Comparison
pdf-reader-mcp vs book-to-skill
Verdict
Pick pdf-reader-mcp if pdf-reader-mcp acts as an intelligence layer for PDFs to support AI agents in document handling, offering features like evidence-first extraction and OCR with a focus on accuracy and provenance via the MCP server; pick book-to-skill if book-to-skill is a Python-based tool that converts technical book PDFs into Claude Code skills, facilitating effective study and reference.
Markdown twin · pdf-reader-mcp alternatives · book-to-skill alternatives
GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026
12views this month
vs
Trust & integrity
| Signal | pdf-reader-mcp | book-to-skill |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Very active (0d since push) As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Personal account As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Aug 2, 2026 · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Sep 18, 2026 · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- pdf-reader-mcp
- PDF intelligence layer for AI agents providing features such as evidence-first extraction and OCR
- book-to-skill
- Converts technical book PDFs into Claude Code skills for study and reference
Stars
- pdf-reader-mcp
- 935
- book-to-skill
- 31k
Forks
- pdf-reader-mcp
- 82
- book-to-skill
- 3.2k
Open issues
- pdf-reader-mcp
- 1
- book-to-skill
- 16
Language
- pdf-reader-mcp
- TypeScript
- book-to-skill
- Python
Adopt for
- pdf-reader-mcp
- pdf-reader-mcp acts as an intelligence layer for PDFs to support AI agents in document handling, offering features like evidence-first extraction and OCR with a focus on accuracy and provenance via the MCP server.
- book-to-skill
- book-to-skill is a Python-based tool that converts technical book PDFs into Claude Code skills, facilitating effective study and reference.
Persona
- pdf-reader-mcp
- -
- book-to-skill
- -
Runtime
- pdf-reader-mcp
- -
- book-to-skill
- -
License
- pdf-reader-mcp
- MIT
- book-to-skill
- MIT license applies to the converter code and skill definition in the repository, but not to any book or document processed with it.
Last pushed
- pdf-reader-mcp
- Sep 20, 2026
- book-to-skill
- Sep 17, 2026
Categories
- pdf-reader-mcp
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval
- book-to-skill
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval, Developer Tools
Trust and health
Open issues (now)
- pdf-reader-mcp
- 1
- book-to-skill
- 16
Stars delta
- pdf-reader-mcp
- +96 (30d)
- book-to-skill
- Unknown
Open issues delta
- pdf-reader-mcp
- 0 (30d)
- book-to-skill
- Unknown
Owner type
- pdf-reader-mcp
- Organization
- book-to-skill
- User
Full report
- pdf-reader-mcp
- Trust report
- book-to-skill
- Trust report
Choose pdf-reader-mcp if…
- pdf-reader-mcp is primarily TypeScript; book-to-skill is Python.
- Tags unique to pdf-reader-mcp: agent-document-twin, ai-tools, document-intelligence, evidence-first.
- pdf-reader-mcp ships an MCP server manifest.
- When working within environments that integrate Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or any other MCP client where precision in extracting visual crops and ensuring provenance through OCR is required.
When NOT to use pdf-reader-mcp
- For situations where you do not require the specific capabilities like evidence-first extraction or trust reporting that distinguish pdf-reader-mcp from other general OCR tools.
- In scenarios where only plain text extraction is needed without advanced features such as document intelligence, visual crops, or PDF to Markdown conversion.
Choose book-to-skill if…
- book-to-skill is primarily Python; pdf-reader-mcp is TypeScript.
- Pricing: The tool is free to use under the MIT license, but any books or documents processed with it are subject to their own licensing..
- Requirements: Min 2 GB RAM; Requires Python environment to run the tool..
- Tags unique to book-to-skill: agent-skills, ai-agents, book-to-skill, context-engineering.
- Also covers Developer Tools.
- When you need to convert technical book PDFs into a format that can be easily studied and referenced using Claude Code skills.
When NOT to use book-to-skill
- If your goal is to convert non-technical books or documents that do not require the specific format of Claude Code skills.
- When you are looking for a tool that processes and converts documents into formats other than those compatible with Claude Code.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (SylphxAI/pdf-reader-mcp) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (SylphxAI/pdf-reader-mcp) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (SylphxAI/pdf-reader-mcp) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Aug 2, 2026
- GitHub stars (virgiliojr94/book-to-skill) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (virgiliojr94/book-to-skill) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (virgiliojr94/book-to-skill) · observed Sep 17, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Sep 18, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: pdf-reader-mcp 935 · book-to-skill 31k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between pdf-reader-mcp and book-to-skill?
- pdf-reader-mcp: PDF intelligence layer for AI agents providing features such as evidence-first extraction and OCR. book-to-skill: Converts technical book PDFs into Claude Code skills for study and reference. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose pdf-reader-mcp over book-to-skill?
- Choose pdf-reader-mcp over book-to-skill when pdf-reader-mcp is primarily TypeScript; book-to-skill is Python; Tags unique to pdf-reader-mcp: agent-document-twin, ai-tools, document-intelligence, evidence-first; pdf-reader-mcp ships an MCP server manifest; When working within environments that integrate Claude, Cursor, VS Code, or any other MCP client where precision in extracting visual crops and ensuring provenance through OCR is required.
- When should I choose book-to-skill over pdf-reader-mcp?
- Choose book-to-skill over pdf-reader-mcp when book-to-skill is primarily Python; pdf-reader-mcp is TypeScript; Pricing: The tool is free to use under the MIT license, but any books or documents processed with it are subject to their own licensing.; Requirements: Min 2 GB RAM; Requires Python environment to run the tool.; Tags unique to book-to-skill: agent-skills, ai-agents, book-to-skill, context-engineering; Also covers Developer Tools; When you need to convert technical book PDFs into a format that can be easily studied and referenced using Claude Code skills.
- When should I avoid pdf-reader-mcp?
- For situations where you do not require the specific capabilities like evidence-first extraction or trust reporting that distinguish pdf-reader-mcp from other general OCR tools. In scenarios where only plain text extraction is needed without advanced features such as document intelligence, visual crops, or PDF to Markdown conversion.
- When should I avoid book-to-skill?
- If your goal is to convert non-technical books or documents that do not require the specific format of Claude Code skills. When you are looking for a tool that processes and converts documents into formats other than those compatible with Claude Code.
- Is pdf-reader-mcp or book-to-skill more popular on GitHub?
- book-to-skill has more GitHub stars (31,078 vs 935). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are pdf-reader-mcp and book-to-skill open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (pdf-reader-mcp: MIT, book-to-skill: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to pdf-reader-mcp or book-to-skill?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at pdf-reader-mcp alternatives and book-to-skill alternatives (pdf-reader-mcp markdown twin, book-to-skill markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, pdf-reader-mcp or book-to-skill?
- pdf-reader-mcp: Very active. book-to-skill: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for pdf-reader-mcp and book-to-skill?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: pdf-reader-mcp trust report; book-to-skill trust report.