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silver-punk/pdf-cleaner

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

0PythonAudience · generalComplexity · 1/5Setup · easy

TLDR

A local desktop tool that automatically strips duplicate and blank pages out of a PDF, entirely offline and free.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((PDF Cleaner))
    What it does
      Detects duplicate pages
      Detects blank pages
      Removes both automatically
    Tech stack
      Python
    Use cases
      Clean scanned PDFs
      Keep files fully local
      Tidy exported documents
    Audience
      General users

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Remove duplicate pages from a large scanned PDF in seconds.

USE CASE 2

Strip blank pages left over from a document scanner.

USE CASE 3

Clean up a PDF without uploading it to any online service.

What is it built with?

Python

How does it compare?

silver-punk/pdf-cleaner0xallam/my-recipe0xhassaan/nn-from-scratch
Stars00
LanguagePythonPythonPython
Last pushed2022-11-22
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyeasymoderatemoderate
Complexity1/52/54/5
Audiencegeneralgeneraldeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

The README does not list specific installation steps beyond downloading the tool.

Described as free and open source, but no specific license name is given in the README.

In plain English

PDF Cleaner is a small desktop tool that scans a PDF file for duplicate pages and blank pages, then removes them automatically, producing a cleaner version of the same document. Everything happens entirely on your own computer: the README states plainly that your files never leave your machine and no internet connection is required, which the project pitches as a meaningful advantage for anyone handling sensitive legal or financial paperwork that they would rather not upload to an online service. The underlying approach is straightforward: the tool hashes each page's content to detect exact duplicates, and separately checks for pages that are effectively empty, then strips both kinds of pages out while leaving the rest of the document, including its original quality, untouched. Using it is described as a three step process: pick a PDF file, click a button, and receive the cleaned result back in seconds, with no configuration screens or advanced options to work through first. The project is free and open source, aimed at anyone who wants a quick, private way to tidy up scanned or exported PDFs full of accidental blank pages or repeated scans, without paying for or trusting a browser based PDF utility. The README does not describe the programming runtime needed to launch the tool or list any installation steps beyond downloading it, and it does not go into detail on exactly how large a file it can process or how it behaves on more unusual PDF structures, so those specifics are left unstated. The author does note that if you find the tool useful, tips are welcome, though using it does not require paying anything.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Help me run this tool on a scanned PDF to remove blank pages.
Prompt 2
Explain how file hashing is used here to detect duplicate pages.
Prompt 3
What would I need to change to also detect near duplicate pages, not just exact ones?
Prompt 4
Show me how to package this tool so a non technical coworker can run it.

Frequently asked questions

What is pdf-cleaner?

A local desktop tool that automatically strips duplicate and blank pages out of a PDF, entirely offline and free.

What language is pdf-cleaner written in?

Mainly Python. The stack also includes Python.

What license does pdf-cleaner use?

Described as free and open source, but no specific license name is given in the README.

How hard is pdf-cleaner to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is pdf-cleaner for?

Mainly general.

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