Stirling

Getting Started

Welcome to Stirling PDF#

Stirling PDF is a locally hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files. With 55+ tools, flexible deployment options, and enterprise features, it's the comprehensive PDF solution for individuals and organizations.

Benefits of Stirling PDF#

  • Extensive PDF Functionality: 55+ tools covering signing, converting, merging, editing, OCR, and redaction.
  • Stateful Workspace: Upload once and chain tools together, with full undo and redo history.
  • Runs Anywhere: Docker, bare metal, Kubernetes, or native desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Data Security: Files are processed by your own instance, never a third-party service.
  • Configure In-App: Change settings from the UI, or drive everything with environment variables and settings.yml.
  • Automation & Integration: REST API, pipelines, folder scanning, and an MCP server for AI assistants.
  • Enterprise Features: SSO (OAuth2 and SAML), user management, permission controls, and audit logging.
  • Self-Hosted: Community-driven with frequent updates and GitHub support.
  • Multi-Language Support: Available in 40+ languages with active translations.

Installation#

Choose how you want to run Stirling PDF based on your needs:

Desktop Applications#

Native apps with system integration:

Platform Download Guide
Windows Installer Windows Guide
Mac (Universal) DMG Mac Guide
Linux DEB Unix Guide

Features: Fast startup, "Open with" integration, no login required, optional server connection for advanced tools

Docker Deployment#

Recommended for server deployments and organizations:

Quick Start:

bash
docker run -d \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -v ./stirling-data:/configs \
  docker.stirlingpdf.com/stirlingtools/stirling-pdf:latest

Available versions:

  • latest - Standard version (recommended)
  • latest-fat - Extra fonts and tools for highest quality conversions and full format support
  • latest-ultra-lite - Minimal size for resource-constrained environments

Full guide: Docker Installation Guide

Manual Server Setup#

For bare metal installations or environments without Docker:

  1. Download Stirling-PDF.jar
  2. Install Java 25+
  3. Install dependencies (LibreOffice, Tesseract for OCR)
  4. Run the JAR file

Full guide: Unix Installation Guide

Documentation Guide#

For Individual Users#

Tool Reference Browse all 55+ PDF tools with descriptions

Migration Guide Upgrading from V1? What's new in V2 and how to upgrade smoothly

For Organizations & IT Teams#

Production Deployment Guide Complete walkthrough: installation - configuration - security - monitoring

Paid Offerings (Server & Enterprise) External databases, Google Drive integration, SSO, advanced monitoring, and priority support

Configuration Options All configuration options for Docker and server deployments

For Developers & Integration#

API Documentation Integrate Stirling PDF into your applications and workflows

Configuration SSO, certificates, security settings, and more

Contribute Guide Help improve Stirling PDF - development setup and guidelines

Edit this page on GitHub