sharp vs canvas vs jimp vs @napi-rs/canvas vs p5
Image Processing Libraries for Node.js Comparison
1 Year
sharpcanvasjimp@napi-rs/canvasp5Similar Packages:
What's Image Processing Libraries for Node.js?

These libraries provide various functionalities for image processing in Node.js, allowing developers to manipulate images, create graphics, and perform complex image transformations. They cater to different use cases, from simple image editing to complex graphics rendering, enabling developers to choose the right tool based on their project requirements.

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sharp9,797,07029,992503 kB1337 months agoApache-2.0
canvas3,042,25610,354408 kB452a month agoMIT
jimp1,410,726-4.03 MB-6 months agoMIT
@napi-rs/canvas514,7481,87373.5 kB7424 days agoMIT
p520,05522,1977.31 MB369a month agoLGPL-2.1
Feature Comparison: sharp vs canvas vs jimp vs @napi-rs/canvas vs p5

Performance

  • sharp:

    Sharp is one of the fastest image processing libraries available for Node.js, optimized for speed and memory efficiency. It excels in handling large images and batch processing, making it ideal for production environments.

  • canvas:

    The canvas library provides decent performance for most use cases, but it may not be as fast as native alternatives. It is suitable for applications that do not require extreme performance but still need reliable rendering capabilities.

  • jimp:

    Jimp is designed for simplicity and ease of use, but this comes at the cost of performance. It is best for lightweight tasks and smaller images, as it may struggle with larger files or complex operations.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    @napi-rs/canvas offers exceptional performance due to its native bindings, making it suitable for applications that require fast rendering and minimal latency. It leverages Rust for performance-critical tasks, ensuring efficient memory usage and speed.

  • p5:

    P5 is not primarily focused on performance; instead, it emphasizes ease of use and creativity. It is suitable for interactive applications but may not handle high-performance requirements effectively.

Ease of Use

  • sharp:

    Sharp has a more complex API compared to others but offers extensive documentation. It is best suited for developers who are comfortable with image processing concepts and need advanced features.

  • canvas:

    Canvas closely resembles the HTML5 Canvas API, making it easy to pick up for developers with web experience. Its straightforward API allows for quick implementation of graphics and image manipulations.

  • jimp:

    Jimp is highly user-friendly, with a simple and intuitive API. It is designed for developers who want to perform basic image manipulations without dealing with complex configurations or native code.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    @napi-rs/canvas provides a modern API that is straightforward for developers familiar with the Canvas API. However, it may require some understanding of native bindings for optimal use.

  • p5:

    P5 is designed for accessibility and ease of use, particularly for artists and educators. Its API is straightforward, allowing users to focus on creativity rather than technical details.

Supported Features

  • sharp:

    Sharp supports a wide range of image formats and provides advanced features like resizing, cropping, and format conversion. It is particularly strong in performance-oriented image processing tasks.

  • canvas:

    Canvas provides comprehensive support for the HTML5 Canvas API, allowing for drawing, image manipulation, and basic animations. It is suitable for applications that need standard graphics features without additional complexity.

  • jimp:

    Jimp supports basic image manipulation features such as resizing, cropping, and color adjustments. It is limited in terms of advanced graphics capabilities but excels in straightforward image processing tasks.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    @napi-rs/canvas supports a wide range of features from the HTML5 Canvas API, including drawing shapes, text, images, and handling complex graphics operations. It is ideal for applications requiring advanced rendering capabilities.

  • p5:

    P5 offers extensive features for creative coding, including drawing, animation, and interaction. It is tailored for artistic projects and educational purposes, providing tools for multimedia and interactive experiences.

Use Cases

  • sharp:

    Sharp is well-suited for web applications that require fast image processing, such as resizing images for responsive design, optimizing images for web performance, and batch processing large volumes of images.

  • canvas:

    Canvas is suitable for applications that require basic graphics rendering, such as generating images for reports, charts, or simple animations.

  • jimp:

    Jimp is best for simple image processing tasks like resizing, watermarking, or basic filters, making it suitable for small projects or personal applications.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    @napi-rs/canvas is ideal for server-side rendering of graphics, creating dynamic images for web applications, and generating charts or graphs on the fly.

  • p5:

    P5 is perfect for interactive art projects, educational tools, and creative coding environments, where the focus is on user interaction and artistic expression.

Community and Support

  • sharp:

    Sharp has a strong community and excellent documentation, providing extensive resources for developers. It is widely used in production environments, ensuring robust support.

  • canvas:

    Canvas has a well-established community and extensive documentation, making it easy to find support and resources for common issues and use cases.

  • jimp:

    Jimp has a supportive community, but it may not be as extensive as others. Documentation is available, but users may encounter limitations in advanced use cases.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    @napi-rs/canvas has a growing community, with increasing support and documentation as it gains popularity among developers looking for high-performance solutions.

  • p5:

    P5 has a vibrant community focused on creative coding, with plenty of resources, tutorials, and examples available for users. It is well-supported for educational purposes.

How to Choose: sharp vs canvas vs jimp vs @napi-rs/canvas vs p5
  • sharp:

    Choose sharp for high-performance image processing, especially when dealing with large images or batch processing. It is optimized for speed and memory efficiency, making it perfect for web applications that require fast image resizing and transformations.

  • canvas:

    Opt for canvas if you require a well-established library that closely mimics the HTML5 Canvas API. It is suitable for projects that need a balance between performance and ease of use, especially for creating graphics and charts in a Node.js environment.

  • jimp:

    Select jimp for simple image processing tasks where ease of use and JavaScript-centric design are priorities. It is best for projects that require basic image manipulation without the overhead of native bindings or complex configurations.

  • @napi-rs/canvas:

    Choose @napi-rs/canvas if you need high-performance image manipulation with a focus on native bindings and modern JavaScript features. It is ideal for applications requiring fast rendering and extensive canvas API support, especially in server-side rendering scenarios.

  • p5:

    Use p5 if your project involves creative coding and interactive graphics. It is designed for artists and designers, providing a user-friendly API for drawing and animation, making it ideal for educational purposes and creative projects.

README for sharp

sharp

sharp logo

The typical use case for this high speed Node-API module is to convert large images in common formats to smaller, web-friendly JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF and AVIF images of varying dimensions.

It can be used with all JavaScript runtimes that provide support for Node-API v9, including Node.js (^18.17.0 or >= 20.3.0), Deno and Bun.

Resizing an image is typically 4x-5x faster than using the quickest ImageMagick and GraphicsMagick settings due to its use of libvips.

Colour spaces, embedded ICC profiles and alpha transparency channels are all handled correctly. Lanczos resampling ensures quality is not sacrificed for speed.

As well as image resizing, operations such as rotation, extraction, compositing and gamma correction are available.

Most modern macOS, Windows and Linux systems do not require any additional install or runtime dependencies.

Documentation

Visit sharp.pixelplumbing.com for complete installation instructions, API documentation, benchmark tests and changelog.

Examples

npm install sharp
const sharp = require('sharp');

Callback

sharp(inputBuffer)
  .resize(320, 240)
  .toFile('output.webp', (err, info) => { ... });

Promise

sharp('input.jpg')
  .rotate()
  .resize(200)
  .jpeg({ mozjpeg: true })
  .toBuffer()
  .then( data => { ... })
  .catch( err => { ... });

Async/await

const semiTransparentRedPng = await sharp({
  create: {
    width: 48,
    height: 48,
    channels: 4,
    background: { r: 255, g: 0, b: 0, alpha: 0.5 }
  }
})
  .png()
  .toBuffer();

Stream

const roundedCorners = Buffer.from(
  '<svg><rect x="0" y="0" width="200" height="200" rx="50" ry="50"/></svg>'
);

const roundedCornerResizer =
  sharp()
    .resize(200, 200)
    .composite([{
      input: roundedCorners,
      blend: 'dest-in'
    }])
    .png();

readableStream
  .pipe(roundedCornerResizer)
  .pipe(writableStream);

Contributing

A guide for contributors covers reporting bugs, requesting features and submitting code changes.

Licensing

Copyright 2013 Lovell Fuller and others.

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.