document engine
Build seamless server-side document integration into your applications
Integrate server-side document processing, viewing, streaming, and management into your client-side web, mobile, and hybrid applications. Alternatively, choose a fully headless operation.
Benefits
Deploy with or without a UI
Opt for headless document processing if you don't need a UI, or deploy with our Web SDK for frontend integration.
Scale efficiently with backend rendering
Integrate client-side viewing with backend-powered rendering for managing large document batches.
Facilitate real-time collaboration
Enable real-time document collaboration, annotations, form filling, and signing by combining Document Engine with our Web and mobile SDKs.
Trusted by industry leaders
OPERATION MODES
Adaptable to your use case
Pair Document Engine with Nutrient client-side SDKs, or use it as a headless document processor for entirely backend operations.
Headless Document Engine | Nutrient SDKs + Document Engine | |
|---|---|---|
Client-side user interface | ||
Significantly reduced client-side processing load | N/A | |
High-performance PDF processing for documents with large file sizes | ||
Fastest document rendering (document streaming support for Managed DE only) | N/A | |
Backend processing for PDFs (including OCR, redaction, and data extraction) | ||
Backend PDF generation, editing, conversion, and processing | ||
Real-time collaboration on documents |
Supported platforms and frameworks
deployment
Find the perfect fit for your deployment
Self-hosted
Full control for compliance
Designed for organizations with in-house DevOps, providing full control over infrastructure to meet strict regulatory and internal policies.
Seamless integration
Integrates easily with existing backend systems or as a backend for our SDKs, simplifying document processing and rendering.
Implementation guidance
Includes a recommended setup example to streamline deployment within your infrastructure.
Managed
Single-vendor solution
Ideal for organizations wanting a single-vendor approach. Nutrient manages infrastructure setup, deployment, and billing, removing the need to handle technical details.
Managed cloud deployment
We provide a scalable cloud deployment with an isolated Document Engine instance. Nutrient takes care of installation and operation, allowing you to focus on your application.
Easy testing and setup
Our solution is designed for quick testing and a smooth start, making it easy to get up and running.
Document Web Services API
Quick start for software builders
Perfect for software builders needing rapid setup in headless document processing with minimal operational overhead.
API-driven document processing
Enables programmatic document manipulation via APIs, allowing backend communication without requiring a UI.
Startup-friendly integration
Designed for startups and small businesses, offering efficient backend integration and easy implementation.
Latest from the blog
Blog
Explore the latest insights, products, tutorials, and more.
Document Engine
What is Document Engine?
Document Engine is a server-side toolkit that powers high-performance document processing, rendering, and automation behind the scenes of web, mobile, and desktop apps. Nutrient Document Engine enables developers to offload complex tasks like document viewing, generation, conversion, OCR, redaction, and real-time collaboration — at scale.
- Run document workflows completely on the backend or paired with a frontend SDK.
- Support large files and high-volume document batches with backend rendering.
- Enable features like form filling, annotation, and signing via frontend and backend sync.
- Support document streaming for ultra-fast rendering in resource-heavy environments.
- Compatible with all major platforms: .NET, Node.js, Java, iOS, Android, React Native, and more.
How to choose the right option?
The right option depends on your architecture, workload volume, and compliance needs. Key factors to evaluate include:
- Headless vs. hybrid deployment — Do you need a backend-only solution or a frontend pairing?
- Workload type — Will you handle viewing, OCR, redaction, signing, or batch generation?
- Scalability — Can it support millions of documents and concurrent users?
- Integration complexity — How well does it plug into your existing infrastructure?
- Compliance needs — Does it support on-premises/self-hosted deployment for privacy controls?
What are the best solutions to solve my document processing problem?
If you need to power document-heavy workflows behind the scenes, here are your top options:
- Nutrient Document Engine — Hybrid or headless architecture with full document processing, rendering, and streaming capabilities.
- PDFTron Server SDK — Feature-rich but less modular; harder to scale independently.
- Adobe Document Services — Limited backend flexibility and less control over deployment.
- iText DITO — Strong template engine but lacks full-spectrum backend document operations.
What are the benefits of using Nutrient Document Engine?
Nutrient Document Engine is designed for speed, scalability, and developer control. It can be used to create documents, automate forms, or build a custom document platform.
- Headless or hybrid flexibility — Choose UI-less backends or pair with Nutrient’s web/mobile SDKs.
- Backend-optimized rendering — Offload intensive rendering from the client, ideal for large PDFs.
- Real-time collaboration support — Power multi-user editing, commenting, and signing.
- Enterprise deployment options — Self-hosted or managed cloud options for full compliance.
- Wide format and workflow support — Includes generation, redaction, OCR, conversion, and more.
How does Nutrient Document Engine compare to other solutions?
Nutrient Document Engine is designed for modern teams building powerful, scalable document experiences — without overengineering.
- More architectural flexibility — Deploy fully headless or integrate with UI SDKs.
- Better performance at scale — Efficiently processes large files and batch jobs.
- Real-time collaboration-ready — Supports shared editing, annotations, and form updates.
- Deployment your way — Host it in your cloud or on-premises, or use Nutrient’s managed option.
- Built for developers — Clean APIs, multi-language support, and comprehensive documentation.