Stirling PDF: the self-hosted, open-source PDF toolkit

TL;DR

• Stirling PDF is an open-source, self-hosted PDF platform from Stirling Tools that runs as a desktop app, a browser UI, or a private server with a REST API.
• It bundles 50+ tools: merge, split, OCR, sign, compress, rotate, password-protect, edit metadata, redact, fill forms, and convert to and from many formats.
• Files are processed locally on your own machine or server, so documents never leave your infrastructure.
• It is one command to launch with Docker, ships in 40+ languages, and exposes APIs for nearly every tool.
• License is MIT (open-core), the project is very active (~85k GitHub stars, latest release v2.13.2), and it is built on Java and Spring Boot.

A note on this page: Stirling PDF is an independent open-source project created and maintained by Stirling Tools, NOT built by Navanem. This article is an editorial spotlight by navanem.com. All credit for the software, its design, and its roadmap belongs to Stirling Tools and the project's contributors. We are simply highlighting a tool we think IT teams and self-hosters will find useful.

What is Stirling PDF?

Stirling PDF is a powerful open-source PDF editing platform. You can run it as a personal desktop application, use it straight from your browser, or deploy it on your own servers behind a private API. The goal is to let you edit, sign, redact, convert, and automate PDF documents without ever sending them to an external cloud service. It is consistently described as one of the most popular PDF applications on GitHub, with around 85,000 stars and an active release cadence (latest release v2.13.2).

What can it do?

Stirling PDF ships with more than 50 PDF tools covering nearly every common document task. You can merge and split files, rotate pages, and compress oversized PDFs. It handles OCR to make scanned documents searchable, digital signing, password protection and removal, and metadata editing. There is redaction for sensitive content, PDF form filling, and conversion to and from many formats. Beyond the UI, a REST API is available for nearly all tools, so you can integrate PDF processing into your own systems and build no-code automation pipelines to process documents at scale.

How do you self-host it?

The fastest path is a single Docker command using the official image. Run it, then open http://localhost:8080:

docker run -p 8080:8080 docker.stirlingpdf.com/stirlingtools/stirling-pdf

Prefer a declarative setup? Use a small Compose file that pins the image and persists config, logs, and OCR language data:

services:
  stirling-pdf:
    image: docker.stirlingpdf.com/stirlingtools/stirling-pdf:latest
    container_name: stirling-pdf
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./stirling/data:/usr/share/tessdata:rw
      - ./stirling/config:/configs:rw
      - ./stirling/logs:/logs:rw
    environment:
      SYSTEM_DEFAULTLOCALE: en-US
      SYSTEM_MAXFILESIZE: "100"

Desktop and Kubernetes installs are documented in the project's official Documentation Guide.

Is it private/secure?

Privacy is the core design principle. Because Stirling PDF runs locally as a desktop app or self-hosted on your own server, your files are processed on infrastructure you control and do not leave it for third-party services. That makes it a strong fit for confidential contracts, HR records, financial statements, and any document workflow with compliance requirements. For organisations, the project also offers enterprise-grade capabilities such as SSO, auditing, and flexible on-prem deployments, alongside the self-hosted REST API for keeping automation inside your own network.

Who is it for?

Stirling PDF suits a broad audience. Self-hosters and home-lab enthusiasts get a polished PDF toolkit they can spin up in one Docker command. IT teams and MSPs get a private, on-prem alternative to web-based PDF services, with SSO and auditing for regulated environments. Developers get REST APIs to wire PDF processing into existing applications. And anyone who simply wants to merge, sign, OCR, or compress a document without uploading it to an unknown server will appreciate the local-first approach and the interface available in 40+ languages.

If you want the wider landscape, see navanem's roundup of the best open-source PDF editors, where Stirling PDF is ranked #1. For lighter, no-install needs, our collection of free browser-based IT tools covers quick conversions and one-off jobs that do not warrant a full deployment.

FAQ

Is Stirling PDF free?

Yes. Stirling PDF is open-source software released by Stirling Tools under the MIT license (the project follows an open-core model, so some advanced enterprise modules sit under separate terms). The core platform you self-host is free to download, run, and modify.

Is Stirling PDF made by Navanem?

No. Stirling PDF is an independent open-source project built and maintained by Stirling Tools. This page is an editorial spotlight by navanem.com; we did not create the software and claim no ownership of it.

What technology is Stirling PDF built on?

It is a Java application built on Spring Boot, using Apache PDFBox for PDF manipulation. It is distributed as a Docker image and as a desktop client, and exposes a REST API for nearly all of its tools.

Does Stirling PDF upload my documents anywhere?

No. When self-hosted or run as the desktop app, documents are processed locally on the machine or server you control. Files are not sent to an external service, which is the main reason teams with privacy or compliance needs choose it.

How do I install Stirling PDF?

The simplest method is Docker: run docker run -p 8080:8080 docker.stirlingpdf.com/stirlingtools/stirling-pdf and open http://localhost:8080. Compose, Kubernetes, and desktop installation options are covered in the project's official documentation.