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Stirling-PDF

DEVOPS
Velocity5.0

Locally hosted web app to perform 50+ operations on PDF files.

Stirling-PDF deepens real signing and lays MCP groundwork on a fast V2 cadence

pdfself-hosteddocument-signingmcprelease-cadence
Current state
Stirling-PDF is in a heavy release cadence on its V2 line, alternating substantive minors with rapid hotfixes. The last month shipped desktop hardware-token signing (PKCS#11/smart-card and OS cert stores), a work-in-progress MCP page, JDK 25 enforcement, and large merge-memory improvements, punctuated by Postgres and desktop-signing hotfixes.
Where it's heading
Two threads stand out: deepening real document signing (hardware tokens, shared signing, cert-store integration) and laying agent-facing groundwork via an MCP page and automation-oriented backend work. The team is also steadily reworking the V2 file-management UI that users found clunky. This is a self-hosted PDF tool maturing toward serious signing and automation use.
Prediction
Expect the MCP page to move from WIP toward a usable agent interface, and the signing feature set to broaden beyond desktop-only.

Recent moves

  1. 1d ago

    2.14.2 Hotfix for certain postgres environments

    A server-only hotfix for certain Postgres connections failing to load user data. A narrow stability patch on top of 2.14.

    View source ↗
  2. 1d ago

    2.14.1 Bug fixes and new 3rd party license page

    A quick hotfix bundling bug fixes, stopping PostHog from loading prematurely and fixing cert signing on some installs, plus a new third-party license page. Cleanup following the 2.14.0 feature release.

    View source ↗
  3. 8d ago

    2.14.0 Hardware token signing and shared signing

    Adds desktop hardware-token signing via USB/smart-card PKCS#11 and OS certificate stores, plus shared-signing fixes. A concrete expansion of Stirling's signing capability, though scoped to desktop for now.

    View source ↗
  4. 14d ago

    2.13.2 Desktop performance fix, and security fixes

    Security fixes, removal of unused Docker dependencies, and a desktop UI performance fix. Hardening and maintenance rather than new features.

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  5. 19d ago

    2.13.1 bug fixes for desktop upload from mobile and multitool rotations

    Bug fixes for multi-tool PDF rotation and desktop mobile-upload via QR scan, plus i18n editor translation sync. A small corrective release.

    View source ↗
  6. 20d ago

    2.13.0 MCP, files UI tweaks and bug fixes

    Introduces a work-in-progress MCP page and file-UI tweaks, described as mostly backend enabler work for automation to come. The MCP groundwork is the notable signal, an early step toward agent-driven PDF workflows.

    View source ↗