Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Ghostscript VS Atril

Compare Ghostscript VS Atril and see what are their differences

Ghostscript logo Ghostscript

Documentation.

Atril logo Atril

Atril is a simple multi-page document viewer. Atril is a fork of Evince.
  • Ghostscript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-29
  • Atril Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-22

Ghostscript features and specs

  • Open Source
    Ghostscript is released under an open-source license, which means it is available for free and can be modified to suit individual needs.
  • PDF and PS Compatibility
    It supports a wide range of PDF and PostScript documents, providing robust rendering capabilities for different file types.
  • Cross-platform
    Ghostscript runs on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility and accessibility across platforms.
  • Command-line Tool
    It operates as a command-line tool, enabling automation and integration into larger workflows and scripts for batch processing.
  • Extensive Documentation
    Ghostscript offers comprehensive documentation that supports users in understanding and utilizing its extensive features effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Ghostscript

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users who are not familiar with command-line interfaces or the specifics of PDF and PostScript formats, it can be difficult to learn.
  • Limited GUI Support
    While powerful as a command-line tool, Ghostscript lacks an intuitive graphical user interface, which may limit its accessibility for non-technical users.
  • Performance
    Processing large or complex documents can be resource-intensive and may result in slower performance, depending on the system's capabilities.
  • Complex Configuration
    Ghostscript requires detailed configuration for certain operations, which can be challenging without sufficient technical expertise.
  • Dependency on External Libraries
    It may rely on additional libraries for certain functionalities, and ensuring compatibility can sometimes be problematic during updates or installation on different systems.

Atril features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Atril is designed to be a lightweight document viewer, making it fast and efficient with system resources. This is particularly beneficial for older or less powerful computers.
  • MATE Integration
    As part of the MATE desktop environment, Atril is well-integrated and maintains a consistent look and feel with other MATE applications, providing a seamless user experience.
  • Multiple Format Support
    Atril supports a variety of document formats, including PDF, PostScript, DjVu, DVI, and XPS, making it a versatile tool for viewing different kinds of documents.
  • Open Source
    Atril is open-source software, allowing users to freely inspect, modify, and distribute the software. This fosters transparency and community contributions.

Possible disadvantages of Atril

  • Limited Features
    Compared to some other document viewers, Atril may have fewer advanced features, such as extensive annotation tools or advanced search capabilities.
  • MATE Dependency
    While Atril can be used outside the MATE desktop environment, it is specifically designed for MATE, meaning it may not integrate as well with other desktop environments.
  • Occasional Lag with Large Files
    Users may experience some performance lag when opening very large documents, which can affect usability.
  • Development Pace
    Being part of a community-driven project, Atril's development and updates can be slower compared to commercial software with dedicated development teams.

Analysis of Atril

Overall verdict

  • Atril is considered a good option for users looking for a straightforward, reliable document viewer integrated with the MATE desktop environment. It offers essential features required for everyday document viewing tasks and is consistently maintained as part of the MATE project.

Why this product is good

  • Atril, a document viewer that is part of the MATE desktop environment, is appreciated for its simplicity and efficiency. It supports a wide range of document formats including PDF, PostScript, DJVU, and many others. Atril is lightweight, making it an excellent choice for users who prefer minimal resource consumption without sacrificing functionality.

Recommended for

    Atril is recommended for users who utilize the MATE desktop environment or those who need a fast and efficient document viewer that does not hog system resources. It's especially suitable for Linux users who appreciate the traditional desktop experience provided by MATE.

Ghostscript videos

How to RIP Halftones FREE using Ghostscript - part 1

More videos:

  • Review - Print Color Separations With Ghostscript - SEPARATIONS WITHOUT A RIP
  • Review - Web Hacking Pro Tips #4 with Jason Haddix: Ghostscript

Atril videos

Me compré un atril! - PDP CS800 #Review

More videos:

  • Review - REVIEW / Atril de platillo HC33BW con boom Tama
  • Review - Review: Wostoo Teclado Electrónico Piano 61 Teclas con Atril y Microfono

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Ghostscript and Atril)
PDF Editor
34 34%
66% 66
PDF Tools
23 23%
77% 77
Office & Productivity
34 34%
66% 66
Tool
34 34%
66% 66

User comments

Share your experience with using Ghostscript and Atril. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Atril seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 22 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Ghostscript mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Ghostscript yet. Tracking of Ghostscript recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Atril mentions (22)

  • SerenityOS is a love letter to '90s user interfaces
    The closest I know of is Blue95. I have only run the live environment but it worked pretty well and was impressive. "Blue95 is a modern and lightweight desktop experience that is reminiscent of a bygone era of computing. Based on Fedora Atomic Xfce with the Chicago95 theme." https://github.com/winblues/blue95 And if you like Gnome 2.x, there's MATE: https://mate-desktop.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Systemd Rolling Out "run0" As sudo Alternative
    I don't know if you are DE shopping, but I've been very happy for the past few years with the MATE Desktop Environment, which "...is the continuation of GNOME 2. It provides an intuitive and attractive desktop environment using traditional metaphors for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems." https://mate-desktop.org/ Among a great number of things I really like, I will mention that Caja, the MATE version of... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Lobotomizing Gnome
    I agree that there is a balance between customization and "cleanness" in design and implementation. However, I think the GNOME 3 and 4 designers went too far and alienated many users: https://www.zdnet.com/article/linus-torvalds-finds-gnome-3-4-to-be-a-total-user-experience-design-failure/ https://medium.com/@fulalas/gnome-42-the-nonsense-continues-7d96c3287f7... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • I Still Use Windows 95 (archived, 2008)
    > Is there a WM out there that can do the basic quality-of-life functions of today's DEs? I'd love a simple, opinionated WM that takes the features we know are useful today (workspaces, expo mode, sensible file manager layouts, system trays) and gives them a color-adjustable window theme inspired by 90's aesthetics, with minimal compositing that can run fast on hardware as minimal as a prototype RISC-V board. Or... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Still unsure as to how this managed to happen 😖
    Some people deliberately put mate on their PCs. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Ghostscript and Atril, you can also consider the following products

ApowerPDF - ApowerPDF is a versatile PDF editor which also features as PDF converter, viewer, creator and more. It provides a perfect solution for all users.

Evince - Evince is a document viewer for multiple document formats: PDF, Postscript, djvu, tiff, dvi, XPS...

PDF Reader Pro - PDF Reader Pro is an all-in-one PDF office supporting to Read, Annotate, Edit, OCR, Convert, Create & Fill Form, Sign PDFs, TTS on Mac, iOS, Android, and Windows.

Bullzip PDF Printer - Free PDF Printer - Create PDF documents from Windows applications. Supports Citrix, Terminal Server, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Vista, 2008R2, 2008, 2003, and 2000. Works with 32 and 64 bit systems.

Classic PDF Editor - View, Create, Convert and Edit PDF Files

Icecream Apps PDF Editor - Excellent powerful tool to edit PDF, annotate PDF, redact, protect and more.