PDF files are complex creatures, with various types of data and formatting. Most people struggle to extract text from them efficiently, resorting to uploading to AWS Lambda, leading to added network latency and costs. To simplify the process, combining Elixir with Rust and NIFs can be a game-changer. Rust, known for its speed and safety, can be used to create efficient PDF parsers. NIFs allow calling Rust code from Elixir, offering performance benefits without losing Elixir’s ease of use. By integrating the Extractous library, file extraction becomes fast and powerful. This approach leverages the strengths of both languages for effective PDF parsing.
https://www.chriis.dev/opinion/parsing-pdfs-in-elixir-using-rust