knowledge-work-pdf-viewer

---
name: knowledge-work-pdf-viewer
description: Use when you need to view, annotate, or sign PDFs in a live interactive viewer — marking up contracts, filling forms, and stamping approvals, then downloading the annotated copy.
source: https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/tree/main/pdf-viewer
generated: 2026-07-02T18:42:40.147Z
category: tool
audience: general
---

## When to use

- Opening a PDF from a local file or academic source (arXiv, bioRxiv) in a visual viewer
- Annotating a document — proposing highlights, notes, and stamps section by section for review
- Filling PDF form fields interactively with live preview
- Placing a signature or initials image, or stamping APPROVED/DRAFT/CONFIDENTIAL

## Key concepts

### Interactive viewer commands

Four commands: /pdf-viewer:open, /pdf-viewer:annotate, /pdf-viewer:fill-form, and /pdf-viewer:sign, backed by the view-pdf skill.

### Collaborative annotation

Claude proposes highlights, notes, and stamps section by section, and you review each batch in the viewer before it's applied.

### Local MCP server

Runs @modelcontextprotocol/server-pdf on your machine via npx — no API keys or remote services; the PDF server starts automatically when the plugin loads.

### Supported PDF sources

Local file paths, arXiv /abs/ URLs that auto-convert to PDF, and any direct HTTPS PDF URL (bioRxiv, Zenodo, OSF) — use the PDF link, not the landing page.

### Visual, not cryptographic, signing

/pdf-viewer:sign places a visual signature image on the page; it is not a certified or cryptographic e-signature.

## API reference

```
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins
```

Add Anthropic's knowledge-work plugin marketplace (one-time).

```
/plugin marketplace add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins
```

```
/plugin install pdf-viewer@knowledge-work-plugins
```

Install the PDF Viewer plugin.

```
/plugin install pdf-viewer@knowledge-work-plugins
```

## Gotchas

- Don't use this for pure text extraction or summary — Claude reads PDFs natively and that's faster
- Requires Node.js >= 18, and internet access for remote PDFs like arXiv
- Signatures are visual images, not legally binding e-signatures — use a dedicated signing service for that
- For remote sources, point at the direct PDF link, not the landing page, or it won't open
- The local MCP server runs via npx on your machine and starts automatically when the plugin loads

---
Generated by SkillMake from https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/tree/main/pdf-viewer on 2026-07-02T18:42:40.147Z.
Verify against source before relying on details.

File: ~/.claude/skills/knowledge-work-pdf-viewer/SKILL.md