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Ghostscript

by Artifex Software · Since 1993
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ActiveAvailable globallyCloudOn-premise
Quick facts
VendorArtifex Software
Year launched1993
StatusActive
Location39 Mesa St, San Francisco, California 94129, US
Countries servedGlobal
Languages9
IntegrationsN/A
Free tierN/A
Free trialN/A
Contact salesYES

About Ghostscript

Ghostscript is a document processing software from Artifex Software that provides advanced rendering and conversion capabilities. It combines native rendering of PDF, PostScript, PCL, and XPS formats, as well as support for raster graphics, to help users manage diverse document workflows. This tool is known for high performance interpreters that handle complex documents efficiently. Ghostscript also includes flexible integration options for various applications and workflows, making it suitable for developers looking to implement document processing features into their software. Key capabilities: PDF rendering PostScript processing PCL support XPS handling raster image processing Best for: software developers and organizations that need reliable document conversion and rendering solutions.

**Ghostscript by Artifex Software** is a robust and widely recognized tool in the document generation and processing domain, particularly known for its powerful handling of PostScript and PDF files. Originally developed as an interpreter for PostScript language, Ghostscript has evolved into a versatile document solution that supports PDF creation, conversion, and manipulation. Its primary purpose is to provide developers, enterprises, and printing professionals with a reliable framework for document rendering, high-quality printing, and advanced document workflows. With its open-source roots and commercial licensing options, Ghostscript offers a comprehensive set of features including PDF to image conversion, high-quality rendering, font embedding, and compliance with various PDF/A standards. When it comes to the **user interface and ease of use**, Ghostscript is not a traditional point-and-click software but rather a command-line driven tool. This makes it less intuitive for beginners compared to GUI-based document generation applications. However, for developers and technical users, the command-line flexibility offers immense power and control over document processing tasks. Several third-party applications have built graphical front-ends for Ghostscript, making it easier for non-technical users to leverage its capabilities.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • High performance for rendering and conversion.
  • Extremely small footprint at just 3MB.
  • Broad compatibility with most operating systems.
  • Strong focus on quality and security.
Cons
  • It's a commercial product with licensing.
  • Requires knowledge of page description languages.
  • Limited to specific file formats initially.

Features

Key features

High Performance Interpreters

Offers native rendering and conversion for all major page description languages.

Color Management

Supports ICC standards for accurate color rendering throughout the workflow.

Language Bindings

Added bindings for Python, C#, and Java to the gsapi interface.

Performance

Optimized for speed, with a small file size of 3 MB, making it a fast print engine.

Compatibility

Written in C, it runs on most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Unix.

Additional features

Enhanced N-up Functionality

Expanded imposition functionality to handle all input file types.

Language Bindings

Provides bindings for Python, C#, and Java for its gsapi interface.

OCR

Added OCR device support to convert images and scanned documents into searchable PDFs.

Powerful PDF Compression

Reduces PDF file sizes with enterprise-grade compression.

Cobalt Acceleration Library (CAL)

Delivers significant performance enhancements to systems.

Graphics Library

Supports multiple imaging models including Postscript Level 3 and PDF 2.0.

Color Management

Supports ICC standards for accurate color rendering.

Screening

Offers three high-performance screening technologies.

Interpreters

Offers native rendering of major page description languages.

Trapping

Performs configurable bitmap-based trapping during the rendering process.

Flexibility

Provides customizable software solutions with a wide array of device drivers.

Compatibility

Runs on most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Unix.

Performance

A fast and small 3 MB print engine.

Quality Assurance

Ensures high-quality performance through continuous benchmark testing.

Flexible Integration

Can be used as a standalone application or integrated as an SDK.

Pricing

Free trial
Free version
Request a quote
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Countries & Languages

Global
Countries served
9
Interface languages
15
Billing currencies

Interface languages

EnglishGermanFrenchSpanishItalianJapaneseChineseKoreanRussian.

Billing currencies

🇺🇸USD🇪🇺EUR🇬🇧GBP🇦🇺AUD🇨🇦CAD🇯🇵JPY🇨🇳CNY🇨🇭CHF🇳🇿NZD🇮🇳INR🇷🇺RUB🇭🇰HKD🇸🇬SGD🇲🇽MXN🇧🇷BRL

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