Python Image Optimization

Demo app for the blog post: Python Image Optimization with ImageKit.

Backend Python companion to the Next.js image and video optimization demos. Demonstrates resize, compression, modern format delivery, smart cropping, and AI transformations using the imagekitio Python SDK and Flask. Every section shows the Python code, the generated URL, and the resulting image with real file sizes.

What's on the page

Section	What it shows
Summary table	5-variant comparison including format, size, and savings %
01 — SDK setup	Install + initialize code
02 — External storage	Connect S3/GCS or upload via SDK
03 — Raw baseline	Unoptimized source via ?tr=orig-true
04 — ImageKit default	Auto format (AVIF/WebP) + default compression
05 — Resize	width: 800 with size comparison
06 — Compression	4 quality levels + interactive quality slider
07 — Responsive images	build_srcset() helper + live viewport indicator
08 — Smart crop	Face crop, auto crop, object-aware crop (dog/cat)
09 — AI background removal	e-bgremove transformation
10 — AI generative fill	bg-genfill with optional prompt input

Quick start

1. Clone the repo and navigate to this folder:

   cd python-image-optimization

2. Create a virtual environment and install dependencies:

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate # or venv\Scripts\activate on Windows
   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Copy the env example and edit if needed:

   cp .env.example .env

   The defaults use the public ikmedia account

4. Start the server:

   python app.py

   Open http://localhost:5000.

Environment variables

Variable	Description
IMAGEKIT_URL_ENDPOINT	Your ImageKit URL endpoint, e.g. https://ik.imagekit.io/your_imagekit_id
IMAGEKIT_PUBLIC_KEY	Your public key
IMAGEKIT_PRIVATE_KEY	Your private key

Customization

To use different source images, update the paths in lib/images.py. The images should be accessible via your ImageKit URL endpoint.

Related

• Python Image Optimization with ImageKit
• imagekitio Python SDK
• ImageKit Transformation docs
• Next.js Image Optimization demo
• Next.js Video Optimization demo