What is an image automation API?

An image automation API is a service that generates images from a reusable template by sending data to a REST endpoint. You design the template once, mark the parts that should change, then pass new values through the API to render each version. The same template can produce thousands of images with no manual design work.

How it works

A template holds layers such as text, images, shapes, and colors. Each layer that needs to change is given a name, which turns it into a dynamic field. To create an image, you send a POST request to the render endpoint with the template ID and a JSON object that sets values for those named layers. The API renders the image and returns a hosted URL. Because the request is just data, you can call it from code, a spreadsheet, or a no-code workflow.

A basic request looks like this:

POST /v1/render
{
  "template": "TEMPLATE_ID",
  "layers": {
    "title": { "text": "Summer Sale" },
    "photo": { "image_url": "https://example.com/shoe.jpg" }
  }
}

The response contains the URL of the finished image.

What it is used for

Image automation suits visuals that keep a fixed layout but change per record, such as:

• Open Graph and social preview images
• Social media posts and ad creatives
• Product images and price cards for eCommerce
• Certificates, badges, and event tickets
• Personalized email and marketing images

How it differs from AI image generation

An image automation API renders exact, repeatable output from a design you control. AI image generation tools create new images from text prompts, so the result changes each time and is harder to keep on brand. Image automation is the better fit when you need consistent, predictable visuals at scale.