MuPDF Core is the fast, mature C library behind PyMuPDF, MuPDF.js, and MuPDF.NET. PDFluent is a Rust core with six official bindings — Rust, Python, Node.js, .NET, Java, and WebAssembly — from one codebase.
MuPDF Core, made by Artifex Software, is the C library behind PyMuPDF, MuPDF.js, and MuPDF.NET — four separate language bindings built around one C core. PDFluent takes the same one-core approach, but the core itself is Rust, and the same memory-safety guarantees apply across all six official bindings: Rust, Python, Node.js, .NET, Java, and WebAssembly.
use pdfluent::PdfDocument;
fn main() -> pdfluent::Result<()> {
let doc = PdfDocument::open("invoice.pdf")?;
for i in 0..doc.page_count() {
let text = doc.page(i)?.text()?;
println!("--- Page {} ---\n{}", i + 1, text);
}
Ok(())
}#include <mupdf/fitz.h>
int main(void) {
fz_context *ctx = fz_new_context(NULL, NULL, FZ_STORE_UNLIMITED);
fz_register_document_handlers(ctx);
fz_document *doc = fz_open_document(ctx, "invoice.pdf");
int n = fz_count_pages(ctx, doc);
for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
fz_stext_page *text = fz_new_stext_page_from_page_number(ctx, doc, i, NULL);
fz_print_stext_page_as_text(ctx, fz_stdout(ctx), text);
}
return 0;
}| Feature | PDFluent | MuPDF |
|---|---|---|
| License model | AGPL v3 or commercial | AGPL v3 or commercial (via Artifex) |
| Core engine language | Rust (memory-safe) | C |
| Official Rust bindings | ||
| Official Python bindings | Yes — PyMuPDF (separate Artifex product) | |
| Official Node.js bindings | Yes — MuPDF.js (separate Artifex product) | |
| Official .NET bindings | Yes — MuPDF.NET (separate Artifex product) | |
| Official Java bindings | ||
| WebAssembly (runs in the browser) | Via MuPDF.js, not MuPDF Core directly | |
| One core, one set of bindings from the same vendor | Yes — Rust core, 6 bindings, same team | 4 separate named products (Core, PyMuPDF, MuPDF.js, MuPDF.NET) from Artifex |
| PDF parsing & text extraction | ||
| PDF rendering to image | ||
| PDF creation & editing | ||
| Merge / split PDFs | ||
| Redaction | ||
| Annotations / markup | ||
| Digital signatures | PAdES, CMS, PKCS12, TSA | Yes — cryptographic signing support |
| XFA forms (dynamic reflow, FormCalc) | Not listed on mupdf.com's feature pages | |
| PDF/A validation & conversion | Not a stated goal | |
| OCR engine | Python only in 1.1.0, opt-in, off by default, via system tesseract. | Not part of MuPDF Core |
| Published, self-service pricing | Contact Artifex sales |
Choose PDFluent if you want memory-safety guarantees across every language you use, native XFA forms or PDF/A validation without extra libraries, or a single vendor maintaining every binding from one core.
Choose MuPDF if you're already standardized on Artifex's product family, need the deepest possible track record in a C-based PDF engine, or specifically need one of their four separate products as-is.
MuPDF Core is a fast, proven C library with over two decades of use and the same AGPL-or-commercial model PDFluent uses. If you're already committed to Artifex's product family — MuPDF Core in C plus PyMuPDF, MuPDF.js, or MuPDF.NET for other languages — it's a solid, well-tested choice with a long track record. PDFluent's bet is different: one Rust core with six official bindings built and maintained by the same team, plus native XFA dynamic forms and PDF/A validation that aren't part of MuPDF's stated feature set.
Try PDFluent free for 30 days
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PyMuPDF and MuPDF are trademarks of Artifex Software, Inc. PDFluent is an independent product of Innovation Trigger B.V. and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Artifex.