Developer API
Call PDFDocFuse's PDF tools from your own code — same engine that powers the website, one HTTP endpoint.
Getting started
The API needs a Pro plan or higher. Once you're on Pro+, generate a key from Developer API in your account.
Authentication
Send your key as a bearer token on every request:
Authorization: Bearer pdk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Making a request
Every operation is a single endpoint: POST https://www.pdfdocfuse.com/api/v1.php, sent as multipart/form-data with an operation field naming which tool to run, plus that operation's file(s) and parameters.
curl -X POST https://www.pdfdocfuse.com/api/v1.php \ -H "Authorization: Bearer pdk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" \ -F "operation=compress-pdf" \ -F "level=smart" \ -F "file=@/path/to/input.pdf"
Response format
Success:
{
"ok": true,
"download_url": "https://www.pdfdocfuse.com/download.php?id=12345",
"filename": "compressed.pdf"
}
The download_url requires the same Authorization: Bearer header to fetch:
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer pdk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" \ "https://www.pdfdocfuse.com/download.php?id=12345" -o result.pdf
Error:
{
"ok": false,
"error": { "code": "operation_failed", "message": "..." }
}
Rate limits
| Plan | Calls / day |
|---|---|
| Pro | 500 |
| Team | 2,000 |
| Enterprise | Unlimited |
Free and Starter plans don't include API access. Going over your limit returns HTTP 429 with error code rate_limited.
Error codes
| HTTP | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | missing_api_key | No Authorization header sent. |
| 401 | invalid_api_key | Key doesn't exist or was revoked. |
| 403 | plan_required | Account isn't on Pro+. |
| 429 | rate_limited | Daily call limit reached. |
| 400 | operation_failed | See message for specifics (bad params, invalid file, etc). |
| 405 | method_not_allowed | Use POST. |
Operations
merge-pdf
Combine 2+ PDFs into one.
Parameters:
- files[] (multipart, 2+ PDF files)
split-pdf
Split a PDF into a ZIP of files by page range.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- ranges — e.g. "1-3,5,7-9"
extract-pages
Pick specific pages and save them as one new PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- pages — e.g. "1-3,5,7-9"
rotate-pdf
Rotate one page, several pages, or the whole PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- degrees — 90, 180, or 270 (default 90)
- pages — optional comma-separated list; omit to rotate every page
delete-pages
Remove specific pages from a PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- pages — comma-separated, e.g. "2,4"
compress-pdf
Shrink a PDF's file size.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- level — "smart" (default) or "max"
watermark-pdf
Stamp text across every page.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- text — watermark text
- opacity — 5-100 (default 30)
- font_size — 10-150 (default 50)
- angle — -90 to 90 (default 45)
protect-pdf
Password-protect a PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- password — 4+ characters
unlock-pdf
Remove a password from a PDF you own the password to.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
- password — the PDF's current password
⚠️ Needs Ghostscript or a CloudConvert key configured on the server.
pdf-to-text
Extract a PDF's text as plain .txt.
Parameters:
- file (multipart PDF)
⚠️ Needs a real text layer — doesn't work on scans.
word-to-pdf
Convert a .docx file to PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart .docx)
excel-to-pdf
Convert a .xlsx file to PDF.
Parameters:
- file (multipart .xlsx)