In recent years, ebooks have gained huge popularity with file formats like PDF and ePub. The reason behind this popularity is the portability and flexibility that ebooks provide. The file format allows for customization and enables interactivity. However, with this popularity, the topic of ePub vs PDF has become crucial.
Publishers and authors use various eBook file formats, including ePub and PDF, to develop and deliver compelling and interactive ebooks. Questions about the formats naturally occur. So, in this blog, we will discuss ePub vs PDF in detail.
By the way, do you know which one is the world’s oldest ebook format? The answer is the PDF format. However, the most popular ebook format is ePub. Now, you can think how ePub can be the most popular one when PDF is the world’s oldest ebook format? So let’s go through the blog and find the answer along with the following details:
- The definition of ePub and PDF
- The difference between ePub and PDF
- Advantage and disadvantages
…… and much more information about different ebook formats.
What is ePub vs PDF?
PDF is the electronic form of a page or more than one page. Like physical books, it is difficult to customize PDFs. However, although PDF is not flexible enough to be edited, it can be used easily, shared, and distributed. This may make PDF the most circulated digital document format in the world. You may have heard that any old thing gives way to something new. Similarly, PDF made a new way for other formats.
Thus, another format, ePub, emerged. PDF originated in 1993. After many years, almost a decade, the International Digital Publication Forum developed ePub and became the most popular choice for digital publishers and authors. However, all the technological advancements around PDF are still thriving. PDF is still used across the world by so many people.
In some cases, PDFs couldn’t fulfill the requirements of an eBook publisher. So, ePub files became the first choice for digital publishers, and this clearly shows that ePub has extra advantages over PDF.
Surely, you have an idea about ePub vs PDF by now. Read the full blog to know more.
EPub vs PDF – What’s the difference?
PDF stands for Portable Document Format, and ePub stands for Electronic Publishing. Ebooks are mostly available in these formats.
What is ePub?
EPub refers to the publishing of ebooks, articles, magazines, and journals. Many e-readers support ePub, and compatible software is available for many PCs, tablets, and smartphones. The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) published ePub in 2007.
To be more specific, it is a zip file that consists of XML, XHTML, and JPG for image and style sheets. This is the most preferred file format type for ebooks.
Advantages and Drawbacks of EPub:
EPub has a wide range of advantages. Some of them are as follows:
- It can be easily edited.
- Changes can be made to ePub in the HTML codes.
- It has the ability to reflow its contents.
- It can be easily read on screen.
- If you don’t want ebooks in reflowable format, ePub allows you to create a fixed-layout eBook.
- It provides more security than PDF format.
Along with the advantages, there are a few drawbacks as well. Let’s see what they are:
- There are some prerequisites for creating ePub and the user needs basic knowledge of using it.
- Basic language associated with it is required to create the files in this format.
What is a PDF?
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is the world’s oldest eBook format introduced in 1993. It is an electronic form of digital paper and is used to display documents.
Advantages and Drawbacks of PDF:
- It displays the same layout and content without considering the operating system, device or software applications used to view the document.
- It’s convenient to use.
- Creating a document is very easy.
- It is very secure. You can protect the content and document by using digital signatures, passwords, and watermarks.
- It is very compact.
Along with the advantages, there are a few drawbacks as well. Let’s see what they are:
- It is hard to extract the information from a PDF.
- Editing is not free. Expensive editing software is required for editing.
- PDF is developed as an exchange format for documents.
- The layout in qa PDF format is good for printing. However, expecting a full-page view at a time is difficult. You should zoom in and view it.
Why do Publishers Prefer ePub many Times?
1. EPub makes editing and creating the files comparatively easy
EPub is a zip file that consists of style XHTML files, JPG for images and style sheets. In case you are not very good at coding language, you can use software available online to create an ePub file. Many paid and open-source software are available for ePub conversion. You just have to upload the manuscript and convert it into an ePub file.
Editing ePub files is easier. Just the required changes are to be made in the HTML code and you can modify according to your need. In the case of PDF you need Adobe subscription or some other software subscription to edit and change the layout and content.
2. EPub has the ability to reflow its content.
EPub has the ability to reflow its content. This feature differentiates ePub from a PDF file.
If you open a PDF document on a small screen device, you will have to zoom, pinch, and pan to read it. Does this sound like a comfortable reading experience? Absolutely not, right? Readers always prefer something they can read, being relaxed and without getting distracted by the screen very often.
EPub gives you a good reading experience by breaking the page according to the size of the screen and nicely fitting around it. This is due to its reflowable nature. Thus, it allows the content to rearrange and realign on the page and make it comfortable for the reader to read. The text gets arranged according to the reading device.
Moreover, when it comes to ePub vs PDF, a PDF document is simply plain digital paper, but the ePub file is like a website. A digital paper can’t be compared to a website. If you don’t want your eBook in a reflowable format, ePub also offers the option to create fixed-layout ebooks.
3. You can add media files.
EPubs enable you to add media files within the text content as per requirements. Rich images, files and videos can easily be included.
PDF is a static document. So, you have to download software to add media files and play the videos within the PDF content. However, it is easier to incorporate images, videos, etc., in an ePub format.
4. It offers more security than PDF.
Though PDF provides a password lock system for securing your files, it’s not totally safe and secure. You should be aware of password recovery software to remove the password from your document. A password can be easily shared, and you will be unaware of who’s using and misusing your PDF document.
On the contrary, ePub allows DRM protection. This means users cannot share the ebooks without permission. You can only allow people to read, provide a specific time for accessing the content, or limit the devices on which the ebooks can be installed. Thus, your content remains secure.
FAQs on ePub vs PDF
1. Can ePub have images?
Yes, images can be inserted in both JPEG and PNG formats. However, JPEG is the better choice.
2. Are ePub files protected?
Yes, ePub allows DRM protection, which means you cannot share the ebooks without permission.
3. Is ePub universal?
Yes, it has become the universal standard for ebooks.
4. Can I open an ePub as a PDF?
Of course, in just a few seconds you can transform ePub to PDF and can share your files easily.
Final Words
The digital reading trend strongly supports different formats of ebooks. So, learning about ePub vs PDF is a must. However, we have discussed it so far.
As we mentioned, EPub is perfect for ebooks. It can be used on every reading platform. Moreover, it is compatible, interactive, secure, and easy to create. On the other hand, PDF is a convenient option in many cases of the publishing industry.
According to many experts, although PDF is the world’s oldest ebook and is still widely used, ePub has enhanced functionalities with better reading experiences. So, they consider ePub as a better choice for ebooks than PDfs.
Would love to know – do you agree with the same? Tell your thoughts in the comments below.
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