Foxit PDF SDK for Web
Foxit PDF SDK for Web is a high-performance, customizable JavaScript library that delivers smooth, accurate, and reliable PDF processing for web applications. It integrates easily with popular JavaScript frameworks and loads a full-featured document viewer with a single DOM element.
Get started: Getting started guide
Relationship to Foxit PDF SDK for Desktop/Server
Foxit PDF SDK for Web is an application-layer SDK built on top of Foxit PDF SDK for Desktop/Server. It wraps the core PDF engine with viewer and UI capabilities tailored for the browser. The same three-layer model used by the mobile SDK applies here; only class names and packaging differ.
SDK architecture
Foxit PDF SDK for Web is organized into three layers. Choose the layer that matches your project goals:
| Layer | Key objects | Role | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UI Extension (Full UI) | PDFUI | Full application UI (toolbar, sidebar, comment panel, search, and more) | Ship a production-ready web PDF app quickly |
| PDFViewCtrl (Basic Viewer) | PDFViewer | Viewer control, rendering, and basic UI for custom layouts | Deeply customize product UI while reusing SDK rendering and interaction |
| Core SDK | PDFDoc, PDFPage | Low-level PDF APIs (document, page, object operations) | Build custom workflows with core APIs only, without bundled UI |
UI Extension (Full UI)
UI Extension provides a complete, ready-to-use PDF application UI. Load it with a single DOM element to get toolbar, sidebar, annotations, search, forms, and other features out of the box. Customize themes, components, and add-ons through the UIExtension API.
PDFViewCtrl (Basic Viewer)
PDFViewCtrl is the viewer control layer. It handles rendering, zoom, scroll, and page navigation while leaving layout and chrome to your application. Use it when you need full control over the user interface but want to rely on Foxit rendering and interaction.
Core SDK
The Core SDK exposes low-level PDF operations—open, save, render, text extraction, search, forms, signatures, encryption, annotations, and more—without bundled UI. Use it for server-side or headless workflows, or when building a completely custom viewer.
Typical use cases
- Embed a full PDF viewer — Add a production-ready viewer to an existing web app with minimal code.
- Custom UI on Foxit rendering — Use PDFViewCtrl for your layout while reusing high-quality PDF rendering and interaction.
- Core-only integration — Drive PDF workflows through Core APIs without any bundled UI components.
- Framework integration — Integrate with Vue, React, Angular, Next.js, and other front-end stacks via sample projects and guides.
Framework support and demo
Framework examples: Vue 3, React, Angular, Next.js, Vue 2 — see Framework integration and the Quick Guide.
Online demo: Try features in the online demo without deploying anything.
Local samples: See Examples to build and run sample projects locally.
Package model (v10.0+)
Starting with version 10.0, Foxit PDF SDK for Web ships a single consolidated package. Feature modules load according to your license. The rendering engine uses dynamic WASM modules for faster initial load and on-demand feature loading.
For download instructions, directory layout, and integration steps, see Getting started.