About pdfli
A fast, minimal PDF reader built for the web. No uploads, no accounts, no tracking — everything happens right in your browser.
Why pdfli?
Most online PDF viewers require you to upload your file to a server. That means your documents — contracts, medical records, personal files — leave your device. pdfli was built around a simple idea: the viewer should never need to see your file.
pdfli processes everything client-side using PDF.js, Mozilla's battle-tested PDF rendering engine. Your file never leaves your browser tab.
It's also available as a React component via npm, so you can embed it in your own app in minutes.
Principles
Privacy first
Nothing is uploaded. Your files stay on your device, always.
Fast & lightweight
Pages load instantly. Only visible pages are rendered, keeping memory low.
Open & embeddable
Use pdfli as a standalone viewer or drop the npm package into your own product.
Built with
- PDF.js—Mozilla's PDF rendering engine
- React & Next.js—UI framework and web platform
- @tanstack/react-virtual—Efficient page virtualisation
- Tailwind CSS—Styling