pdf-reader-mcp vs Relativity
Side-by-side comparison to help you choose.
| Feature | pdf-reader-mcp | Relativity |
|---|---|---|
| Type | MCP Server | Product |
| UnfragileRank | 45/100 | 32/100 |
| Adoption | 0 | 0 |
| Quality | 1 | 1 |
| Ecosystem |
| 1 |
| 0 |
| Match Graph | 0 | 0 |
| Pricing | Free | Paid |
| Capabilities | 13 decomposed | 13 decomposed |
| Times Matched | 0 | 0 |
Extracts text content from PDF pages using Promise.all() for concurrent processing across multiple pages, then sorts extracted content by Y-coordinate (vertical position) to preserve document layout semantics. This approach achieves 5-10x speedup over sequential extraction while maintaining structural integrity of multi-column layouts and ordered content blocks. The implementation uses pdf-parse library with custom coordinate-based sorting in src/pdf/extractor.ts.
Unique: Uses Y-coordinate sorting of extracted text blocks to reconstruct document layout order, combined with Promise.all() parallelization — most PDF libraries extract sequentially or lose layout context entirely. The per-page error isolation pattern (via Promise.allSettled() internally) prevents single malformed pages from failing the entire extraction.
vs alternatives: 5-10x faster than sequential pdf-parse usage and preserves layout context that regex-based or simple line-by-line extraction loses, making it superior for LLM agents that need document structure awareness.
Extracts embedded images from PDF documents and encodes them as base64-encoded PNG data URIs for direct embedding in LLM context windows. The implementation iterates through PDF page resources, identifies image objects, converts them to PNG format, and returns them as data URLs that Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients can directly consume without additional file I/O. Handled in src/pdf/extractor.ts with image processing pipeline.
Unique: Automatically converts extracted images to base64 data URIs that can be directly embedded in MCP responses without requiring clients to manage separate image files or paths. This eliminates the file I/O round-trip that most PDF libraries require, making images immediately available to LLM context.
vs alternatives: Simpler integration than alternatives requiring clients to save images to disk and reference file paths; data URIs work natively with Claude's vision API and don't require additional client-side file handling logic.
Includes extensive test suite with 94%+ code coverage using Jest or similar testing framework, covering PDF extraction, error handling, edge cases (empty PDFs, corrupted pages, large files), and MCP protocol compliance. Tests are organized by module (extractor, loader, parser, handlers) and include both unit tests and integration tests. The test suite validates correctness of parallel extraction, Y-coordinate ordering, error isolation, and response schema compliance.
Unique: Maintains 94%+ code coverage with comprehensive test suite covering edge cases, error handling, and performance characteristics. This level of coverage is unusual for open-source PDF libraries and indicates production-grade reliability.
vs alternatives: Higher test coverage than most PDF libraries; provides confidence in reliability and makes it safer for production deployments compared to minimally-tested alternatives.
Provides Docker configuration (Dockerfile, docker-compose.yml) for containerized deployment of the MCP server, enabling easy integration into orchestrated environments (Kubernetes, Docker Compose). The Docker image includes Node.js runtime, pdf-reader-mcp dependencies, and startup scripts. Deployment documentation covers image building, container configuration, and integration with MCP clients via stdio transport within containers.
Unique: Provides production-ready Docker configuration with clear deployment documentation, enabling teams to deploy pdf-reader-mcp in containerized environments without custom Dockerfile creation.
vs alternatives: Simpler deployment than building custom Docker images; enables integration into existing container orchestration pipelines (Kubernetes, Docker Compose) without additional infrastructure work.
Distributes pdf-reader-mcp as an npm package with automated CI/CD pipeline (GitHub Actions) that runs tests, builds the package, and publishes to npm registry on release. The package.json defines dependencies, build scripts, and entry points. CI/CD pipeline validates code quality, runs test suite, and publishes new versions automatically. This enables easy installation via 'npm install pdf-reader-mcp' and ensures consistent builds across environments.
Unique: Provides automated CI/CD pipeline that validates, builds, and publishes the package to npm registry on release, ensuring consistent builds and easy distribution to Node.js developers.
vs alternatives: Simpler installation than cloning and building from source; automated CI/CD ensures package quality and enables rapid updates compared to manual publishing.
Parses complex page range specifications (e.g., '1-5,10,15-20') into discrete page numbers, and normalizes file paths across Windows/Unix/relative/absolute formats using path resolution logic in src/pdf/parser.ts. The implementation validates range syntax, expands ranges into individual pages, and resolves paths relative to the MCP server's working directory, handling edge cases like negative indices and out-of-bounds ranges gracefully.
Unique: Combines page range parsing with cross-platform path normalization in a single utility, handling both Windows backslashes and Unix forward slashes transparently. The range parser expands shorthand notation (e.g., '1-5') into discrete pages without loading the PDF, enabling efficient pre-filtering before extraction.
vs alternatives: More flexible than fixed page selection (e.g., 'first 10 pages') and more robust than naive path handling that breaks on Windows paths; supports both human-readable range syntax and programmatic page arrays.
Implements error handling that isolates failures to individual pages using Promise.allSettled() internally, allowing extraction to continue on remaining pages even if one page fails to parse. Failed pages generate warning objects in the response (not exceptions) that include error details, page number, and fallback content (if available). This pattern is implemented in src/handlers/readPdf.ts and prevents single malformed pages from blocking the entire PDF extraction.
Unique: Uses Promise.allSettled() to isolate page-level failures from the overall extraction operation, returning warnings instead of throwing exceptions. This allows agents to continue processing and make intelligent decisions about partial results, rather than failing the entire request.
vs alternatives: More resilient than sequential extraction (which fails on first error) and more informative than simple try-catch (which loses partial results); enables production systems to handle imperfect PDFs gracefully.
Implements a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server using Node.js stdio transport, communicating with MCP clients via JSON-RPC 2.0 messages over standard input/output. The server exposes a single 'read_pdf' tool with structured input schema and response format, handling client requests asynchronously and returning results as JSON. Implemented in src/index.ts with MCP SDK integration for protocol compliance and automatic schema validation.
Unique: Implements MCP server using stdio transport with automatic schema validation and JSON-RPC 2.0 compliance, eliminating the need for HTTP infrastructure or API key management. The single 'read_pdf' tool is fully schema-defined, enabling MCP clients to auto-discover capabilities and validate inputs before sending requests.
vs alternatives: Simpler deployment than HTTP-based APIs (no port management, no authentication overhead) and more standardized than custom subprocess protocols; works natively with Claude Desktop and Cursor without additional client configuration.
+5 more capabilities
Automatically categorizes and codes documents based on learned patterns from human-reviewed samples, using machine learning to predict relevance, privilege, and responsiveness. Reduces manual review burden by identifying documents that match specified criteria without human intervention.
Ingests and processes massive volumes of documents in native formats while preserving metadata integrity and creating searchable indices. Handles format conversion, deduplication, and metadata extraction without data loss.
Provides tools for organizing and retrieving documents during depositions and trial, including document linking, timeline creation, and quick-search capabilities. Enables attorneys to rapidly locate supporting documents during proceedings.
Manages documents subject to regulatory requirements and compliance obligations, including retention policies, audit trails, and regulatory reporting. Tracks document lifecycle and ensures compliance with legal holds and preservation requirements.
Manages multi-reviewer document review workflows with task assignment, progress tracking, and quality control mechanisms. Supports parallel review by multiple team members with conflict resolution and consistency checking.
Enables rapid searching across massive document collections using full-text indexing, Boolean operators, and field-specific queries. Supports complex search syntax for precise document retrieval and filtering.
pdf-reader-mcp scores higher at 45/100 vs Relativity at 32/100. pdf-reader-mcp also has a free tier, making it more accessible.
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Identifies and flags privileged communications (attorney-client, work product) and confidential information through pattern recognition and metadata analysis. Maintains comprehensive audit trails of all access to sensitive materials.
Implements role-based access controls with fine-grained permissions at document, workspace, and field levels. Allows administrators to restrict access based on user roles, case assignments, and security clearances.
+5 more capabilities