> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://api.pdf.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://api.pdf.ai/v1/parse.md).

# Parse

Parses a PDF into Markdown with support for chunking, table formatting, and inline image embedding via data URLs. Ideal for content extraction, knowledge base creation, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows.

## Parse a PDF

<mark style="color:green;">`POST`</mark> `https://pdf.ai/api/v1/parse`

Returns markdown of a PDF using a `docId` *or* a `url` .

#### Headers

| Name                                        | Type   | Description |
| ------------------------------------------- | ------ | ----------- |
| X-API-Key<mark style="color:red;">\*</mark> | string | \<API-Key>  |

#### Request Body

| Name  | Type    | Description                                                                          |
| ----- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| docId | string  | Document ID obtained after uploading a PDF                                           |
| url   | string  | Instead of a `docId` supply a PDF URL.                                               |
| llm   | boolean | Improve accuracy by using a LLM. Defaults to `false`                                 |
| chunk | "page"  | If set to "page" chunks content according to document page. Defaults to entire text. |

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="200 Parsed content" %}
{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```json
{
    "success": true,
    "url": "https://example.com/document.pdf",
    "content": "The page content."
}
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="401 Invalid API key" %}

```json
{
    "error": "Invalid API key"
}
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="400: Bad Request No API key or docId is present" %}

```json
{
    "error": "No API key present"
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### Credit Usage

Every document processing request uses credits based on the parsing mode:

* **Non-LLM Parsing**: 1 credit for up to every 5 pages (e.g., a 12-page document uses 3 credits).
* **LLM Parsing**: 2 credits for up to every 5 pages (e.g., a 12-page document uses 6 credits).