iText 2

iText 2 is an early version of our open-source PDF library. It has since been superseded by iText 5 (Java), iTextSharp (the .NET version of iText 5), iText 7, and now iText 8, the latter being the current version of our PDF library. iText 8 is more feature-rich than previous versions, and is available for both Java and .NET (C#).

iText 2 was available under MPL/GPL, while iText 5 and subsequent versions switched to an AGPL and commercial dual-licensing structure.

Learn more about iText 8

iText 2 is EOL. iText 8 is the latest version of iText's leading PDF library

iText 2 is no longer being developed nor supported.

Since its inception, we have continued to evolve our widely-used library, and we have resolved the security and IP matters of iText 2. In addition, we have vastly expanded the functionality in later versions of our leading PDF library. Check out the latest one, iText 8.

Which iText PDF library version to use

For new projects

PDF library version: iText 8

The latest version of our PDF library, and the recommended PDF library for new projects. iText 8 is available under open-source AGPL and commercial conditions, offers numerous improvements and benefits, and a range of add-ons providing much wider functionality than previous versions.

For existing iText 2 projects

PDF library version: iText 5

iText 5 has a similar, though more user-friendly API than iText 2. Even though iText 5 is also EOL, and is no longer developed, the impact on your existing workflows and applications is minimal compared to an upgrade to iText 8, since iText 7 was a complete re-write of our PDF library code.

It includes the following improvements over iText 2:

Digital Signatures: Supports PAdES (PDF Advanced Electronic Signatures) and LTV (Long Term Validation), and integration with various Certificate Authorities (CAs) for creating and verifying digital signatures.
Public Key Encryption: Supports encryption with public certificates.
Enhanced Password Security: Supports AES-256 encryption* and more granular permissions.
Enhanced Standards Support: Creation of PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3, and PDF/UA-1, with conformance checks.
Improved HTML to PDF: Including XML/CSS suport with XML Worker.
Improved XFA Support: Including XFA flattening with XFA Worker.
Large PDF Files Support: Up to 1TByte.

*Writing only. Reading AES-256 encrypted documents requires iText version 7.1+.

iText 5 will protect your IP and contains numerous patches for vunerabilities in iText 2. We still provide support and regular security updates for iText 5.

Be aware that in contrast to iText 2, iText 5 is available under open-source AGPL and commercial licensing.

Feel free to contact us in case you have questions or require assistance regarding your implementation, or in case of licensing needs.

iText Services

Our experts are at hand for users that require support on their migration journey. Contact us to find out how we can support you.

Read why enterprises should upgrade from iText 2

Security and IP matters when using iText 2

Ready to use iText?

As always, if you have any technical questions, you can contact support with your valid support subscription or head over to one of our community support pages on Stack Overflow to see if your question has already been answered for our open source AGPL users.

Get started with iText Refer to API Documentation

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