iTextSharp for C# (.NET): Complete Guide with Examples

Introduction to iTextSharp: What It Is and Why You Need It

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iTextSharp is a powerful library for generating and processing PDF documents on the .NET platform (C#, VB.NET, F#). It is a port of the popular Java library iText and provides developers with full control over creating, modifying, and reading PDF files.

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Key features of iTextSharp:

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• Creating PDF documents from scratch
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• Adding text, images, tables, lists
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• Working with fonts (including Cyrillic and Unicode)
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• Inserting hyperlinks, bookmarks, metadata
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• Encryption and password protection
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• Merging and splitting PDF files
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• Adding watermarks and headers/footers
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• Working with forms (AcroForms)
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The library is widely used in enterprise applications for generating reports, invoices, waybills, certificates, and other documents. iTextSharp supports .NET Framework 2.0+ and .NET Core (via iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core).

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Installing iTextSharp

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To install iTextSharp in a .NET project, use the NuGet Package Manager. There are several versions of the library:

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• iTextSharp (old version 5.x, LGPL) — free but with limitations
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• iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core — fork for .NET Core / .NET 5+
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• iText7 (iText.LGPLv2.Core) — new version of iText 7 for .NET
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Installation via Package Manager Console:

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Install-Package iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core -Version 1.7.0

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Installation via .NET CLI:

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dotnet add package iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core --version 1.7.0

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Installation via Visual Studio NuGet UI:

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1. Right-click on the project → "Manage NuGet Packages"
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2. Search: "iTextSharp.LGPLv2.Core"
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3. Select a version and click "Install"
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Important: Working with Cyrillic and other non-standard fonts will require additional configuration (see the "Tips" section).

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Quick Start: Creating Your First PDF Document

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Let's look at a minimal example of creating a PDF file with the text "Hello, World!":

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using System.IO;\nusing iTextSharp.text;\nusing iTextSharp.text.pdf;\n\nclass Program\n{\n    static void Main()\n    {\n        // Create a document\n        Document doc = new Document();\n        \n        // Create a stream for writing to a file\n        using (FileStream fs = new FileStream("HelloWorld.pdf", FileMode.Create))\n        {\n            // Get a PdfWriter instance\n            PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, fs);\n            \n            // Open the document\n            doc.Open();\n            \n            // Add a paragraph with text\n            doc.Add(new Paragraph("Hello, World!"));\n            \n            // Close the document\n            doc.Close();\n        }\n        \n        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully!");\n    }\n}

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This code will create a file HelloWorld.pdf in the executable's folder. Note the sequence: create Document → open → add content → close.

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Main Methods and Functions of iTextSharp

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Let's look at 10 key methods/classes of the library with detailed descriptions and examples.

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1. Document (class)

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What it does: Represents the PDF document itself. Manages pages, margins, and orientation.

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Constructor parameters:

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• Rectangle pageSize — page size (e.g., PageSize.A4)
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• float marginLeft, marginRight, marginTop, marginBottom — margins
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Example:

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// Creating an A4 document with landscape orientation and custom margins\nDocument doc = new Document(PageSize.