Editing Job Definition Format (section)

{{Infobox file format
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| latest_release_date = {{start date and age|2024|05|23|df=yes/no}}
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'''JDF''' ('''Job Definition Format''') is a [[technical standard]] developed by the [[graphic arts]] industry to facilitate cross-vendor [[workflow]] implementations of the [[application domain]].  It is an [[XML]] format about job ticket, message description, and message interchange.  JDF is managed by CIP4, the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress Organization.  JDF was initiated by [[Adobe Systems]], [[Agfa]], [[Heidelberger Druckmaschinen|Heidelberg]] and [[MAN Roland]] in 1999 but handed over to CIP3 at [[Drupa]] 2000.  CIP3 then renamed itself CIP4.

The initial focus was on sheetfed offset and [[digital print]] workflow, but has been expanded to web(roll)-fed systems, newspaper workflows and packaging and label workflows.

It is promulgated by the prepress industry association CIP4,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.CIP4.org/|title = CIP4.org Home Page}}</ref> and is generally regarded as the successor to CIP3's Print Production  Format (PPF)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cip4.org/print-automation/what-is-ppf.html/|title = CIP3 Print Production Format}}</ref> and [[Adobe Systems]]' Portable Job Ticket Format (PJTF).

The JDF standard is at revision 1.8. The process of defining and promulgating JDF began circa 1999. The standard is in a fairly mature state; and a number of vendors have implemented or are in the process of implementing it. JDF PARC, a multivendor JDF interoperability demonstration, was a major event at the 2004 [[Drupa]] print industry show, and featured 21 vendors demonstrating, or attempting to demonstrate interoperability between a total of about forty pairs of products.

JDF is an extensible format. It defines both JDF files and JMF, a job messaging format based on XML over [[HTTP]]. In practice, JDF-enabled products can communicate with each other either by exchanging JDF files, typically via "hot folders", or the net or by exchanging JMF messages over the net.

As is typical of [[workflow application]]s, the JDF message contains information that enables each "node" to determine what files it needs as input and where they are found, and what processes it should perform. It then modifies the JDF job ticket to describe what it has done, and examines the JDF ticket to determine where the message and accompanying files should be sent next.

The goal of CIP4 and the JDF format is to encompass the whole life cycle of a print and cross-media job, including device automation, management data collection and job-floor mechanical production process, including even such things as bindery, assembly of finished products on pallets.

Before JDF can be completely realized, more vendors need to accept the standard. Therefore, few users have been able to completely utilize the benefits of the JDF system. In finishing and binding, and printing there is a tradition of automation and few large enough dominating companies that can steer the development of JDF system. But it is still necessary for the manufacturers of business systems to fully support JDF. The same progress has not been made here probably because many of these companies are small specialty companies who haven't the resource to manage such development and who don't specialize on graphic production.

In addition, there is a huge amount of large-capital production machinery already existing in the trade which is incompatible with JDF. The graphic arts business is shrinking yearly and any large-capital decision is much more a risk than in previous years. The underlying incentive to adopt JDF is not sufficient in most cases to cause owners to abandon "acceptable" machinery that they presently have in favour of a large-capital purchase of somewhat faster, JDF-compliant capital goods. This is especially true in markets where large amounts of non-compliant production machinery are being sold in the used-equipment market and auction sales at considerable reductions in price from new equipment.