Open Source PDF Editor

Stirling PDF

Open source pdf editor you can run on your own machine. Stirling PDF is the project we point people to. Official docs list 55+ tools, including signing, converting, merging, editing, OCR, and redaction. Processing stays local.

Install on this page Official GitHub repo

Why people self-host a PDF editor

Upload-based tools are fine for a flyer. They are a poor fit for contracts, IDs, or medical scans. A self-hosted editor keeps the work on a laptop or a server you run.

Files stay with you

Stirling processes files locally. You install it, you open it, and the PDF stays on the machine you control.

55+ tools in the official docs

Signing, converting, merging, editing, OCR, and redaction are on that list. The usual jobs (merge, split, rotate, convert) are there too.

Desktop or a server

Run a Windows desktop app, or stand up a container and open port 8080. If you want a browser tab with no server of your own, see Stirling PDF vs Bento PDF.

Install on this page

Useful commands live here. Official GitHub releases and docs stay one click away, in a new tab.

Windows desktop

Use winget below, or take the MSI from official GitHub releases.
If the window does not appear, official Windows docs mention WebView2.
Full desktop notes are on our Windows page.

winget install StirlingTools.StirlingPDF

Need winget first? How to install winget.

Scoop is also listed in official docs. We do not host exe, msi, or jar files.

Windows steps Official releases

Docker

Copy the official simple compose file, or download docker-compose.yml.
Run docker-compose up -d, then open http://localhost:8080.
Default login is username admin and password stirling. Change that immediately.

services:
  stirling-pdf:
    image: docker.stirlingpdf.com/stirlingtools/stirling-pdf:latest
    container_name: stirling-pdf
    ports:
      - '8080:8080'
    volumes:
      - ./stirling-data:/configs
    restart: unless-stopped

To run without login, official docs set SECURITY_ENABLELOGIN=false.

Docker steps Official Docker docs

We did not make this

This is not the official Stirling PDF site. We map the install paths and keep the cited facts on one page.

Most of the public repo is MIT (Copyright 2025 Stirling PDF Inc.). Some directories, such as proprietary, saas, engine, desktop, cloud, and portal, use other licenses defined in those folders. Read the LICENSE if that matters for your use. We do not claim the whole product is only MIT.

Server JARs also live on GitHub releases. Official docs say Java JDK 25 is required for those JARs. We do not host them.

Official links

These open in a new tab. Use them when you need source, license text, or extra install flags.

GitHub project Docs Releases LICENSE