# ImageSharp — Cross-Platform 2D Graphics Library for .NET

> A fully managed, cross-platform image processing library for .NET that handles resizing, cropping, format conversion, and drawing without native dependencies.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# ImageSharp — Cross-Platform 2D Graphics for .NET

## Quick Use
```bash
dotnet add package SixLabors.ImageSharp
```
```csharp
using SixLabors.ImageSharp;
using SixLabors.ImageSharp.Processing;

using var image = Image.Load("photo.jpg");
image.Mutate(x => x.Resize(800, 600).Grayscale());
image.SaveAsPng("output.png");
```

## Introduction
ImageSharp is a fully managed, cross-platform 2D graphics library for .NET. It replaces the legacy System.Drawing dependency with a modern, allocation-friendly API that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and even in containers without native GDI+ or libgdiplus dependencies.

## What ImageSharp Does
- Loads and saves images in JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, TGA, and WebP formats
- Provides image processing operations like resize, crop, rotate, and color adjustment
- Draws text, shapes, and paths onto images via the ImageSharp.Drawing package
- Reads and writes EXIF, IPTC, and XMP metadata
- Handles animated GIFs with per-frame processing support

## Architecture Overview
ImageSharp operates on a pixel buffer abstraction (`Image<TPixel>`) that supports multiple pixel formats. Processing operations are applied through a mutation pipeline that chains transformations efficiently. The library uses SIMD-accelerated operations via .NET's Vector types and avoids unmanaged memory, making it safe for serverless and containerized environments.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via NuGet: `dotnet add package SixLabors.ImageSharp`
- Add `SixLabors.ImageSharp.Drawing` for text and shape rendering
- Configure memory allocation limits with `Configuration.Default.MemoryAllocator`
- Set maximum image dimensions to prevent denial-of-service from large uploads
- Use `SixLabors.ImageSharp.Web` for ASP.NET Core middleware with caching and on-the-fly processing

## Key Features
- Fully managed with zero native dependencies — runs anywhere .NET runs
- Thread-safe image processing suitable for server-side workloads
- Pluggable format decoders and encoders for custom image formats
- Memory-efficient processing with configurable allocation strategies
- SIMD-accelerated pixel operations for high throughput

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **System.Drawing** — Legacy GDI+ wrapper, Windows-only in practice; ImageSharp is cross-platform and actively maintained
- **SkiaSharp** — Wraps native Skia library; ImageSharp is fully managed with no native binaries to ship
- **Magick.NET** — Wraps ImageMagick; ImageSharp has no native dependency but covers fewer formats
- **Sharp (Node.js)** — libvips-based; ImageSharp serves the same role in the .NET ecosystem

## FAQ
**Q: Is ImageSharp free for commercial use?**
A: Yes under the Apache 2.0 license for SixLabors.ImageSharp. The Drawing package uses a Six Labors Split License.

**Q: Can it handle large images?**
A: Yes, memory allocation is configurable to stream large images without loading entirely into RAM.

**Q: Does it support WebP?**
A: Yes, WebP encoding and decoding is supported out of the box.

**Q: How does performance compare to native libraries?**
A: ImageSharp is competitive for common operations and benefits from .NET's JIT and SIMD optimizations.

## Sources
- https://github.com/SixLabors/ImageSharp
- https://docs.sixlabors.com/articles/imagesharp

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-e87f0ee2
Author: Script Depot