A Comparison Between iTextSharp and IronPDF For Editing PDFs

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a widely-used document format that is popular due to its ability to preserve document formatting, security, and portability.

PDF files have become one of the most widely used document formats in the world, and there are several libraries available for creating and manipulating PDFs in the C# language.

Discover how to edit PDF files using C# with IronPDF and iTextSharp, making the task straightforward by leveraging these powerful libraries.

In this article, we will compare two popular libraries for PDF manipulation in C#: iTextSharp and IronPDF. We will discuss how to edit PDF files using both libraries, and then we will explore how IronPDF is a superior option compared to iTextSharp, especially in terms of output print, performance, and pricing.

Introduction to iTextSharp DLL and IronPDF Libraries

iTextSharp and IronPDF features and trial information are available to help developers efficiently work with PDF files in C#. Both libraries provide a wide range of features and functionalities to create, edit, and manipulate PDF documents.

iTextSharp DLL is a C# port of the Java-based iText library. It provides a simple and easy-to-use API for creating and manipulating PDF documents. iTextSharp is an open-source library that is available under the AGPL license.

IronPDF is a .NET library that is designed to create, edit, and manipulate PDF files using C#. It provides a modern and intuitive API for working with PDF documents. IronPDF is a commercial library that comes with a free trial version and subscription options for more extensive usage.

Comparing iTextSharp and IronPDF Libraries

Both iTextSharp and IronPDF libraries provide a wide range of features and functionalities to create, edit, and manipulate PDF documents. However, IronPDF has several advantages over iTextSharp, which make it a preferred choice for working with PDF documents in C#.

Editing PDF Files Using iTextSharp and IronPDF

Now that we have discussed the differences between iTextSharp and IronPDF, let's take a look at how to edit PDF files using both libraries. We will go through examples of adding text, form fields, and filling out forms in an existing PDF document using iTextSharp and IronPDF.

Editing PDF Files Using iTextSharp

Prerequisites

Before we start, you will need the following:

1. Visual Studio installed on your machine.
2. Basic knowledge of the C# programming language.
3. iTextSharp library installed in your project.

To install the iTextSharp library in your project, you can use the NuGet package manager. Open your Visual Studio project and right-click on the project name in the Solution Explorer. Select "Manage NuGet Packages" from the context menu. In the NuGet Package Manager, search for "iTextSharp" and install the latest version of the package.

Creating a New PDF File

To create a new PDF file using iTextSharp, we need to create a new instance of the "Document" class and pass a new FileStream object to its constructor. Here's an example:

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using System.IO;

// Create a new PDF document
using (var writer = new PdfWriter(new FileStream("newfile.pdf", FileMode.Create)))
{
    using (var pdf = new PdfDocument(writer))
    {
        var document = new Document(pdf);

        // Create a header paragraph
        Paragraph header = new Paragraph("HEADER")
            .SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER)
            .SetFontSize(16);

        // Add the header to the document
        document.Add(header);

        // Loop through pages and align header text
        for (int i = 1; i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages(); i++)
        {
            Rectangle pageSize = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize();
            float x = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2;
            float y = pageSize.GetTop() - 20;

            // Add the header text to each page
            document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0);
        }

        // Set the margins
        document.SetTopMargin(50);
        document.SetBottomMargin(50);
    }
}

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using System.IO;

// Create a new PDF document
using (var writer = new PdfWriter(new FileStream("newfile.pdf", FileMode.Create)))
{
    using (var pdf = new PdfDocument(writer))
    {
        var document = new Document(pdf);

        // Create a header paragraph
        Paragraph header = new Paragraph("HEADER")
            .SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER)
            .SetFontSize(16);

        // Add the header to the document
        document.Add(header);

        // Loop through pages and align header text
        for (int i = 1; i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages(); i++)
        {
            Rectangle pageSize = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize();
            float x = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2;
            float y = pageSize.GetTop() - 20;

            // Add the header text to each page
            document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0);
        }

        // Set the margins
        document.SetTopMargin(50);
        document.SetBottomMargin(50);
    }
}

Imports iText.Kernel.Pdf
Imports iText.Layout
Imports iText.Layout.Element
Imports iText.Layout.Properties
Imports System.IO

' Create a new PDF document
Using writer = New PdfWriter(New FileStream("newfile.pdf", FileMode.Create))
	Using pdf = New PdfDocument(writer)
		Dim document As New Document(pdf)

		' Create a header paragraph
		Dim header As Paragraph = (New Paragraph("HEADER")).SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER).SetFontSize(16)

		' Add the header to the document
		document.Add(header)

		' Loop through pages and align header text
		Dim i As Integer = 1
		Do While i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages()
			Dim pageSize As Rectangle = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize()
'INSTANT VB WARNING: Instant VB cannot determine whether both operands of this division are integer types - if they are then you should use the VB integer division operator:
			Dim x As Single = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2
			Dim y As Single = pageSize.GetTop() - 20

			' Add the header text to each page
			document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0)
			i += 1
		Loop

		' Set the margins
		document.SetTopMargin(50)
		document.SetBottomMargin(50)
	End Using
End Using

In the code above, we created a new PDF file called "newfile.pdf" and added a paragraph header to it.

Editing an Existing PDF File

To edit an existing PDF file using iTextSharp, you need a PdfReader object to read the existing PDF document and a PdfStamper object to modify it. Here's an example:

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using iText.Html2pdf;
using System.IO;

/**
 * iText URL to PDF
 * anchor-itext-url-to-pdf
 **/
private void ExistingWebURL()
{
    // Initialize PDF writer
    PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter("wikipedia.pdf");

    // Initialize PDF document
    using PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument(writer);

    ConverterProperties properties = new ConverterProperties();
    properties.SetBaseUri("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format");

    // Convert HTML to PDF
    Document document = HtmlConverter.ConvertToDocument(
        new FileStream("Test_iText7_1.pdf", FileMode.Open), pdf, properties);

    // Create and add a header paragraph
    Paragraph header = new Paragraph("HEADER")
        .SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER)
        .SetFontSize(16);

    document.Add(header);

    // Align header text for each page
    for (int i = 1; i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages(); i++)
    {
        Rectangle pageSize = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize();
        float x = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2;
        float y = pageSize.GetTop() - 20;

        // Add header text aligned at the top
        document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0);
    }

    // Set the top and bottom margins
    document.SetTopMargin(50);
    document.SetBottomMargin(50);
    document.Close();
}

using iText.Kernel.Pdf;
using iText.Layout;
using iText.Layout.Element;
using iText.Layout.Properties;
using iText.Html2pdf;
using System.IO;

/**
 * iText URL to PDF
 * anchor-itext-url-to-pdf
 **/
private void ExistingWebURL()
{
    // Initialize PDF writer
    PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter("wikipedia.pdf");

    // Initialize PDF document
    using PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument(writer);

    ConverterProperties properties = new ConverterProperties();
    properties.SetBaseUri("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format");

    // Convert HTML to PDF
    Document document = HtmlConverter.ConvertToDocument(
        new FileStream("Test_iText7_1.pdf", FileMode.Open), pdf, properties);

    // Create and add a header paragraph
    Paragraph header = new Paragraph("HEADER")
        .SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER)
        .SetFontSize(16);

    document.Add(header);

    // Align header text for each page
    for (int i = 1; i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages(); i++)
    {
        Rectangle pageSize = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize();
        float x = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2;
        float y = pageSize.GetTop() - 20;

        // Add header text aligned at the top
        document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0);
    }

    // Set the top and bottom margins
    document.SetTopMargin(50);
    document.SetBottomMargin(50);
    document.Close();
}

Imports iText.Kernel.Pdf
Imports iText.Layout
Imports iText.Layout.Element
Imports iText.Layout.Properties
Imports iText.Html2pdf
Imports System.IO

'''
''' * iText URL to PDF
''' * anchor-itext-url-to-pdf
''' *
Private Sub ExistingWebURL()
	' Initialize PDF writer
	Dim writer As New PdfWriter("wikipedia.pdf")

	' Initialize PDF document
	Using pdf As New PdfDocument(writer)
	
		Dim properties As New ConverterProperties()
		properties.SetBaseUri("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format")
	
		' Convert HTML to PDF
		Dim document As Document = HtmlConverter.ConvertToDocument(New FileStream("Test_iText7_1.pdf", FileMode.Open), pdf, properties)
	
		' Create and add a header paragraph
		Dim header As Paragraph = (New Paragraph("HEADER")).SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.CENTER).SetFontSize(16)
	
		document.Add(header)
	
		' Align header text for each page
		Dim i As Integer = 1
		Do While i <= pdf.GetNumberOfPages()
			Dim pageSize As Rectangle = pdf.GetPage(i).GetPageSize()
'INSTANT VB WARNING: Instant VB cannot determine whether both operands of this division are integer types - if they are then you should use the VB integer division operator:
			Dim x As Single = pageSize.GetWidth() / 2
			Dim y As Single = pageSize.GetTop() - 20
	
			' Add header text aligned at the top
			document.ShowTextAligned(header, x, y, i, TextAlignment.LEFT, VerticalAlignment.BOTTOM, 0)
			i += 1
		Loop
	
		' Set the top and bottom margins
		document.SetTopMargin(50)
		document.SetBottomMargin(50)
		document.Close()
	End Using
End Sub

In this code, an existing PDF opens, and we add headers to its pages with proper text alignment.

Editing a PDF Document Using IronPDF

IronPDF is a powerful PDF library for C# that facilitates editing PDF documents. This tutorial will walk through the steps to edit an existing PDF file using IronPDF, including creating new PDF documents, adding pages, merging PDFs, and more.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have:

• Visual Studio IDE
• IronPDF library

Step 1: Create a New Project

Create a new C# project in Visual Studio. Choose the "Console Application" project type.

Step 2: Install IronPDF

Use the NuGet Package Manager to install the IronPDF library into your project.

// Execute this command in the Package Manager Console
Install-Package IronPdf

// Execute this command in the Package Manager Console
Install-Package IronPdf

Step 3: Load an Existing PDF Document

Load an existing PDF document using the PdfDocument class:

using IronPdf;

// Path to an existing PDF file
var existingPdf = @"C:\path\to\existing\pdf\document.pdf";

// Load the PDF document
var pdfDoc = PdfDocument.FromFile(existingPdf);

using IronPdf;

// Path to an existing PDF file
var existingPdf = @"C:\path\to\existing\pdf\document.pdf";

// Load the PDF document
var pdfDoc = PdfDocument.FromFile(existingPdf);

Imports IronPdf

' Path to an existing PDF file
Private existingPdf = "C:\path\to\existing\pdf\document.pdf"

' Load the PDF document
Private pdfDoc = PdfDocument.FromFile(existingPdf)

Step 4: Add a New Page to an Existing PDF Document

To add a new page:

// Add a new page with default size
var newPage = pdfDoc.AddPage();
newPage.Size = PageSize.Letter;

// Add a new page with default size
var newPage = pdfDoc.AddPage();
newPage.Size = PageSize.Letter;

' Add a new page with default size
Dim newPage = pdfDoc.AddPage()
newPage.Size = PageSize.Letter

Step 5: Creating PDF From Website

Generate a PDF directly from a webpage URL. Here's an example:

using IronPdf;

/**
 * IronPDF URL to PDF
 * anchor-ironpdf-website-to-pdf
 **/
private void ExistingWebURL()
{
    // Create PDF from a webpage
    var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

    // Set rendering options
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 50; // millimeters
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 50;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
    {
        CenterText = "{pdf-title}",
        DrawDividerLine = true,
        FontSize = 16
    };
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
    {
        LeftText = "{date} {time}",
        RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
        DrawDividerLine = true,
        FontSize = 14
    };
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // milliseconds

    // Render URL as PDF
    using var PDF = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format");
    PDF.SaveAs("wikipedia.pdf");
}

using IronPdf;

/**
 * IronPDF URL to PDF
 * anchor-ironpdf-website-to-pdf
 **/
private void ExistingWebURL()
{
    // Create PDF from a webpage
    var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

    // Set rendering options
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 50; // millimeters
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 50;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
    {
        CenterText = "{pdf-title}",
        DrawDividerLine = true,
        FontSize = 16
    };
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
    {
        LeftText = "{date} {time}",
        RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
        DrawDividerLine = true,
        FontSize = 14
    };
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // milliseconds

    // Render URL as PDF
    using var PDF = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format");
    PDF.SaveAs("wikipedia.pdf");
}

Imports IronPdf

'''
''' * IronPDF URL to PDF
''' * anchor-ironpdf-website-to-pdf
''' *
Private Sub ExistingWebURL()
	' Create PDF from a webpage
	Dim Renderer = New IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer()

	' Set rendering options
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 50 ' millimeters
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 50
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
		.CenterText = "{pdf-title}",
		.DrawDividerLine = True,
		.FontSize = 16
	}
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
		.LeftText = "{date} {time}",
		.RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
		.DrawDividerLine = True,
		.FontSize = 14
	}
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = True
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500 ' milliseconds

	' Render URL as PDF
	Dim PDF = Renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format")
	PDF.SaveAs("wikipedia.pdf")
End Sub

Differences Between iTextSharp and IronPDF

iTextSharp is a popular open-source library for creating, manipulating, and extracting data from PDF documents in C#. It is well-documented and widely used. IronPDF, on the other hand, is more modern, with additional features and benefits that make it a better choice for developers.

Generate PDF From HTML Input String

Here's how you can use IronPDF to create a PDF from HTML:

using IronPdf;

/**
 * IronPDF HTML to PDF
 * anchor-ironpdf-document-from-html
 **/
private void HTMLString()
{
    // Render HTML to PDF
    var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
    using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>");
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter() 
    { 
        HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:right'><em style='color:pink'>page {page} of {total-pages}</em></div>"
    };
    var OutputPath = "ChromeHtmlToPdf.pdf";
    PDF.SaveAs(OutputPath);
}

using IronPdf;

/**
 * IronPDF HTML to PDF
 * anchor-ironpdf-document-from-html
 **/
private void HTMLString()
{
    // Render HTML to PDF
    var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();
    using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>");
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter() 
    { 
        HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:right'><em style='color:pink'>page {page} of {total-pages}</em></div>"
    };
    var OutputPath = "ChromeHtmlToPdf.pdf";
    PDF.SaveAs(OutputPath);
}

Imports IronPdf

'''
''' * IronPDF HTML to PDF
''' * anchor-ironpdf-document-from-html
''' *
Private Sub HTMLString()
	' Render HTML to PDF
	Dim Renderer = New IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer()
	Dim PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>")
	Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New HtmlHeaderFooter() With {.HtmlFragment = "<div style='text-align:right'><em style='color:pink'>page {page} of {total-pages}</em></div>"}
	Dim OutputPath = "ChromeHtmlToPdf.pdf"
	PDF.SaveAs(OutputPath)
End Sub

iText 7 HTML to PDF

Convert HTML text to a PDF using iText 7:

using iText.Html2pdf;
using System.IO;

/**
 * iText HTML to PDF
 * anchor-itext-html-to-pdf
 **/
private void HTMLString()
{
    HtmlConverter.ConvertToPdf("<h1>Hello iText7</h1>", new FileStream("iText7HtmlToPdf.pdf", FileMode.Create));
}

using iText.Html2pdf;
using System.IO;

/**
 * iText HTML to PDF
 * anchor-itext-html-to-pdf
 **/
private void HTMLString()
{
    HtmlConverter.ConvertToPdf("<h1>Hello iText7</h1>", new FileStream("iText7HtmlToPdf.pdf", FileMode.Create));
}

Imports iText.Html2pdf
Imports System.IO

'''
''' * iText HTML to PDF
''' * anchor-itext-html-to-pdf
''' *
Private Sub HTMLString()
	HtmlConverter.ConvertToPdf("<h1>Hello iText7</h1>", New FileStream("iText7HtmlToPdf.pdf", FileMode.Create))
End Sub

Performance

IronPDF is designed to be faster and more efficient than iTextSharp, allowing quicker generation of PDFs using fewer resources. This efficiency is crucial for large or complex documents.

Pricing

iTextSharp requires a commercial license for certain use cases, which can be expensive. IronPDF, however, offers a more affordable pricing model with various options tailored to different needs and budgets.

Licenses and Pricing

One of the key differences between iTextSharp and IronPDF is their licensing and pricing models.

• iTextSharp: Licensed under AGPL, it requires a commercial license for non-open-source projects. Commercial licenses vary in cost.
• IronPDF: Offers a free trial with flexible licensing, including developer and server licenses, making it suitable for commercial use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while both iTextSharp and IronPDF can handle PDF manipulation in C#, IronPDF stands out as a more versatile and efficient choice. It offers advanced features, an intuitive API, and better performance. Its flexible pricing makes it suitable for commercial projects and larger organizations.

With IronPDF's superior HTML to PDF conversion, developers can easily generate reports or documents with rich media or interactive content. Coupled with cost-effective pricing, IronPDF is an excellent choice for developers needing a powerful and efficient PDF library for C# projects.