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The PyMuPDF API compat layer in 1.1.0

SDK 1.1.0 for Python includes a compat layer that follows part of the PyMuPDF API. Coverage is partial and behaviour can differ in places; it is an independent implementation, not PyMuPDF. Method names are not listed here pending legal sign-off.

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Install PDFluent for Python

PDFluent SDK 1.1.0 is released on all channels. Install the Python package with the command below; the install line carries no version pin.

bash
pip install pdfluent==1.1.0

The PyMuPDF API compat layer in 1.1.0 Preview

PDFluent SDK 1.1.0 ships a Python compat layer that follows part of the PyMuPDF API. Coverage is partial and behaviour can differ in places; it is an independent implementation, not PyMuPDF. The method names are not listed on this site pending legal sign-off, so this guide points to the stable Document API and to the structured extraction calls instead.

python
from pdfluent import Document
from pdfluent.chunks import iter_chunks

with Document("report.pdf") as doc:
    md = doc.extract_markdown()                        # fast tier, no models
    md_tables = doc.extract_markdown(quality="balanced")  # needs installed models
    words = doc.extract_words()
    for chunk in iter_chunks(doc, mode="markdown"):
        print(chunk.text)

  1. What the compat layer is

    It is a Python layer that follows part of the PyMuPDF API. Coverage is partial and behaviour can differ in places. It is an independent implementation, not PyMuPDF.

  2. Method names are not listed here

    The compat layer's method names are not listed on this site pending legal sign-off. Do not assume a name from PyMuPDF documentation will work unchanged against PDFluent.

  3. Use the stable Document API instead

    Open a file with the Document context manager, then call extract_markdown, extract_blocks, extract_words, extract_docling or iter_chunks. Structured extraction — Markdown, blocks, words, chunks and Docling-shaped JSON — is Preview: output quality is still improving and the API may change in a minor release. Plain-text extraction is not Preview.

  4. Where to check

    The changelog at pdfluent.com/changelog and the 1.1.0 release page are the source of truth for what the compat layer covers.

  • The compat layer follows part of the PyMuPDF API by design. It is an independent implementation, not PyMuPDF, and coverage is partial.
  • Structured extraction — Markdown, blocks, words, chunks and Docling output — is Preview: output quality is still improving and the API may change in a minor release. Plain-text extraction is not Preview.
  • The balanced tier is Preview and Markdown only: extract_markdown reads it, extract_blocks refuses it.

Related

Python docsStructured extraction1.1.0 releaseChangelog

Trademark and independence notice. PyMuPDF and MuPDF are trademarks or registered trademarks of Artifex Software, Inc. PDFluent is developed by Innovation Trigger B.V. and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by or otherwise connected to Artifex Software, Inc. References to PyMuPDF are made solely to describe the compatibility of the PDFluent Python API with code written for PyMuPDF. PDFluent is an independent implementation: it does not contain source code, documentation or other material from PyMuPDF or MuPDF.