source does not provide them.

  • PDF.js: a related PDF library to consider when evaluating options
  • react-pdf-viewer: a comparable project to review alongside react-pdf

What people use it for

  • Showing a PDF document inside a React dashboard or admin page
  • Adding a PDF preview to a React app that already handles file uploads
  • Building an MIT-licensed PDF viewing feature into a React product

Frequently asked questions

Is react-pdf free to use?

react-pdf is published under the MIT licence, according to the project information used for this guide. Read the licence file in the repository to confirm the terms for your own project.

What is react-pdf used for?

react-pdf is a TypeScript library that lets a React application display PDF documents. It is aimed at developers who want to show PDFs in a React app.

Does react-pdf work outside React?

No. The project is built for React apps, so it is not a fit for projects that use other frameworks.

How do I install react-pdf?

The source material only confirms that you can clone the repository with git clone https://github.com/wojtekmaj/react-pdf.git. Check packages/react-pdf/README.md for the full install steps, because the README was truncated.

Can react-pdf edit or fill PDF forms?

The available README does not describe editing or form-filling features. Do not rely on them until you confirm them in the full documentation.

What are alternatives to react-pdf?

The projects compared with react-pdf in the source are PDF.js and react-pdf-viewer. Review each one against your display, licence and maintenance needs.

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Our verdict

react-pdf is a reasonable choice for developers who want to display PDFs inside an existing React app under an MIT licence. It is a code library, so it is not suitable for anyone who wants a ready-made PDF reader, and projects that need confirmed editing or form-filling should look elsewhere or verify features first.

Install options & downloads