PDF vs HTML

PDF and HTML files are two of the most used document formats. Although each document is used to present information, it is used for different functions online and offline.

PDF

PDF or Portable Document Format can be described as a form of document that was created in the 90s to present information in a completely different way. It uses images and different text formats to present users with information irrespective of the type of hardware or operating system.

HTML

HTML or Hypertext Markup Language is seen as a mark-up language that allows for the easy display of information on a browser. Several technologies, such as scripting languages, are used for the development of HTML.

Comparison Between PDF and HTML

Both PDF and HTML files are used to present information to users. However, these documents are fundamentally different. The difference between the two files is stated below.

Cost

The creation and printing of PDF documents are relatively cheap. It is usually straightforward and quick. With HTML, on the other hand, printing consumes a lot of paper, which can cost a lot. As such, printing an HTML is not as desirable as printing a PDF file.

Structure

A typical PDF file contains text (in different fonts), images, and other multimedia. A single PDF file can contain from a few to thousands of pages from within. Therefore, a standard PDF can be as small as a few KB or hundreds of MB in size. Nonetheless, a PDF file can be compressed into a smaller size for ease of use. A typical HTML usually houses images and documents in different files. As a result, an HTML page with several multimedia documents, texts, and other forms of information may require several files.

Appearance

A PDF file, regardless of size, looks the same. Therefore, the information presented on a PDF, which is viewed on the screen of a mobile phone or a laptop will appear the same. Conversely, zooming in or out does not alter the appearance of the PDF document. The appearance of HTML is determined by the type of browser, mark-up, settings, operating system, and resolution of the computer display. As a result, the appearance of an HTML can be different from one device to another.

Accessibility to Resources

A PDF file can provide users access to resources such as links to other documents. However, it is unable to do more than this. On the other hand, HTML can contain several resources that allow for interactivity between files and pages on the internet. Hence, a user can have access to both external and internal resources via hyperlinks. Additionally, resources such as video and audios are easily embedded for the user to access.

Ability to Search

A PDF document can easily be searched for words through software applications. This ability allows users to search for words or phrases within the document. However, a PDF file with scanned documents is usually challenging to explore. HTML pages can easily be searched. In fact, HTML is optimized for search. Indexing and search robots can easily crawl and search through HTML.

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