BuildPDFs

Glossary

PDF, print and document design glossary

85 terms you meet when you make ebooks, lead magnets, workbooks, reports and other PDFs.

PDF and print

PDF
Portable Document Format. A file format that keeps the same layout, fonts and images on every device and printer. AI PDF generator
PDF/A
A version of PDF for long-term archiving. It embeds all fonts and does not allow content that depends on outside resources.
PDF/X
A version of PDF for commercial printing. It sets rules for color, fonts and page boxes so print output is predictable.
Bleed
Extra image or color area outside the trim edge, usually 3 mm or 0.125 in, so no white edge shows after the page is cut.
Trim size
The final size of a page after cutting, for example US Letter (8.5 × 11 in), A4 (210 × 297 mm) or 6 × 9 in for books.
Safe area
The inner part of the page where text and important elements stay, so they are not cut off when the page is trimmed.
Crop marks
Thin lines at the page corners that show the printer where to cut.
CMYK
The four ink colors used in print: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Screen colors (RGB) are converted to CMYK for printing.
RGB
The red, green and blue color model of screens. Digital PDFs that are only read on screens can stay in RGB.
DPI
Dots per inch. Print images usually need about 300 DPI at their printed size to look sharp.
Vector graphic
An image made of shapes and paths, such as a logo in SVG. It stays sharp at any size.
Raster image
An image made of pixels, such as a JPG or PNG photo. It gets blurry when enlarged past its resolution.
Embedded fonts
Fonts stored inside the PDF, so the document shows the same typography on computers that do not have those fonts.
Fillable PDF
A PDF with form fields that readers can type into. A static PDF has fixed content. Fillable vs static PDF

Layout and typography

Typography
The choice and arrangement of type: fonts, sizes, line spacing and line length. It sets how readable and professional a document looks. eBook design basics
Typeface
A family of type designs, such as Garamond. A font is one style of it, such as Garamond Bold 12 pt.
Serif
A typeface with small strokes at the ends of letters. Common for long body text in print.
Sans serif
A typeface without those end strokes. Common for headings and for screens.
Leading
The space between lines of text. Body text usually reads best at 1.4 to 1.6 times the font size.
Kerning
The space between two specific letters, adjusted so pairs such as "AV" look even.
Tracking
Even letter spacing across a whole word or line.
Visual hierarchy
The use of size, weight, color and space to show what to read first: title, then headings, then body text.
Grid
The invisible columns and margins that keep page elements aligned across a document.
Margins
The empty space around the text block on each page.
Gutter
The inner margin next to the spine of a bound book or the space between columns.
Mirrored margins
Left and right margins that swap on facing pages, so the wider margin is always on the spine side.
Spread
Two facing pages seen together in a printed book.
Recto and verso
Recto is a right-hand page (odd number). Verso is a left-hand page (even number).
Running header
Text at the top of each page, such as the book or chapter title. A running footer is the same at the bottom.
Folio
The page number printed on a page.
Table of contents
A list of the sections in a document with their page numbers. Long PDFs should have one that updates when pages move.
Widow
The last line of a paragraph left alone at the top of a page or column.
Orphan
The first line of a paragraph left alone at the bottom of a page or column.
Drop cap
A large first letter at the start of a chapter or section.
Pull quote
A short quote from the text, set large on the page to draw attention.
Callout box
A shaded or bordered box for a tip, warning, example or key takeaway.
White space
Empty space between elements. It makes a page easier to scan and look less crowded.
Front matter
The pages before the main text of a book: title page, copyright page, dedication and table of contents.
Back matter
The pages after the main text: appendix, glossary, index, about the author.
Cover page
The first page of a document. It shows the title, subtitle and author or brand.

Document types

eBook
A book-length digital document, usually a PDF or EPUB, sold or given away. AI ebook generator
Lead magnet
A free resource, such as a checklist, guide or workbook, that people get in exchange for their email address. AI lead magnet generator
Checklist
A short list of steps or items to tick off. One of the most popular lead magnet formats. Lead magnet checklist template
Workbook
A document with lessons plus exercises, prompts and space to write. Common with courses and coaching. AI course workbook generator
Worksheet
A single-topic practice sheet with questions and space for answers, often with an answer key. AI worksheet generator
Lesson plan
A teacher's plan for one lesson: objectives, materials, steps, practice and assessment. AI lesson plan generator
Whitepaper
An in-depth, research-based document that explains a problem and a solution. Common in B2B marketing. AI whitepaper generator
Case study
A story of how a customer solved a problem, with the challenge, the solution and measured results. AI case study generator
One-pager
A single page that summarizes a product, company or project. AI one-pager generator
Business proposal
A document that offers a service to a client: scope, approach, timeline, price and terms. AI business proposal generator
Statement of work
A contract document that defines deliverables, timeline and acceptance criteria for a project. Statement of work template
Quote
A priced offer for specific goods or services, valid for a set time. AI quote generator
Invoice
A request for payment that lists what was delivered, prices, taxes, total and payment terms. AI invoice generator
Brochure
A short printed or digital document that presents a company, product or service. AI brochure generator
Tri-fold brochure
A letter-size sheet folded into three panels. Tri-fold brochure template
Product catalog
A document that lists products with photos, descriptions and prices. A line sheet is the wholesale version. AI catalog generator
Media kit
A document for brands and advertisers with a creator's or publication's audience, reach and rates. Media kit template
Press kit
A document for journalists with company facts, product information, images and contacts. AI press kit generator
Newsletter
A regular update sent to subscribers, members or employees. AI newsletter generator
Employee handbook
A document that explains a company's policies, benefits and expectations for employees. AI employee handbook generator
SOP
Standard operating procedure. Step-by-step instructions for doing a task the same way every time. AI SOP generator
Playbook
A practical guide with the steps, scripts and examples a team uses for a repeated process.
Planner
A printable document for scheduling days, weeks or goals. AI weekly planner generator
Printable
A digital file made to be printed at home, such as a planner, worksheet or tracker. A popular product on Etsy. BuildPDFs for Etsy sellers
Book interior
The inside pages of a printed book, laid out at the trim size, separate from the cover file. AI book formatter
Manuscript
The author's text of a book before it is laid out and published. Book manuscript template
Brand guidelines
A document that defines how to use a brand's logo, colors, fonts and voice. AI brand guidelines generator
Pitch deck
A short presentation that a startup shows to investors. AI pitch deck generator

Marketing and publishing

Opt-in
The form or step where a visitor gives an email address to get a lead magnet or join a list. How to make a lead magnet PDF
Gated content
Content that people get only after they fill in a form, such as a whitepaper behind an email form.
Content upgrade
A lead magnet made for one specific blog post, such as a checklist version of the post.
Conversion rate
The share of visitors who take the action you want, such as downloading a lead magnet.
KDP
Kindle Direct Publishing. Amazon's service for self-publishing ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks.
ISBN
International Standard Book Number. A unique number that identifies a published book edition.
EPUB
A reflowable ebook format that adapts to the reader's screen. PDF keeps a fixed page layout.

Tools and technology

AI PDF generator
Software that uses AI to write the content of a document and produce it as a PDF. Some also design the layout. AI PDF generator
AI document generator
An AI tool that creates complete documents, such as reports, proposals or workbooks, from a description. AI document generator
Prompt
The instruction you give an AI model, such as "Create a 20-page ebook about meal prep for busy parents". Create a PDF from a prompt
Markdown
A simple text format that uses symbols such as # for headings and * for lists. ChatGPT, Claude and Notion can export text as markdown.
HTML to PDF
Turning a web page or HTML document into a PDF, usually with a browser engine.
CSS Paged Media
The part of CSS for printed pages: page size, margins, page numbers, running headers and page breaks.
Paged.js
An open-source library that lays out HTML into printed pages with CSS Paged Media in the browser. BuildPDFs uses it for print-ready layout.
Template
A ready-made design that you fill with your own content. In BuildPDFs a template is a starting design that the AI adapts to your content. PDF templates