pdftk-server Skill for Claude: What It Does and How to Install It

Makes Claude run pdftk, a command-line tool, to merge, split, rotate, encrypt, fill, watermark or repair PDF files.

Installs: 10K; on skills.sh
Stars: 40.7K; on GitHub
Files: 5; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

Ask Claude to merge, split, rotate, encrypt, decrypt, fill a form, watermark, stamp, extract metadata, burst, repair, or attach files to a PDF, and it runs the matching pdftk command. SKILL.md gives a worked example for each of these operations and a troubleshooting table for common errors.

pdftk is a separate program this skill calls; the skill itself bundles no scripts, only documentation and five reference files (the full manual, more CLI examples, download instructions, license terms and third-party licenses). You install pdftk yourself with your OS package manager before the skill can run anything.

Good for

Anyone who needs to merge, split or extract pages from PDFs
People encrypting or decrypting PDF files from the command line
Anyone filling PDF form fields or stamping a watermark on a batch of files
Users repairing a corrupted PDF

Install pdftk-server

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the pdftk-server skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

brew install pdftk-java

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Homebrew.

Install the pdftk command for your OS first; the skill only tells Claude how to call it. pdftk itself is free under its GPL license; distributing it inside your own commercial product needs a separate redistribution license from PDF Labs.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Skill for using the command-line tool pdftk (PDFtk Server) for working with PDF files. Use when asked to merge PDFs, split PDFs, rotate pages, encrypt or decrypt PDFs, fill PDF forms, apply watermarks, stamp overlays, extract metadata, burst documents into pages, repair corrupted PDFs, attach or extract files, or perform any PDF manipulation from the command line.

Sections in SKILL.md

When to Use This Skill
Prerequisites
Step-by-Step Workflows
Merge Multiple PDFs
Split a PDF into Individual Pages
Extract Specific Pages
Remove Specific Pages
Rotate Pages
Encrypt a PDF
Decrypt a PDF
Fill a PDF Form
Apply a Background Watermark
Stamp an Overlay
Extract Metadata
Repair a Corrupted PDF
Collate Scanned Pages

Key facts

Author: github/awesome-copilot, a community collection (the SKILL.md names no individual author)
License: pdftk itself is GPL v2 and free to use; a paid redistribution license is needed to bundle it in a commercial product (pdftk-server-license.md). The skill folder holds no license file of its own
Installs on skills.sh: 9,986 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 40,666 for the whole awesome-copilot repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Oct 30, 2026
What it includes: 6 files including SKILL.md: 5 reference files (no scripts)
Needs: The pdftk command installed on the machine Claude runs code on

What it includes

Combine PDFs or split into pages
pdftk cat merges named files; burst splits one PDF into individual page files.
Try: “Merge file1.pdf and file2.pdf into merged.pdf.”
Runs code · Merge and split
Keep or drop a page range
pdftk cat with a page range extracts or, by naming the pages to keep, removes pages.
Runs code · Extract and remove pages
Rotates all pages a fixed direction
pdftk cat with a rotation suffix like east rotates every page.
Runs code · Rotate pages
Sets or removes owner/user passwords
owner_pw and user_pw add 128-bit encryption by default; input_pw with the known password removes it.
Runs code · Encrypt and decrypt
Populates fields from FDF/XFDF data
fill_form applies form data, and flatten merges the fields into the page so they can no longer be edited.
Runs code · Fill PDF forms
Background or foreground overlay on every page
background places a PDF behind every page; stamp places one on top.
Runs code · Watermark and stamp
Dumps bookmarks, page info and form fields
dump_data writes a text file of the document’s metadata.
Runs code · Extract metadata
Passes a broken PDF through pdftk to fix it
A plain pdftk input.pdf output fixed.pdf run can repair some corrupted files.
Runs code · Repair a PDF

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

The skill only tells Claude which pdftk commands to run on files you name, including setting or removing PDF passwords and writing output files. It bundles no scripts.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can remove PDF encryption
The decrypt workflow runs pdftk with input_pw and the known password to strip encryption. Use it only on files you are allowed to decrypt. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only mode; most pdftk operations write an output file by design.
Sign-in and keys	No account or key. pdftk takes passwords as command arguments, which you should avoid putting in chat for sensitive documents.
Scopes	Runs the local pdftk command on files you name Can set or remove PDF passwords and overwrite output files

Questions

What does the pdftk-server skill do?

It makes Claude run pdftk commands to merge, split, rotate, encrypt, decrypt, fill forms, watermark, stamp, extract metadata, burst or repair PDF files.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. Install pdftk for your OS first (winget, Homebrew, apt or dnf, as SKILL.md lists), then add the skill.

Is pdftk free to use?

Yes to use. pdftk-server-license.md says PDFtk Server can be used at no charge under its GPL license; only distributing it inside your own commercial product needs a separate redistribution license.

Does it need an API key?

SKILL.md names no account or key. pdftk is a command-line tool you install yourself.

Can it edit a form I did not create?

It can fill an existing form’s fields from FDF or XFDF data and flatten them, but SKILL.md does not cover creating new form fields.

Is it safe?

The skill only tells Claude which pdftk command to run; it bundles no scripts of its own. pdftk itself reads and writes the PDF files you name, including setting or removing passwords, so review the command and the output path before running it on a sensitive file.

What is the difference from a PDF-editing MCP server?

This skill drives the pdftk command-line tool on the machine where Claude runs commands. It is not a hosted PDF service. SKILL.md lists no network step, but pdftk's own manual is the place to check its behavior.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: github/awesome-copilot
Folder: skills/pdftk-server

github/awesome-copilot skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

pdftk-server SKILL.md · github.com
pdftk-man-page.md · github.com
pdftk-server-license.md · github.com
download.md · github.com