Introduction

FDF and XFDF are two file formats for storing and exchanging data related to PDF documents. Although both formats are related to PDF documents, there are some differences between them. In this article, we will discuss what FDF and XFDF are, their differences, their usage, and their advantages.

What is FDF?

FDF stands for Forms Data Format. FDF is a file format for storing and exchanging data related to PDF documents. Whenever a user creates a form in a PDF document, FDF is used to store the data entered in the form. The data that is stored in FDF files includes information related to the form fields, form data, and any other data that is linked to the document.

What is XFDF?

XFDF stands for XML Forms Data Format. XFDF is a file format for storing and exchanging data related to PDF documents. Unlike FDF, XFDF is based on XML format, which makes it easier to read and write than FDF. XFDF stores form data in an XML format. It can be used to store all data related to PDF documents, including form data, metadata, and annotations.

Difference between FDF and XFDF

The main difference between FDF and XFDF is that FDF uses a binary file format to store form data, while XFDF uses an XML file format. This makes XFDF more flexible than FDF because XML is a tag-based format, and each tag has different attributes that can be used to store data. On the other hand, binary files have a fixed structure and cannot be easily edited by a human being, while XML files can be easily edited using a text editor.

Another difference between FDF and XFDF is that FDF files contain references to the main PDF document, while XFDF files contain the entire form data in an XML format. This means that FDF files are smaller than XFDF files, but since they contain only references to the main PDF document, they may be less secure than XFDF files.

Usage of FDF and XFDF

FDF and XFDF files are widely used for storing and exchanging data related to PDF documents. They are used for form data exchange, which means that they are used to store and transfer data entered in a PDF form. FDF files are widely used in Windows environments, while XFDF files are widely used in Macintosh environments.

FDF and XFDF files can be created using a variety of software tools, including Adobe Acrobat and other PDF editors. These tools allow users to create and edit PDF forms and save them in either FDF or XFDF formats. Once the forms are created, they can be distributed to users who can fill them out and then return them in either FDF or XFDF format.

Advantages of FDF and XFDF

The main advantage of FDF and XFDF files is that they allow form data to be stored and transferred in a standardized format, which makes it easier to exchange data between different systems. They are also secure because they can be password protected and encrypted using standard PDF security features.

In addition, FDF and XFDF files are platform-independent, which means that they can be used on different operating systems and software. They can also be easily converted to other file formats, such as CSV or XML, for further processing.

Conclusion

FDF and XFDF are two file formats for storing and exchanging data related to PDF documents. Although both formats are related to PDF documents, they have some differences in terms of their file format, structure, and usage. FDF uses a binary file format, while XFDF uses an XML file format. FDF files contain references to the main PDF document, while XFDF files contain the entire form data in an XML format. FDF files are widely used in Windows environments, while XFDF files are widely used in Macintosh environments. The main advantage of FDF and XFDF files is that they allow form data to be stored and transferred in a standardized format, which makes it easier to exchange data between different systems.