Distiller vs Ghostscript: What are the differences?
## Introduction
**1. Key Differences:**
**1. Licensing**:
Distiller is a paid software product by Adobe Systems, typically bundled with Adobe Acrobat, while Ghostscript is an open-source software released under the GNU General Public License.
**2. Functionality**:
Distiller is primarily used for converting PostScript files to PDF, optimizing PDF files, and embedding fonts, while Ghostscript is a versatile interpreter for PostScript and PDF files, offering a wide range of functions beyond just PDF conversion.
**3. User Interface**:
Distiller provides a user-friendly graphical interface for users to easily convert and optimize PDF files, whereas Ghostscript is a command-line tool that requires a certain level of technical proficiency to operate efficiently.
**4. Customization**:
Distiller offers predefined settings for PDF conversion and optimization, limiting customization options, while Ghostscript allows users to tweak various parameters and settings for more precise control over the output.
**5. System Requirements**:
Distiller is available on Windows and macOS platforms, tailored for desktop use, whereas Ghostscript is designed to work on multiple operating systems, including Unix-based systems, making it more versatile for different environments.
**6. Community Support**:
Ghostscript has a large and active community of developers and users who contribute to its development and provide support through forums and online resources, while Distiller lacks a similar community-driven support system, relying mainly on official channels for assistance.
## Summary
In Summary, Distiller and Ghostscript differ in licensing, functionality, user interface, customization options, system requirements, and community support.