pdf-inspector
pdf-inspector Source-Code Analysis: Trace a PDF to Markdown Evidence
Use fixtures to read detector, extractor, font decoding, layout, tables, bindings, and OCR boundaries.
What you will learn
- Trace detection and layout stages
- Run native extraction and OCR safely
- Design provenance checks
Before you start
- Basic Git and command-line usage
- Comfort reading a project README
You can explain the project, run its documented first step, and decide what to verify before adopting it.
Key takeaways
- Fixtures reveal intermediate contracts.
- Font and layout edge cases deserve focused tests.
- OCR integration should stay optional in unit tests.
Read from public contracts
Pin the crate and start with lib.rs, shared types, process modes, detector, extractor, tables, Markdown, and binding entry points. The README's project tree provides a useful map, not proof of every branch.
Use the pinned source evidence, record versions and assumptions, and ask a qualified reviewer to validate the result before adopting it.
Follow a fixture
Use synthetic PDFs covering columns, CID fonts, tables, links, page numbers, and image pages. Compare TextItems, PdfRects, PdfType, Markdown, and warnings at each stage.
Contribute safely
Add parser fixtures, encoding regressions, table edge cases, page-selection tests, and JSON schema checks without requiring PDFium, ONNX, or network access.
Use the pinned source evidence, record versions and assumptions, and ask a qualified reviewer to validate the result before adopting it.
Decision guide
| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | You need predictable behavior and easy auditing | You need adaptive optimization and have reliable telemetry |
| Main risk | May leave performance on the table | Can become difficult to explain or debug |
Implementation steps
- 1
Pin source and inspect public APIs.
- 2
Create tiny PDFs for each edge case.
- 3
Trace intermediate types and warnings.
- 4
Add a deterministic regression.
Copy-ready example
fixture PDF -> detector -> PdfType/pages
-> TextItem/PdfRect -> layout/tables
-> Markdown/JSON -> binding parityFrequently asked questions
Can benchmark output prove internal call paths?
No. Use source symbols, fixtures, and tests to verify implementation details.
How do I test OCR without large runtimes?
Mock the routing boundary and validate the versioned envelope; run end-to-end OCR separately.
Sources
- pdf-inspector README (captured 2026-08-31)Source checked 2026-08-31
- pdf-inspector repositorySource checked 2026-08-31