Combine Your PDFs with Ease Using pdfunite

TL;DR:

pdfunite is a handy command-line tool that allows you to merge PDFs directly on your macOS, Linux, or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

• To merge specific PDFs into one, use:

pdfunite in-1.pdf in-2.pdf in-n.pdf merged.pdf

• To merge all PDFs in a directory, use:

pdfunite *.pdf merged.pdf

In both commands, replace in-1.pdf, in-2.pdf, in-n.pdf, and merged.pdf with your actual filenames. The *.pdf syntax selects all PDF files in the current directory.

Full Article:

Digital documents come in many formats, one of the most common and versatile being the Portable Document Format (PDF). You may find yourself needing to combine multiple PDF files into one for various reasons, such as creating a portfolio, consolidating reports, or assembling a comprehensive reference document.

While there are numerous online tools available for merging PDFs, they can come with drawbacks such as file size limitations, the need to upload sensitive data to a third party, or annoying advertisements. An alternative solution exists for the tech-savvy or those willing to dive into the command line interface: pdfunite.

pdfunite is an open-source tool that allows you to merge PDF files directly from the command line. It's compatible with multiple operating systems, including macOS, Linux, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), making it a versatile choice for a wide range of users.

How to Merge Selected PDF Files

To combine specific PDF files into a single document using pdfunite, the syntax is simple and straightforward. Below is the basic structure:

pdfunite in-1.pdf in-2.pdf in-n.pdf merged.pdf

In this command, in-1.pdf, in-2.pdf, in-n.pdf are the files you wish to merge. Replace these with your filenames, and remember that the order in which you list them will determine their order in the final merged document. The last argument, merged.pdf, is the name of the resulting combined PDF. You can replace this with any filename you prefer.

How to Merge All PDF Files in a Directory

If you have a directory full of PDFs that you need to merge into a single file, pdfunite can handle that task efficiently as well. Use the following command:

pdfunite *.pdf merged.pdf

In this command, *.pdf acts as a wildcard, selecting all PDF files in the current directory. Like before, merged.pdf is the name of the resulting document.

It's important to note that the order of the files merged using this command will be based on the file ordering system of the directory, which is typically alphabetical. If you require a specific order, you may need to rename your files accordingly.

In conclusion, the pdfunite command-line tool offers a powerful and flexible solution for merging PDF documents. Whether you need to combine a few select files or an entire directory's worth, pdfunite's simplicity and efficiency make it a valuable tool for managing your PDF files.