PDF Splitter

Implementation & Processing Pipeline

Splitting a PDF involves creating multiple new documents from a single source. Unlike extraction (which pulls specific pages), splitting typically divides the document into logical chunks or individual pages.

This tool uses PDF-lib for browser-based PDF manipulation.

1. Analysis: The tool scans the document to identify page boundaries.
2. Segmentation: Based on your criteria (e.g., "Every 1 page" or "Split at page 5"), it calculates the page ranges for each new file.
3. Batch Generation: It creates a new PDF for each segment, copying the relevant pages and resources.
4. Packaging: If multiple files are generated, they are Zipped together for a single download.

How It's Tested

We validate the splitting engine to ensure file integrity across all output documents.

1. The "Burst" Mode Test:
   • Action: Split a 10-page PDF into "Single Pages".
   • Expected: Result is a ZIP file containing 10 individual valid PDFs.
2. The "Range Split" Check:
   • Action: Split a 100-page document at "Page 50".
   • Expected: Result is two PDFs: one with pages 1-50, another with 51-100.
3. The "Metadata" Verification:
   • Action: Check the "Author" field of the split files.
   • Expected: The metadata should be copied from the original document (or customizable).
4. The "Large File" Handling:
   • Action: Split a 50MB PDF.
   • Expected: The browser should not crash, and memory usage should be managed efficiently.

The History of Document Splitting

Historically, splitting documents was a physical act—separating a sheaf of papers. In the digital age, "Splitting" is crucial for email attachment limits (breaking a 50MB file into smaller chunks) or logical separation (separating a contract from its appendices).

Split Methods