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AFP print management architecture uniforms the interaction with printers by using IPDS protocol. AFP is device-independent and object-oriented whereas IPDS is device-dependent.

AFP data stream is converted into an IPDS data stream by the PSF (Print Service Facility) once AFP incorporates the MO:DCA (Mixed Object Document Content Architecture ) elements when a job is ready for printing.

AFP uses MO:DCA to define a document's presentation in that MO:DCA allows various data types, such as images, graphics, text, and bar codes,  to be incorporated into the final print job.