explaingit

yairl/nib

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

1JavaScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

Nib is a browser-based, client-side app for filling out, signing, redacting, merging, and splitting PDF files without ever uploading them to a server.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((nib))
    What it does
      Fill and sign PDFs
      Permanent redaction
      Merge and split
      Size reduction
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      pdf.js
      pdf-lib
      PostgreSQL
    Use cases
      Signing documents
      Redacting content
      Combining PDFs
    Audience
      General users
      Privacy conscious users

Code map

Detail Auto

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Fill in and sign a PDF form entirely in the browser without uploading the file anywhere.

USE CASE 2

Permanently redact sensitive content on a PDF page so it cannot be recovered.

USE CASE 3

Merge several PDFs together or split a document into separate files by page range.

USE CASE 4

Shrink a large PDF's file size, either losslessly or by flattening pages into images.

What is it built with?

JavaScriptpdf.jspdf-libNode.jsPostgreSQL

How does it compare?

yairl/nib0xmukesh/docusaurus-tutoriala15n/andrewscheuermann
Stars111
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2021-12-272015-01-11
MaintenanceDormantDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasymoderate
Complexity2/52/51/5
Audiencegeneraldevelopergeneral

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

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Works directly in the browser with no account needed, signing in is optional and only adds saved signatures and an auto-fill profile.

MIT license: use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

Nib is a browser-based app for filling out and signing PDF documents without uploading them anywhere. The PDF is read and displayed directly in your browser, you fill it in or sign it on an overlay, and the final file is put back together in the browser too, so the document never has to leave your device to be processed. You can open a PDF using a toolbar button, by dragging it onto the window, or from your operating system if the app is installed. Nib also accepts common image formats like PNG, JPEG, and GIF, which it automatically wraps into a single-page PDF so you can annotate, sign, or print them the same way as a regular PDF. If a PDF already has built-in fillable form fields, such as text boxes, checkboxes, or dropdowns, Nib detects them and lets you fill them in directly, then saves the values and flattens the form so it displays correctly in any other PDF viewer. Beyond filling and signing, Nib includes four document tools that also run entirely in the browser. Redact permanently blacks out a section by converting that page into a flat image, so the covered text truly cannot be recovered, unlike a black box drawn over selectable text. Merge appends other PDFs to the end of the current one, Split pulls out chosen page ranges into a new file, and Reduce size can either strip out excess file data while keeping text selectable, or more aggressively flatten every page into an image for maximum size savings. Nib can be installed as a standalone app on desktop or mobile through Progressive Web App support, works offline once installed thanks to a service worker that caches the app itself, and can register as the app that opens PDF files or receives shared PDFs from other apps, depending on your device and browser. Signing in with a Google account is optional and only unlocks saving up to 50 reusable signatures and an auto-fill profile, the core app works fully without an account. Nib is open source under the MIT License.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Explain how Nib fills in a PDF's existing AcroForm fields and flattens them on save.
Prompt 2
How does Nib's redact tool make blacked-out content unrecoverable compared to just drawing a box over it?
Prompt 3
Walk me through installing Nib as an offline Progressive Web App and setting it as my default PDF opener.
Prompt 4
What is the difference between Nib's Lossless and Strong size-reduction options?

Frequently asked questions

What is nib?

Nib is a browser-based, client-side app for filling out, signing, redacting, merging, and splitting PDF files without ever uploading them to a server.

What language is nib written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, pdf.js, pdf-lib.

What license does nib use?

MIT license: use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

How hard is nib to set up?

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

Who is nib for?

Mainly general.

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