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Glossary

A reference guide to terms used throughout the Pictify documentation.

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A

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API Key

A secret token used to authenticate requests to the Pictify API. Comes in two types: live keys (pk_live_) for production and test keys (pk_test_) for development.

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Agent Screenshot

An AI-powered feature that uses natural language prompts to navigate to a webpage and capture specific content automatically.

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B

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Batch Operation

Processing multiple renders in a single API request. More efficient than individual requests for generating many images.

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Binding

A connection between a template and an external data source that automatically refreshes the rendered image when data changes.

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C

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Canvas Rendering

Generating images from FabricJS canvas JSON data, enabling programmatic image creation with objects, text, and shapes.

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CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A globally distributed network that serves rendered images from locations close to users for faster loading.

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D

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Device Scale Factor

A multiplier for output resolution. A factor of 2 produces “retina” images at 2x the specified dimensions.

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E

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Expression

Dynamic code within templates using {{...}} syntax. Supports variables, operators, and built-in functions.

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Expression Engine

The system that evaluates expressions in templates, providing features like string formatting, math operations, and conditionals.

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F

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FabricJS

An open-source JavaScript canvas library. Pictify can render FabricJS canvas JSON directly to images.

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G

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GIF Capture

Recording an animated GIF from a live webpage, capturing CSS animations or JavaScript-driven motion.

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H

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HMAC-SHA256

The cryptographic algorithm used to sign webhooks, ensuring they originate from Pictify and haven’t been tampered with.

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HTML Rendering

Converting HTML and CSS code into image formats like PNG, JPEG, or WebP.

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I

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Idempotency

The ability to safely retry requests without duplicate effects. Enabled by the Idempotency-Key header.

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Idempotency Key

A unique identifier included in requests to ensure they’re only processed once, even if sent multiple times.

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M

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MCP (Model Context Protocol)

A standard protocol for connecting AI models to external tools. Pictify’s MCP server enables AI agents to generate images.

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O

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OG Image (Open Graph Image)

The preview image shown when content is shared on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

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OpenAPI

A specification for documenting REST APIs. Pictify provides an OpenAPI 3.1 spec for API reference.

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P

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PDF Preset

Standard paper sizes for PDF generation (A4, Letter, Legal, etc.) with predefined dimensions.

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Problem Details (RFC 9457)

A standard format for API error responses that includes type, title, status, and detail fields.

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R

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Rate Limit

Restrictions on how many API requests can be made in a time period. Varies by plan (Free: 60/min, Pro: 300/min, etc.).

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Render

The process of converting templates, HTML, or URLs into images, GIFs, or PDFs.

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Retina Image

A high-resolution image (typically 2x or 3x) optimized for high-DPI displays like Apple Retina screens.

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RFC 9457

The IETF standard for “Problem Details for HTTP APIs” used by Pictify’s error responses.

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S

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Selector

A CSS selector used to capture a specific element on a page rather than the full viewport.

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Signing Secret

A cryptographic secret used to verify webhook signatures. Unique to each webhook subscription.

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SSRF (Server-Side Request Forgery)

A security vulnerability where attackers trick servers into making unintended requests. Pictify blocks private network URLs to prevent SSRF.

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T

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Template

A reusable design with variable placeholders that can be rendered with different data.

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Template Variable

A placeholder in a template (like {{title}}) that gets replaced with actual data during rendering.

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Tool Schema

JSON schema definitions for AI tool integration, describing available functions and their parameters.

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Transparent Background

PNG or WebP images with alpha channel transparency instead of a solid background.

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U

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User Storage

Optional cloud storage (S3, R2, etc.) where Pictify can upload rendered images in addition to the CDN.

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V

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Variable Interpolation

The process of replacing template placeholders ({{variable}}) with actual values during rendering.

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Variable Set

A collection of variable values used to render a template. Batch operations accept arrays of variable sets.

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W

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Webhook

An HTTP callback that notifies your server when events occur (render completed, batch finished, etc.).

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Webhook Signature

A cryptographic signature in the X-Pictify-Signature header used to verify webhook authenticity.

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WebP

A modern image format developed by Google offering better compression than PNG or JPEG while supporting transparency.

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Common Abbreviations