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PDFlys

Introduction

Overview

The PDFlys API gives you programmatic access to the same PDF tools available on pdflys.com:

  • 20+ PDF operations — Merge, split, compress, rotate, watermark, sign, redact, convert, and more
  • Accessibility compliance — Check PDFs against WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508, EN 301 549, and PDF/UA-1
  • Auto-remediation — Fix common accessibility issues automatically
  • Compliance reporting — Persistent reports with PDF/CSV export and shareable links

Note

The API is currently in early access. Endpoints and response formats may change. Join the waitlist at pdflys.com to get notified about updates.

Base URL

https://api.pdflys.com

Quick Example

curl -X POST https://api.pdflys.com/api/v1/compress \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@document.pdf" \
  -F "level=high"

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "fileId": "output/abc123.pdf",
    "url": "https://storage.pdflys.com/output/...",
    "expiresAt": "2026-02-25T11:00:00.000Z"
  }
}

Response Format

All responses follow a consistent envelope:

Success:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": { ... }
}

Error:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "ERROR_CODE",
    "message": "Human-readable description"
  }
}

Processing Modes

Small files are processed synchronously and return a download URL immediately. Larger files (>= 5 MB) are processed asynchronously — you'll receive a jobId and can poll for the result.

Mode When Response
Synchronous File < 5 MB 200 with download URL
Asynchronous File >= 5 MB 202 with jobId — poll via GET /api/v1/jobs/{jobId}

What You Can Build

Use Case Endpoints
PDF manipulation pipeline POST /api/v1/{operation} — 21 operations
Accessibility audit POST /api/v2/accessibility/check — Accessibility API
Auto-fix accessibility issues POST /api/v2/accessibility/fix
Compliance reporting Reports & Sharing
Account & key management Account API

Next Steps