subject: When Would You Want To Make Documents In An Epub Format? [print this page] PDFs have long been the standard file format for books and other publications. The format is widespread, and nearly everyone knows what a PDF is. Now there's a new kid on the block though: ePub. You may have discovered an ePub file on your computer, or perhaps you've been asked to save a work file as .ePub - and maybe you're feeling a little clueless. Never fear. We're here to help.
What is ePub?
EPub is short for Electronic Publication. The name is often capitalized differently, including variations like ePub, ePUB, EPub, or epub. Don't be confused though; they all mean the same thing.
Capitilization aside, .ePub is a file format used for publishing books or other readable material in a reflowable fashion. "Reflowable" means that the text or layout of your material will adapt to the screen it is displayed on. It's a handy format with the huge variety of electronic devices now available, as it can be read on a large computer screen just as easily as on your iPad or 3.5" smart phone screen. The file format automatically scales text and images to make the most of the available screen space.
PDF vs. ePub
Very simply, PDF is an Adobe creation and is best used when the layout of a file is the most important thing to you. If you've made a brochure, flyer, or any product that needs to stick to a static layout, PDF is the way to go. It handles graphics well and won't mess up your design. Depending on which program you used to create the file, PDFs are often fully editable if they are opened in their program of origin (for example, if you create a layout in InDesign and save it as a PDF, you'll be able to reopen that PDF in InDesign for any needed edits).
EPub, on the other hand, is best used when your document is largely text-based. Creating epub documents really comes in handy when readability is of prime importance. The format can be used on practically any device, and the text size will adjust (or can be manually adjusted by the reader) for comfortable reading. Epub documents will also adjust when you rotate your mobile device (like an e-reader, iPad or smart phone), and will lay out the text in the most efficient manner. When should documents be saved as ePub files?
As we've discussed, ePub should be used when text is the most important part of your file. To summarize, you should be making epub documents when:
- Creating a book, a report or a school paper, instructional material, tutorial, or other purely (or largely) text-based document.
- You want your document to be easily used across various platforms, including computers, electronic readers and mobile devices.
