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Node.js Sharp Tutorial – Image processing in Node.js

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Introduction to Node.js Sharp

Sharp is a high-performance Node.js module for resizing, converting, and manipulating images in various formats. It’s built around the libvips library and provides a simple but powerful API for image processing.

Node.js Sharp Tutorial

Features of Sharp

  • Fast and efficient image processing
  • Support for multiple image formats including JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, SVG, and TIFF
  • Color space conversion, image resizing, cropping, rotation, and flipping
  • Overlay, watermarking, and tinting
  • Sharpening, blurring, and creating thumbnails

Installing Sharp

To install Sharp in your Node.js project, run the following command in your terminal:

npm install sharp

Main Functions for Image Processing

The main functions that Sharp offers for image processing include:

  • resize(): Change the size of the image
  • toFormat(): Convert image to a different format
  • crop(): Crop the image
  • rotate(): Rotate the image
  • flip() and flop(): Flip the image vertically or horizontally
  • sharpen(): Sharpen the image
  • blur(): Blur the image
  • overlayWith(): Overlay an image with another

Usage Examples

Using Callbacks

Here’s an example of using Sharp with a callback:

sharp('input.jpg')
  .resize(300, 200)
  .toBuffer(function(err, buffer, info) {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log(info);
  });

Using Async/Await

Using Sharp with async/await makes code more readable:

async function resizeImage() {
  try {
    const { data, info } = await sharp('input.jpg').resize(300, 200).toBuffer();
    console.log(info);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error(error);
  }
}
resizeImage();

Using Promises

Sharp can also return a Promise which we can then chain:

sharp('input.jpg')
  .resize(300, 200)
  .toBuffer()
  .then(buffer => {
    console.log('Image resized successfully');
  })
  .catch(err => {
    console.error(err);
  });

Image Manipulation Examples

In the following examples, we’ll see different image manipulation tasks with Sharp:

Resizing an Image

sharp('input.jpg')
  .resize({ width: 800, height: 600 })
  .toFile('output.jpg', (err) => {
    if (err) console.error(err);
  });

Converting Image Formats

sharp('input.png')
  .toFormat('jpeg')
  .toBuffer()
  .then(buffer => {
    console.log('Format converted successfully');
  })
  .catch(err => {
    console.error(err);
  });

Extracting a Region

sharp('input.jpg')
  .extract({ left: 100, top: 100, width: 300, height: 300 })
  .toFile('extracted.jpg', (err) => {
    if (err) console.error(err);
  });

Citations and References

Conclusive Summary

In this Node.js Sharp tutorial, we’ve explored the unmatched speed and versatility of the Sharp package for image processing in Node.js applications. From basic manipulations like resizing and format conversion to more complex operations involving color space adjustments and overlays, Sharp is the go-to tool for developers in need of robust, efficient image processing capabilities. With this tutorial, you should feel confident in integrating Sharp into your own Node.js projects and harnessing its full potential.

ByRavishanker Kusuma
Updated on