What is the difference between PencilKit and PaperKit?
Asked on 06/22/2025
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PencilKit and PaperKit are two different frameworks provided by Apple, each serving distinct purposes in the realm of drawing and markup experiences.
PencilKit is primarily focused on providing a rich drawing experience. It offers a tool picker that integrates with various platform features, allowing developers to create expressive drawing experiences in their apps. PencilKit is designed to work seamlessly with the Apple Pencil, providing tools for drawing, inking, erasing, and more. It is highly customizable, allowing developers to build their own custom tools and integrate them into the tool picker. PencilKit is ideal for applications that require detailed drawing capabilities, such as art apps or note-taking apps with a focus on freehand drawing.
PaperKit, on the other hand, is a framework that powers Apple's markup experience system-wide. It is used in apps like Notes, Screenshots, Quick Look, and the Journal app. PaperKit provides a canvas that supports both drawing and a variety of markup elements, such as shapes, images, and text. It is designed to offer a comprehensive markup experience, making it suitable for applications that require rich annotation and markup capabilities. PaperKit is particularly useful for apps that need to integrate markup features alongside drawing, providing a more structured approach to annotations.
In summary, while both frameworks support drawing, PencilKit is more focused on freehand drawing experiences, whereas PaperKit is geared towards markup and annotation with additional elements like shapes and text.
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