Question: What are PDF files?
Answer:
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. A PDF file is a file in PDF format. It is a standard format for documents meant to be viewed and/or printed but not edited. PDF files can represent almost any kind of document that contains text and/or images.
PDF files are used for most downloadable documents on most websites. Examples: product brochures (example), user manuals (example), LAUSD documents (example), and even Friends of Palms meeting minutes (example). We recommend that you use PDF files for downloadable documents on your own website.
When you create a worksheet, letter, or other document that you want to make available for downloading from your website, you use whatever program is appropriate to create that type of document. For example, you might use Microsoft Word to create a worksheet for a student project. When the document is ready, you can use instructions we provide to create a copy of the file as a PDF file, e.g., convert file worksheet10.doc to file worksheet10.pdf.
For details see How can I convert my document into a PDF file on a Windows PC? or How can I convert my document into a PDF file on a Mac?