veraPDF is a purpose-built, open source, file-format validator covering all PDF/A and PDF/UA parts and conformance levels.
veraPDF is designed to meet the needs of digital preservationists and is supported by the PDF software developer community.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- PDF/A validator built with funding form the European Union’s PREFORMA project.
Validate all PDF/A parts & conformance levels. Users can define further checks in order to enforce institutional policy. - Implementation Checker – parses and analyzes PDF documents. It outputs two types of report: a report describing the PDF document and its metadata and a Validation Report describing conformance to PDF/A and PDF/UA flavours.
- Metadata Fixer – makes a limited set of fixes to metadata within PDF documents, such as removal of the PDF/A flag in the case of a non-conforming document, or the repair of broken XMP metadata, if bad XMP is the only error preventing a legitimate PDF/A flag. The Metadata Fixer produces a fixed version of the original document and a Metadata Fixing Report, which describes the fixes attempted, and their success or failure.
- Policy Checker – parses and analyzes a PDF Features Report and generates a Policy Report stating whether the PDF document complies with institutional policy as expressed in a Policy Profile. Note that the Policy Checker can be used to check for almost any quality in a PDF; for example, the use of annotations, irrespective of PDF/A.
- Reporter – transforms verPDF’s machine-readable reports as generated by the Implementation Checker, Policy Checker, and Metadata Fixer, into other forms for downstream use.
- Shell – manages veraPDF’s other components and ensures interaction in a coordinated sequences of actions. Users interact with the Shell through the Command Line Interface (CLI), Desktop Graphical User Interface, or Web Graphical User Interface.
- Cross-platform support – runs under Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Website: verapdf.org
Support:
Developer: Open Preservation Foundation
License: GNU General Public License v3 or later (GPLv3+) and Mozilla Public License v2 or later (MPLv2+)

veraPDF is written in Java. Learn Java with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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