Simplifying Document Processing with Docling
for AI Applications
By - Tamanna
NextGen_Outlier 1
What is Docling?
Open-source Python library by IBM for document processing
Parses diverse formats:
Documents: PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, HTML
Images: PNG, JPEG, TIFF
Audio: WAV, MP3
Designed for generative AI workflows (e.g., RAG, chatbots)
Key benefits:
Advanced parsing (layouts, tables, formulas)
Local execution for secure data processing
Seamless AI framework integrations
NextGen_Outlier 2
Installing Docling
Requirements: Python 3.11+, macOS/Linux/Windows
Steps:
i. Create virtual environment: python3.11 -m venv myenv
ii. Activate: source myenv/bin/activate (Windows: myenv\Scripts\activate )
iii. Install: pip install docling
iv. Verify: docling --version
Optional: GPU support with TensorFlow/PyTorch
NextGen_Outlier 3
Key Features of Docling
Multi-Format Parsing: PDF, DOCX, images, audio
Advanced PDF Understanding: Layouts, tables, formulas
Unified Format: DoclingDocument for consistency
Export Options: Markdown, HTML, JSON, DocTags
Security: Local execution for air-gapped environments
OCR: Supports scanned PDFs and images
AI Integrations: LangChain, LlamaIndex, Crew AI, Haystack
NextGen_Outlier 4
Example - Converting PDF to Markdown
Code:
from docling.document_converter import DocumentConverter
source = "sample.pdf"
converter = DocumentConverter()
result = converter.convert(source)
print(result.document.export_to_markdown())
Converts PDF text, tables, and images to Markdown
Ideal for feeding into AI pipelines
NextGen_Outlier 5
Docling Workflow
Diagram (describe in PowerPoint as a flowchart):
Input Document → Docling Parse → DoclingDocument → Export (Markdown, JSON) → AI
Frameworks → Vector Store → LLM Query → Output (Answers)
Note: In PowerPoint, use shapes and arrows to create a horizontal flowchart with these steps.
NextGen_Outlier 6
Integration with LangChain
Preprocess documents for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
Workflow: Convert → Load → Index → Query
Code:
from docling.document_converter import DocumentConverter
from langchain.vectorstores import FAISS
converter = DocumentConverter()
result = converter.convert("report.pdf")
with open("output.md", "w") as f:
f.write(result.document.export_to_markdown())
# Load into LangChain and query
NextGen_Outlier 7
Integration with LlamaIndex
Use DoclingReader for document loading
Build vector index for querying
Code:
from llama_index.readers.docling import DoclingReader
reader = DoclingReader()
documents = reader.load_data("report.pdf")
index = VectorStoreIndex.from_documents(documents)
query_engine = index.as_query_engine()
response = query_engine.query("What are the key findings?")
NextGen_Outlier 8
Practical Use Cases
Enterprise RAG: Searchable database from PDFs
Research Assistant: Extract tables/formulas from papers
Audio Transcription: Convert meeting recordings to text
Secure Processing: Handle sensitive data locally
NextGen_Outlier 9
Docling vs. Other Tools
Feature Docling LangChain LlamaIndex
Document Parsing Advanced Basic Moderate
OCR Support Extensive Limited Limited
AI Integrations Multiple Extensive Focused
Local Execution Yes Yes Yes
NextGen_Outlier 10
Conclusion
Docling simplifies document processing for AI
Key strengths: Multi-format parsing, OCR, secure execution
Integrates with LangChain, LlamaIndex, Crew AI, Haystack
Get started: pip install docling
NextGen_Outlier 11
Thank you!!
NextGen_Outlier 12
