Use this skill for every task that involves:
Do NOT use raw postMessage wiring — always use photopea.js as the wrapper.
photopea.js is a Promises-based JavaScript wrapper around the Photopea Live Messaging API.
Repository: https://github.com/yikuansun/PhotopeaAPI
npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/photopea
CDN (no build step)
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/photopea@1.1.1/dist/photopea.min.js"></script>
Self-hosted
<script src="./photopea.min.js"></script>
npm (Webpack / Vite / Rollup)
npm install photopea
import Photopea from "photopea";
Photopea Class| Method | Description |
|---|---|
Photopea.createEmbed(container) |
Creates + injects the iframe, resolves when ready |
new Photopea(window.parent) |
Plugin mode: wrap the parent window |
pea.runScript(script) |
Run JS string inside Photopea; returns output array |
pea.loadAsset(arrayBuffer) |
Load binary file (image, font, brush, etc.) |
pea.openFromURL(url, asSmart) |
Open remote URL as new doc or smart object layer |
pea.exportImage(type) |
Export current doc; returns Blob ("png" or "jpg") |
All methods return Promises — always await or .then().
The container <div> must have a fixed width and height before calling createEmbed.
<div id="editor" style="width:1000px; height:650px;"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/photopea@1.1.1/dist/photopea.min.js"></script>
<script>
Photopea.createEmbed(document.getElementById("editor")).then(async (pea) => {
// pea is ready
});
</script>
React:
import { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
import Photopea from "photopea";
export default function Editor() {
const containerRef = useRef(null);
const peaRef = useRef(null);
useEffect(() => {
if (!containerRef.current || peaRef.current) return;
Photopea.createEmbed(containerRef.current).then((pea) => {
peaRef.current = pea;
});
}, []);
return <div ref={containerRef} style={{ width: "100%", height: "650px" }} />;
}
// Remote URL → new document
await pea.openFromURL("https://example.com/design.psd", false);
// Remote URL → smart object layer inside current document
await pea.openFromURL("https://example.com/overlay.png", true);
// Local file (user input → ArrayBuffer → loadAsset)
document.getElementById("fileInput").addEventListener("change", async (e) => {
const buf = await e.target.files[0].arrayBuffer();
await pea.loadAsset(buf);
});
// Base64 data URI via runScript
await pea.runScript(`app.open("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0...");`);
runScript sends a JS string, returns an array of app.echoToOE(...) values + "done" last.
const result = await pea.runScript(`app.echoToOE("hello");`);
// result → ["hello", "done"]
// Return structured data
const out = await pea.runScript(`
app.echoToOE(JSON.stringify({
width: app.activeDocument.width,
height: app.activeDocument.height,
layers: app.activeDocument.layers.length
}));
`);
const info = JSON.parse(out[0]);
// PNG Blob (via exportImage)
const blob = await pea.exportImage("png");
document.getElementById("preview").src = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
// JPEG Blob
const blob = await pea.exportImage("jpg");
// WebP / PSD / quality-controlled JPEG via saveToOE
const result = await pea.runScript(`app.activeDocument.saveToOE("webp:0.85");`);
const webpBlob = new Blob([result[0]], { type: "image/webp" });
const result = await pea.runScript(`app.activeDocument.saveToOE("psd:true");`);
const psdBlob = new Blob([result[0]], { type: "application/octet-stream" });
// Trigger download
async function download(pea, filename = "export.png") {
const blob = await pea.exportImage("png");
const a = Object.assign(document.createElement("a"), {
href: URL.createObjectURL(blob),
download: filename
});
a.click();
}
Export format strings for saveToOE:
| String | Format |
|---|---|
"png" |
PNG lossless |
"jpg" |
JPEG default |
"jpg:0.8" |
JPEG quality 0.0–1.0 |
"webp:0.7" |
WebP quality 0.0–1.0 |
"psd" |
Full PSD |
"psd:true" |
Minified PSD |
"svg:true" |
SVG |
// Font
const buf = await (await fetch("https://example.com/MyFont.otf")).arrayBuffer();
await pea.loadAsset(buf);
// Now usable in textItem.font
// Brush
await pea.loadAsset(await (await fetch("Nature.ABR")).arrayBuffer());
// Gradient
await pea.loadAsset(await (await fetch("Gradients.GRD")).arrayBuffer());
// Your page is inside Photopea's sidebar iframe
const pea = new Photopea(window.parent);
const out = await pea.runScript(`app.echoToOE(app.activeDocument.width);`);
console.log("Width:", out[0]);
// Load an asset from your plugin
const buf = await (await fetch("https://my-assets.com/sticker.png")).arrayBuffer();
await pea.loadAsset(buf);
Plugin config:
{
"environment": {
"plugins": [{
"name": "My Plugin",
"url": "https://my-plugin.example.com",
"icon": "===https://my-plugin.example.com/icon.png"
}]
}
}
async function addImageAndWait(pea, imgURI) {
let count = "done";
while (count === "done")
count = (await pea.runScript(`app.echoToOE(app.activeDocument.layers.length)`))[0];
count = parseInt(count);
const imageUrlLiteral = JSON.stringify(imgURI);
await pea.runScript(`app.open(${imageUrlLiteral}, null, true);`);
return new Promise((resolve) => {
const check = async () => {
const n = parseInt((await pea.runScript(
`app.echoToOE(app.activeDocument.layers.length)`
))[0]);
n === count + 1 ? resolve() : setTimeout(check, 50);
};
check();
});
}
<img> elementasync function getDocumentAsImage(pea) {
const result = await pea.runScript(`app.activeDocument.saveToOE('png')`);
return new Promise((resolve) => {
const fr = new FileReader();
fr.addEventListener("load", (e) => {
const img = new Image(); img.src = e.target.result; resolve(img);
});
fr.readAsDataURL(new Blob([result[0]], { type: "image/png" }));
});
}
<input type="file" id="fileInput" accept="image/*,.psd">
<button id="exportBtn">Export PNG</button>
<div id="editor" style="width:100%;height:600px;"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/photopea@1.1.1/dist/photopea.min.js"></script>
<script>
let pea;
Photopea.createEmbed(document.getElementById("editor")).then(p => pea = p);
document.getElementById("fileInput").addEventListener("change", async e => {
await pea.loadAsset(await e.target.files[0].arrayBuffer());
});
document.getElementById("exportBtn").addEventListener("click", async () => {
const blob = await pea.exportImage("png");
const a = Object.assign(document.createElement("a"), {
href: URL.createObjectURL(blob), download: "export.png"
});
a.click();
});
</script>
async function generateCard(pea, name, tagline) {
await pea.openFromURL("https://example.com/card.psd", false);
const nameLiteral = JSON.stringify(name);
const taglineLiteral = JSON.stringify(tagline);
await pea.runScript(`
app.activeDocument.layers.getByName("Name").textItem.contents = ${nameLiteral};
app.activeDocument.layers.getByName("Tagline").textItem.contents = ${taglineLiteral};
`);
return await pea.exportImage("png");
}
async function batchWatermark(pea, imageURLs, watermarkURL) {
const results = [];
for (const url of imageURLs) {
await pea.openFromURL(url, false);
await pea.openFromURL(watermarkURL, true);
await pea.runScript(`
var doc = app.activeDocument, wm = doc.activeLayer;
wm.translate(doc.width - wm.bounds[2] - 20, doc.height - wm.bounds[3] - 20);
wm.opacity = 70;
`);
results.push(await pea.exportImage("png"));
await pea.runScript(`app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);`);
}
return results;
}
All code in this section runs inside
pea.runScript("...")strings. Photopea implements the Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 JavaScript scripting interface. Any Photoshop script targeting that version should work in Photopea.
app — Application Object| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
app.activeDocument |
Document | R/W | The currently active document |
app.documents |
Documents | R | Collection of all open documents |
app.documents.length |
number | R | Count of open documents |
app.documents[i] |
Document | R | Access by zero-based index |
app.foregroundColor |
SolidColor | R/W | Current foreground color |
app.backgroundColor |
SolidColor | R/W | Current background color |
app.preferences.rulerUnits |
Units | R/W | Units.PIXELS, Units.CM, Units.INCHES, Units.MM, Units.PICAS, Units.POINTS, Units.PERCENT |
app.preferences.typeUnits |
TypeUnits | R/W | TypeUnits.PIXELS, TypeUnits.MM, TypeUnits.POINTS |
app.displayDialogs |
DialogModes | R/W | DialogModes.NO, DialogModes.ALL, DialogModes.ERROR |
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
app.open(url) |
Open URL as new document |
app.open(url, null, true) |
Open URL as smart object layer in active document |
app.echoToOE(string) |
Photopea extension — send string to host page (captured by runScript) |
app.showWindow("magiccut") |
Photopea extension — open Magic Cut panel |
app.showWindow("vbitmap") |
Photopea extension — open Vectorize Bitmap panel |
app.UI.zoomIn() |
Zoom in |
app.UI.zoomOut() |
Zoom out |
app.UI.fitTheArea() |
Fit canvas to viewport |
app.UI.pixelToPixel() |
100% zoom |
app.UI.switchFullscreen() |
Toggle fullscreen |
app.UI.scroll(dx, dy) |
Scroll by delta |
app.UI.scrollTo(x, y) |
Scroll to absolute position |
Important: Always set ruler units to pixels at the start of any script that uses pixel measurements:
var savedUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
// ... your code ...
app.preferences.rulerUnits = savedUnits;
Document — Document ObjectAccess via app.activeDocument or app.documents[i].
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
width |
number | R | Document width in current ruler units |
height |
number | R | Document height in current ruler units |
resolution |
number | R | DPI (pixels per inch) |
name |
string | R/W | Photopea extension — display label (no history step) |
source |
string | R/W | Photopea extension — file origin URL or "local,X,NAME" |
mode |
DocumentMode | R | DocumentMode.RGB, GRAYSCALE, CMYK, LAB, BITMAP, INDEXEDCOLOR, MULTICHANNEL |
bitsPerChannel |
BitsPerChannelType | R | BitsPerChannelType.EIGHT, SIXTEEN, THIRTYTWO |
colorProfileName |
string | R | Name of embedded color profile |
activeLayer |
Layer/ArtLayer/LayerSet | R/W | Set to activate a layer |
currentLayer |
ArtLayer | R/W | Alias for activeLayer |
layers |
Layers | R | All top-level layers (both art + group) |
artLayers |
ArtLayers | R | All top-level art layers only |
layerSets |
LayerSets | R | All top-level group layers only |
selection |
Selection | R | The current selection |
channels |
Channels | R | All channels |
historyStates |
HistoryStates | R | Undo history |
activeHistoryState |
HistoryState | R/W | Current history position |
layerComps |
LayerComps | R | Layer comps collection |
guides |
Guides | R | Guides collection |
pathItems |
PathItems | R | Vector paths |
id |
number | R | Unique document ID |
saved |
boolean | R | Whether document has unsaved changes |
quickMaskMode |
boolean | R | Whether in Quick Mask mode |
backgroundLayer |
ArtLayer | R | The background layer |
pixelAspectRatio |
number | R | Custom pixel aspect ratio (0.1–10.0) |
histogram |
array | R | 256-element histogram array |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
resizeImage |
(w, h, res, resampleMethod) |
Resize image pixels. ResampleMethod: BICUBIC, BILINEAR, NEARESTNEIGHBOR, NONE, BICUBICSHARPER, BICUBICSMOOTHER |
resizeCanvas |
(w, h, anchor) |
Resize canvas without scaling. AnchorPosition: TOPLEFT, TOPCENTER, TOPRIGHT, MIDDLELEFT, MIDDLECENTER, MIDDLERIGHT, BOTTOMLEFT, BOTTOMCENTER, BOTTOMRIGHT |
rotateCanvas |
(degrees) |
Rotate entire canvas. Positive = clockwise |
flipCanvas |
(direction) |
Direction.HORIZONTAL or Direction.VERTICAL |
crop |
([x1,y1,x2,y2], angle, w, h) |
Crop canvas. Angle and dimensions are optional |
trim |
(trimType, top, left, bottom, right) |
Trim transparent/background-color borders. TrimType: TRANSPARENT, TOPLEFT, BOTTOMRIGHT |
revealAll |
() |
Expand canvas to show clipped content |
flatten |
() |
Merge all layers into one |
mergeVisibleLayers |
() |
Merge all visible layers |
rasterizeAllLayers |
() |
Rasterize all vector/text layers |
changeMode |
(mode, options) |
Convert color mode (e.g., ChangeMode.GRAYSCALE) |
convertProfile |
(profileName, renderingIntent, blackPointCompensation, dither) |
Convert color profile |
duplicate |
(name, mergedLayers) |
Duplicate the document |
close |
(saveOptions) |
Close document. SaveOptions: DONOTSAVECHANGES, SAVECHANGES, PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES |
save |
() |
Save (requires server config in embed) |
saveToOE |
(format) |
Photopea extension — send binary to host. Formats: "png", "jpg:0.8", "webp:0.7", "psd:true", "svg:true" |
clearHistory |
() |
Photopea extension — clear undo history to free RAM |
exportDocument |
(file, exportType, options) |
Export to filesystem (triggers ZIP). ExportType: SAVEFORWEB |
paste |
(intoSelection) |
Paste clipboard into document |
suspendHistory |
(historyName, callback) |
Wrap multiple ops in one history state |
Practical examples:
var doc = app.activeDocument;
// Resize image to 1920×1080 at 72dpi bicubic
doc.resizeImage(1920, 1080, 72, ResampleMethod.BICUBIC);
// Expand canvas to 2000px wide, keeping content centered
doc.resizeCanvas(2000, doc.height, AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);
// Crop to a region
doc.crop([100, 100, 900, 600]);
// Trim transparent edges
doc.trim(TrimType.TRANSPARENT, true, true, true, true);
// Flip horizontal
doc.flipCanvas(Direction.HORIZONTAL);
// Change to grayscale
doc.changeMode(ChangeMode.GRAYSCALE);
// One undo step for many operations
doc.suspendHistory("Batch Edit", "action");
// (Inside Photopea, all ops become one history state)
// Export PNG to filesystem (triggers ZIP download)
var opts = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
opts.format = SaveDocumentType.PNG;
opts.PNG8 = false;
opts.quality = 100;
doc.exportDocument(new File("/output.png"), ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, opts);
// Close without saving
doc.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
Layers / ArtLayers / LayerSets CollectionsThese collections exist on Document, LayerSet (groups within groups), and can be iterated.
var doc = app.activeDocument;
// Access
doc.layers // all top-level (art + groups)
doc.artLayers // top-level art layers only
doc.layerSets // top-level group layers only
// By index (0 = topmost)
doc.layers[0]
doc.layers[doc.layers.length - 1] // bottommost
// By name (throws if not found)
doc.layers.getByName("Background")
doc.artLayers.getByName("Logo")
doc.layerSets.getByName("Header Group")
// Add
var newLayer = doc.artLayers.add(); // new blank art layer
var newGroup = doc.layerSets.add(); // new group
var innerLayer = newGroup.artLayers.add(); // layer inside a group
// Remove
doc.artLayers.getByName("Temp").remove();
// Iterate all layers recursively
function walkLayers(parent) {
for (var i = 0; i < parent.layers.length; i++) {
var l = parent.layers[i];
if (l.typename === "LayerSet") walkLayers(l);
else /* ArtLayer */ processLayer(l);
}
}
walkLayers(doc);
ArtLayer — Individual Layer| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name |
string | R/W | Layer name |
visible |
boolean | R/W | Layer visibility |
opacity |
number | R/W | Layer opacity 0–100 |
fillOpacity |
number | R | Fill opacity 0–100 |
blendMode |
BlendMode | R/W | Blend mode (see enum below) |
kind |
LayerKind | R/W | Layer type (can set to LayerKind.TEXT on empty layer) |
textItem |
TextItem | R | Text object (only when kind === LayerKind.TEXT) |
bounds |
array | R | [left, top, right, bottom] in current ruler units |
parent |
Document/LayerSet | R | Containing object |
typename |
string | R | Always "ArtLayer" |
selected |
boolean | R | Photopea extension — is layer highlighted in panel |
isBackgroundLayer |
boolean | R | Is this the locked background layer |
grouped |
boolean | R | Is clipping mask applied |
pixelsLocked |
boolean | R | Pixels locked |
positionLocked |
boolean | R | Position locked |
transparentPixelsLocked |
boolean | R | Transparent pixels locked |
layerMaskDensity |
number | R | Layer mask density 0–100 |
layerMaskFeather |
number | R | Layer mask feather 0–250 |
vectorMaskDensity |
number | R | Vector mask density 0–100 |
vectorMaskFeather |
number | R | Vector mask feather 0–250 |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
translate |
(deltaX, deltaY) |
Move layer by offset |
rotate |
(angle, anchor) |
Rotate by degrees. AnchorPosition optional (default center) |
resize |
(widthPct, heightPct, anchor) |
Scale as percentage of current size |
rasterize |
(target) |
Rasterize. RasterizeType: ENTIRE, FILLCONTENT, LAYERCLIPPINGMASK, LINKEDLAYERS, SHAPE, TEXTCONTENTS, VECTORMASK |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
duplicate |
() |
Duplicate to same document, returns new layer |
duplicate |
(doc, placement) |
Duplicate to another document |
remove |
() |
Delete the layer |
merge |
() |
Merge down; returns the merged ArtLayer |
move |
(relativeLayer, placement) |
Reorder. ElementPlacement: PLACEBEFORE, PLACEAFTER, PLACEATBEGINNING, PLACEATEND, INSIDE |
copy |
(merged) |
Copy to clipboard |
cut |
() |
Cut to clipboard |
clear |
() |
Cut without clipboard |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
adjustBrightnessContrast |
(brightness, contrast) |
Brightness -100–100, Contrast -100–100 |
adjustColorBalance |
(shadows, midtones, highlights, preserveLuminosity) |
Each is [cyan-red, magenta-green, yellow-blue] array |
adjustCurves |
(curveShape) |
Array of [input,output] pairs per channel |
adjustLevels |
(inputRangeStart, inputRangeEnd, gamma, outputRangeStart, outputRangeEnd) |
Levels adjustment |
autoLevels |
() |
Auto levels |
autoContrast |
() |
Auto contrast |
desaturate |
() |
Convert to grayscale values in current mode |
equalize |
() |
Equalize brightness distribution |
invert |
() |
Invert pixel colors |
posterize |
(levels) |
Posterize (2–255 levels) |
threshold |
(level) |
B&W threshold (1–255) |
shadowHighlight |
(shadowAmount, shadowWidth, shadowRadius, highlightAmount, highlightWidth, highlightRadius, colorCorrection, midtoneContrast, blackClip, whiteClip) |
Shadows/Highlights |
photoFilter |
(fillColor, density, luminosity) |
Photo filter |
mixChannels |
(outputChannels, monochrome) |
Channel mixer |
selectiveColor |
(colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, method) |
Selective color |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
applyGaussianBlur |
(radius) |
Gaussian blur (0.1–250 px radius) |
applyMotionBlur |
(angle, distance) |
Motion blur |
applyRadialBlur |
(amount, blurMethod, blurQuality) |
Radial blur |
applySmartBlur |
(radius, threshold, blurQuality, blurMode) |
Smart blur |
applyBlur |
() |
Simple blur |
applyBlurMore |
() |
Blur more |
applyUnSharpMask |
(amount, radius, threshold) |
Unsharp mask |
applySharpen |
() |
Sharpen |
applySharpenEdges |
() |
Sharpen edges |
applySharpenMore |
() |
Sharpen more |
applyAddNoise |
(amount, distribution, monochromatic) |
Add noise. NoiseDistribution: GAUSSIAN, UNIFORM |
applyDespeckle |
() |
Despeckle |
applyDustAndScratches |
(radius, threshold) |
Dust and scratches |
applyMedianNoise |
(radius) |
Median noise reduction |
applyMaximum |
(radius) |
Maximum filter (dilate) |
applyMinimum |
(radius) |
Minimum filter (erode) |
applyHighPass |
(radius) |
High pass |
applyOffset |
(horizontal, vertical, undefinedAreas) |
Offset. UndefinedAreas: SETTOBACKGROUND, WRAPAROUND, REPEATEDGEPIXELS |
applyRipple |
(amount, size) |
Ripple. RippleSize: SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE |
applyWave |
(generators, minWavelength, maxWavelength, minAmplitude, maxAmplitude, horizScale, vertScale, waveType, undefinedAreas, randomSeed) |
Wave filter |
applyZigZag |
(amount, ridges, style) |
Zig-Zag |
applyTwirl |
(angle) |
Twirl |
applyPolarCoordinates |
(conversion) |
Polar coordinates |
applySpherize |
(amount, mode) |
Spherize |
applyPinch |
(amount) |
Pinch (-100–100) |
applyShear |
(curve, undefinedAreas) |
Shear |
applyDisplace |
(horizontalScale, verticalScale, displacementType, undefinedAreas, displacementMapFile) |
Displace |
applyClouds |
() |
Render Clouds |
applyDifferenceClouds |
() |
Difference Clouds |
applyLensFlare |
(brightness, flareCenter, lensType) |
Lens Flare. LensType: ZOOMWIDE, ZOOMNORMAL, MOVIE |
applyDiffuseGlow |
(graininess, glowAmount, clearAmount) |
Diffuse Glow |
applyGlassEffect |
(distortion, smoothness, scaling, invert, texture, textureFile) |
Glass |
applyOceanRipple |
(size, magnitude) |
Ocean Ripple |
applyLensBlur |
(source, focalDistance, invertDepthMap, shape, radius, bladeCurvature, rotation, brightness, threshold, amount, distribution, monochromatic) |
Lens Blur |
applyAverage |
() |
Average blur |
applyDeInterlace |
(eliminateFields, createFields) |
De-interlace |
applyNTSC |
() |
NTSC colors |
applyCustomFilter |
(characteristics, scale, offset) |
Custom filter (5×5 matrix) |
applyTextureFill |
(textureFile) |
Texture fill |
applyStyle |
(styleName) |
Apply a layer style preset by name |
photoFilter |
(fillColor, density, luminosity) |
Photo Filter |
Practical examples:
var layer = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;
// Move to absolute position (layer.bounds[0] = current left edge)
layer.translate(200 - layer.bounds[0], 100 - layer.bounds[1]);
// Rotate 45° around center
layer.rotate(45);
// Scale to 50% keeping center
layer.resize(50, 50, AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);
// Gaussian blur radius 10
layer.applyGaussianBlur(10);
// Unsharp mask
layer.applyUnSharpMask(50, 2, 0);
// Levels: input 0–200, gamma 1.2, output 0–255
layer.adjustLevels(0, 200, 1.2, 0, 255);
// Brightness +20, Contrast +10
layer.adjustBrightnessContrast(20, 10);
// Invert
layer.invert();
// Rasterize text
layer.rasterize(RasterizeType.TEXTCONTENTS);
// Duplicate layer
var copy = layer.duplicate();
copy.name = "Layer Copy";
// Move layer below another
var target = doc.layers.getByName("Background");
layer.move(target, ElementPlacement.PLACEAFTER);
LayerSet — Group LayerA LayerSet is a folder/group in the Layers panel. It has the same layer management methods as Document.
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name |
string | R/W | Group name |
visible |
boolean | R/W | Group visibility |
opacity |
number | R/W | Group opacity 0–100 |
blendMode |
BlendMode | R/W | Group blend mode |
bounds |
array | R | Bounding box [left,top,right,bottom] |
layers |
Layers | R | All layers inside this group |
artLayers |
ArtLayers | R | Art layers inside this group |
layerSets |
LayerSets | R | Sub-groups inside this group |
parent |
Document/LayerSet | R | Parent container |
typename |
string | R | Always "LayerSet" |
Same as Document for layer management: layers.add(), artLayers.add(), layerSets.add(), .getByName(), plus duplicate(), remove(), move().
// Create group with layers inside
var group = doc.layerSets.add();
group.name = "Product Card";
var bgLayer = group.artLayers.add(); bgLayer.name = "Background";
var textLayer = group.artLayers.add(); textLayer.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;
textLayer.textItem.contents = "Buy Now";
textLayer.textItem.size = 36;
// Collapse/expand group (Photopea specific, not in standard DOM)
// Use visibility as workaround
// Get specific layer inside a group
var innerLayer = doc.layerSets.getByName("Header Group").artLayers.getByName("Title");
TextItem — Text Layer ContentAccess via layer.textItem on any layer with layer.kind === LayerKind.TEXT.
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
contents |
string | R/W | The actual text content |
font |
string | R/W | Font PostScript name (e.g. "ArialMT", "Verdana-Bold") |
size |
number | R/W | Font size in points |
color |
SolidColor | R/W | Text color |
position |
array | R/W | [x, y] origin of text (point text) or bounding box top-left |
justification |
Justification | R/W | Justification.LEFT, CENTER, RIGHT, FULLJUSTIFY |
kind |
TextType | R/W | TextType.POINTTEXT or TextType.PARAGRAPHTEXT |
width |
number | R/W | Width of bounding box (paragraph text only) |
height |
number | R/W | Height of bounding box (paragraph text only) |
direction |
Direction | R/W | Direction.HORIZONTAL or Direction.VERTICAL |
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
leading |
number | R/W | Line spacing in points |
tracking |
number | R/W | Letter spacing -1000–10000 (1000 = 1 em) |
horizontalScale |
number | R/W | Horizontal scaling 0–1000% |
verticalScale |
number | R/W | Vertical scaling 0–1000% |
baselineShift |
number | R/W | Baseline offset in points |
capitalization |
Case | R/W | Case.NORMAL, ALLCAPS, SMALLCAPS |
fauxBold |
boolean | R/W | Simulated bold |
fauxItalic |
boolean | R/W | Simulated italic |
underline |
UnderlineType | R/W | UnderlineType.NONE, UNDERLINELEFT, UNDERLINERIGHT |
strikeThru |
StrikeThruType | R/W | StrikeThruType.NONE, STRIKEBOX, STRIKEHEIGHT |
antiAliasMethod |
AntiAlias | R/W | AntiAlias.NONE, SHARP, CRISP, STRONG, SMOOTH |
autoKerning |
AutoKernType | R/W | AutoKernType.MANUAL, METRICS, OPTICAL |
language |
Language | R/W | Language.ENGLISH, etc. |
ligatures |
boolean | R/W | Enable ligatures |
alternateLigatures |
boolean | R/W | Enable alternate ligatures |
oldStyle |
boolean | R/W | Old-style numerals |
noBreak |
boolean | R/W | Prevent line breaks in this text |
useAutoLeading |
boolean | R/W | Use font's built-in leading |
autoLeadingAmount |
number | R/W | Auto leading percentage 0.01–5000 |
hyphenation |
boolean | R/W | Enable hyphenation |
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
leftIndent |
number | R/W | Left indent -1296–1296 |
rightIndent |
number | R/W | Right indent -1296–1296 |
firstLineIndent |
number | R/W | First line indent -1296–1296 |
spaceBefore |
number | R/W | Space before paragraph -1296–1296 |
spaceAfter |
number | R/W | Space after paragraph -1296–1296 |
hangingPuntuation |
boolean | R/W | Roman hanging punctuation |
textComposer |
TextComposer | R/W | TextComposer.ADOBEEVERYLINE, ADOBESINGLELINE |
| Property | Type | R/W | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
warpStyle |
WarpStyle | R/W | WarpStyle.NONE, ARC, ARCH, BULGE, SHELLLOWER, SHELLUPPER, FLAG, WAVE, FISH, RISE, FISHEYE, INFLATE, SQUEEZE, TWIST |
warpDirection |
Direction | R/W | Direction.HORIZONTAL or Direction.VERTICAL |
warpBend |
number | R/W | Warp bend -100–100 |
warpHorizontalDistortion |
number | R/W | Horizontal distortion -100–100 |
warpVerticalDistortion |
number | R/W | Vertical distortion -100–100 |
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
totalTextStyle |
string | JSON string with ALL style parameters of the text |
transform |
string | JSON array — the affine transform matrix of the text |
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
convertToShape() |
Convert text to a filled shape layer with text as clipping path |
createPath() |
Create work path from text outlines |
Practical examples:
var layer = doc.layers.getByName("Headline");
var text = layer.textItem;
// Set content
text.contents = "Hello World";
// Style
text.font = "Verdana-Bold";
text.size = 72;
text.color.rgb.hexValue = "FF0000"; // red
// Position point text at (50, 100)
text.position = [50, 100];
// Center align
text.justification = Justification.CENTER;
// Paragraph text with bounding box
text.kind = TextType.PARAGRAPHTEXT;
text.width = new UnitValue("400 pixels");
text.height = new UnitValue("200 pixels");
// Letter spacing
text.tracking = 100; // 10% spacing
// Scale text horizontally to 80%
text.horizontalScale = 80;
// Warp arc
text.warpStyle = WarpStyle.ARC;
text.warpBend = 30;
// Read all text styles as JSON (Photopea extension)
var styles = JSON.parse(text.totalTextStyle);
app.echoToOE(JSON.stringify(styles));
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var layer = doc.artLayers.add();
layer.kind = LayerKind.TEXT; // Convert blank layer to text
layer.name = "My Title";
var text = layer.textItem;
text.contents = "Welcome";
text.font = "ArialMT";
text.size = 48;
text.justification = Justification.CENTER;
text.position = [doc.width / 2, 100];
var color = new SolidColor();
color.rgb.red = 255;
color.rgb.green = 255;
color.rgb.blue = 255;
text.color = color;
SolidColor — Color Object// RGB (most common in Photopea)
var c = new SolidColor();
c.rgb.red = 255; // 0–255
c.rgb.green = 128;
c.rgb.blue = 0;
c.rgb.hexValue = "FF8000"; // Set via hex string (no #)
// CMYK
var c2 = new SolidColor();
c2.cmyk.cyan = 0; // 0–100
c2.cmyk.magenta = 50;
c2.cmyk.yellow = 100;
c2.cmyk.black = 0;
// Grayscale
var c3 = new SolidColor();
c3.gray.gray = 50; // 0–100
// HSB
var c4 = new SolidColor();
c4.hsb.hue = 30; // 0–360
c4.hsb.saturation = 100; // 0–100
c4.hsb.brightness = 100; // 0–100
// Lab
var c5 = new SolidColor();
c5.lab.l = 50; // 0–100
c5.lab.a = 20; // -128–127
c5.lab.b = 40; // -128–127
// Set as foreground color
app.foregroundColor = c;
// Use with selection fill
doc.selection.selectAll();
doc.selection.fill(c);
doc.selection.deselect();
Selection — Selection ObjectAccess via doc.selection.
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
bounds |
array | [left, top, right, bottom] bounding rectangle |
solid |
boolean | Whether selection is a solid rectangle |
| Method | Signature | Description |
|---|---|---|
selectAll |
() |
Select entire document |
deselect |
() |
Remove selection |
invert |
() |
Invert the selection |
select |
(region, type, feather, antiAlias) |
Select polygon region. Region is array of [x,y] points. SelectionType: REPLACE, ADD, SUBTRACT, INTERSECT |
feather |
(radius) |
Feather the selection edges |
contract |
(radius) |
Contract (shrink) selection |
expand |
(radius) |
Expand selection |
grow |
(tolerance, antiAlias) |
Grow selection to similar adjacent pixels |
similar |
(tolerance, antiAlias) |
Select similar pixels throughout document |
smooth |
(radius) |
Smooth selection edges |
selectBorder |
(width) |
Select only the border of the current selection |
resize |
(widthPct, heightPct, anchor) |
Resize selection boundary |
rotate |
(angle, anchor) |
Rotate selection boundary |
translate |
(deltaX, deltaY) |
Move selection boundary |
fill |
(fillWith, mode, opacity, preserveTransparency) |
Fill selection with color or content. fillWith is SolidColor or string |
stroke |
(strokeColor, width, location, mode, opacity, preserveTransparency) |
Stroke selection border. StrokeLocation: INSIDE, OUTSIDE, CENTER |
copy |
(merged) |
Copy selection to clipboard |
cut |
() |
Cut selection to clipboard |
clear |
() |
Delete selection content |
load |
(from, type, invert) |
Load selection from channel |
store |
(into, type) |
Save selection as channel |
makeWorkPath |
(tolerance) |
Convert to work path |
Practical examples:
var sel = doc.selection;
// Rectangle select (top-left to bottom-right)
sel.select([[0,0],[500,0],[500,300],[0,300]]);
// Select all
sel.selectAll();
// Add to existing selection
sel.select([[600,0],[900,0],[900,300],[600,300]], SelectionType.ADD);
// Feather 10px
sel.feather(10);
// Contract by 5px
sel.contract(5);
// Fill with red
var red = new SolidColor();
red.rgb.red = 255; red.rgb.green = 0; red.rgb.blue = 0;
sel.fill(red);
// Stroke selection with black, 3px, inside
var black = new SolidColor();
black.rgb.hexValue = "000000";
sel.stroke(black, 3, StrokeLocation.INSIDE);
// Copy, paste as new layer
sel.copy();
doc.paste();
// Invert and delete (remove background)
sel.invert();
sel.clear();
sel.deselect();
BlendMode Enum — All ValuesUsed in layer.blendMode (string form in Photopea) and BlendMode constant (standard):
BlendMode Constant |
Photopea String | Name |
|---|---|---|
BlendMode.NORMAL |
"norm" |
Normal |
BlendMode.DISSOLVE |
"diss" |
Dissolve |
BlendMode.DARKEN |
"dark" |
Darken |
BlendMode.MULTIPLY |
"mul " |
Multiply |
BlendMode.COLORBURN |
"idiv" |
Color Burn |
BlendMode.LINEARBURN |
"lbrn" |
Linear Burn |
BlendMode.DARKERCOLOR |
"dkCl" |
Darker Color |
BlendMode.LIGHTEN |
"lite" |
Lighten |
BlendMode.SCREEN |
"scrn" |
Screen |
BlendMode.COLORDODGE |
"div " |
Color Dodge |
BlendMode.LINEARDODGE |
"lddg" |
Linear Dodge (Add) |
BlendMode.LIGHTERCOLOR |
"lgCl" |
Lighter Color |
BlendMode.OVERLAY |
"over" |
Overlay |
BlendMode.SOFTLIGHT |
"sLit" |
Soft Light |
BlendMode.HARDLIGHT |
"hLit" |
Hard Light |
BlendMode.VIVIDLIGHT |
"vLit" |
Vivid Light |
BlendMode.LINEARLIGHT |
"lLit" |
Linear Light |
BlendMode.PINLIGHT |
"pLit" |
Pin Light |
BlendMode.HARDMIX |
"hMix" |
Hard Mix |
BlendMode.DIFFERENCE |
"diff" |
Difference |
BlendMode.EXCLUSION |
"smud" |
Exclusion |
BlendMode.SUBTRACT |
"fsub" |
Subtract |
BlendMode.DIVIDE |
"fdiv" |
Divide |
BlendMode.HUE |
"hue " |
Hue |
BlendMode.SATURATION |
"sat " |
Saturation |
BlendMode.COLOR |
"colr" |
Color |
BlendMode.LUMINOSITY |
"lum " |
Luminosity |
BlendMode.PASSTHROUGH |
"pass" |
Pass Through (groups only) |
// Use either form:
layer.blendMode = BlendMode.SCREEN; // constant
layer.blendMode = "scrn"; // string (Photopea internal form)
LayerKind Enum| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
LayerKind.NORMAL |
Regular pixel layer |
LayerKind.TEXT |
Text layer |
LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT |
Smart Object / linked layer |
LayerKind.SOLIDFILL |
Solid color fill layer |
LayerKind.GRADIENTFILL |
Gradient fill layer |
LayerKind.PATTERNFILL |
Pattern fill layer |
LayerKind.BRIGHTNESSCONTRAST |
Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer |
LayerKind.CURVES |
Curves adjustment layer |
LayerKind.LEVELS |
Levels adjustment layer |
LayerKind.HUESATURATION |
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer |
LayerKind.COLORBALANCE |
Color Balance adjustment layer |
LayerKind.CHANNELMIXER |
Channel Mixer adjustment layer |
LayerKind.GRADIENTMAP |
Gradient Map adjustment layer |
LayerKind.INVERSION |
Invert adjustment layer |
LayerKind.POSTERIZE |
Posterize adjustment layer |
LayerKind.THRESHOLD |
Threshold adjustment layer |
LayerKind.SELECTIVECOLOR |
Selective Color adjustment layer |
LayerKind.PHOTOFILTER |
Photo Filter adjustment layer |
LayerKind.EXPOSURE |
Exposure adjustment layer |
LayerKind.VIBRANCE |
Vibrance adjustment layer |
LayerKind.COLORLOOKUP |
Color Lookup adjustment layer |
LayerKind.LAYER3D |
3D layer (not generally useful in Photopea) |
LayerKind.VIDEO |
Video layer |
// Identify layer type
var layer = doc.activeLayer;
if (layer.kind === LayerKind.TEXT) /* text layer */;
if (layer.kind === LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT) /* smart object */;
if (layer.typename === "LayerSet") /* group */;
// Filter: collect all text layers recursively
var textLayers = [];
function collectText(parent) {
for (var i = 0; i < parent.layers.length; i++) {
var l = parent.layers[i];
if (l.typename === "LayerSet") collectText(l);
else if (l.kind === LayerKind.TEXT) textLayers.push(l);
}
}
collectText(doc);
AnchorPosition Enum| Constant | Position |
|---|---|
AnchorPosition.TOPLEFT |
Top left |
AnchorPosition.TOPCENTER |
Top center |
AnchorPosition.TOPRIGHT |
Top right |
AnchorPosition.MIDDLELEFT |
Middle left |
AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER |
Center |
AnchorPosition.MIDDLERIGHT |
Middle right |
AnchorPosition.BOTTOMLEFT |
Bottom left |
AnchorPosition.BOTTOMCENTER |
Bottom center |
AnchorPosition.BOTTOMRIGHT |
Bottom right |
ElementPlacement EnumUsed with layer.move(relativeObject, placement):
| Constant | Effect |
|---|---|
ElementPlacement.PLACEBEFORE |
Above the target layer in the panel |
ElementPlacement.PLACEAFTER |
Below the target layer in the panel |
ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING |
Top of the layer stack |
ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND |
Bottom of the layer stack |
ElementPlacement.INSIDE |
Into a LayerSet (makes layer a child) |
ResampleMethod EnumUsed with doc.resizeImage():
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
ResampleMethod.BICUBIC |
High quality, good for smooth gradients |
ResampleMethod.BICUBICSHARPER |
Best for reduction |
ResampleMethod.BICUBICSMOOTHER |
Best for enlargement |
ResampleMethod.BILINEAR |
Medium quality |
ResampleMethod.NEARESTNEIGHBOR |
No anti-aliasing, fastest |
ResampleMethod.NONE |
No resampling (change resolution only) |
SaveOptions EnumUsed with doc.close(saveOption):
| Constant | Meaning |
|---|---|
SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES |
Discard all changes and close |
SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES |
Save then close |
SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES |
Show dialog (may block in headless) |
ExportOptionsSaveForWeb — Export to FilesystemUsed with doc.exportDocument() to write files that Photopea packages into a ZIP.
// Export PNG
var pngOpts = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
pngOpts.format = SaveDocumentType.PNG;
pngOpts.PNG8 = false; // PNG-24
pngOpts.quality = 100;
pngOpts.transparency = true;
doc.exportDocument(new File("/export.png"), ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, pngOpts);
// Export JPEG
var jpgOpts = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
jpgOpts.format = SaveDocumentType.JPEG;
jpgOpts.quality = 80; // 0–100
doc.exportDocument(new File("/export.jpg"), ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, jpgOpts);
// Export GIF
var gifOpts = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
gifOpts.format = SaveDocumentType.GIF;
gifOpts.colors = 256;
gifOpts.dither = 100;
gifOpts.transparency = true;
doc.exportDocument(new File("/export.gif"), ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, gifOpts);
executeAction — Advanced OperationsUsed for operations not exposed in the standard DOM (adjustments applied as adjustment layers, Smart Object editing, etc.). Takes the Photoshop Action Manager approach.
// Open Smart Object for editing
var l = doc.layers.getByName("SmartObj");
doc.activeLayer = l;
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerEditContents"));
// Smart Object is now the active document
doc.activeLayer.rotate(90);
doc.save();
doc.close();
// Apply Hue/Saturation as destructive adjustment
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
var list = new ActionList();
var channel = new ActionDescriptor();
channel.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("presetKind"), stringIDToTypeID("presetKindType"), stringIDToTypeID("presetKindDefault"));
channel.putInteger(stringIDToTypeID("hue"), 20); // hue shift
channel.putInteger(stringIDToTypeID("saturation"), 30); // saturation
channel.putInteger(stringIDToTypeID("lightness"), 0);
list.putObject(stringIDToTypeID("hueSaturationAdjustmentV2Layer"), channel);
desc.putList(stringIDToTypeID("adjustment"), list);
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("hueSaturation"), desc, DialogModes.NO);
// Select a layer by name using AM
function selectLayerByName(name) {
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putName(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), name);
desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID("null"), ref);
desc.putBoolean(charIDToTypeID("MkVs"), false);
executeAction(charIDToTypeID("slct"), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
function processLayers(parent) {
for (var i = 0; i < parent.layers.length; i++) {
var l = parent.layers[i];
if (l.typename === "LayerSet") processLayers(l);
else if (l.kind === LayerKind.TEXT) {
l.name = l.textItem.contents.substring(0, 30);
}
}
}
processLayers(doc);
app.echoToOE("done");
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
for (var i = 0; i < doc.layers.length; i++) {
// Hide all layers
for (var j = 0; j < doc.layers.length; j++) doc.layers[j].visible = false;
// Show only this layer
doc.layers[i].visible = true;
// Export
var opts = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
opts.format = SaveDocumentType.PNG;
opts.PNG8 = false;
opts.quality = 100;
doc.exportDocument(
new File("/" + doc.layers[i].name + ".png"),
ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, opts
);
}
// Restore visibility
for (var i = 0; i < doc.layers.length; i++) doc.layers[i].visible = true;
var searchText = "2024";
var replaceText = "2025";
function findReplaceText(parent) {
for (var i = 0; i < parent.layers.length; i++) {
var l = parent.layers[i];
if (l.typename === "LayerSet") findReplaceText(l);
else if (l.kind === LayerKind.TEXT) {
var t = l.textItem;
if (t.contents.indexOf(searchText) !== -1) {
t.contents = t.contents.split(searchText).join(replaceText);
}
}
}
}
findReplaceText(app.activeDocument);
app.echoToOE("Find & Replace complete");
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var layer = doc.activeLayer;
var cols = 4, rows = 3;
var padX = 20, padY = 20;
var w = layer.bounds[2] - layer.bounds[0];
var h = layer.bounds[3] - layer.bounds[1];
for (var r = 0; r < rows; r++) {
for (var c = 0; c < cols; c++) {
if (r === 0 && c === 0) continue; // skip original
var copy = layer.duplicate();
var targetX = layer.bounds[0] + c * (w + padX);
var targetY = layer.bounds[1] + r * (h + padY);
copy.translate(targetX - copy.bounds[0], targetY - copy.bounds[1]);
copy.opacity = 100 - (r * cols + c) * 5;
}
}
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
// Open watermark as smart object layer
app.open("https://example.com/watermark.png", null, true);
var wm = doc.activeLayer;
// Resize to 20% of document width
var wmW = wm.bounds[2] - wm.bounds[0];
var targetW = doc.width * 0.2;
var scalePct = (targetW / wmW) * 100;
wm.resize(scalePct, scalePct, AnchorPosition.TOPLEFT);
// Move to bottom-right with 20px margin
var wmNewW = wm.bounds[2] - wm.bounds[0];
var wmNewH = wm.bounds[3] - wm.bounds[1];
wm.translate(
doc.width - wmNewW - 20 - wm.bounds[0],
doc.height - wmNewH - 20 - wm.bounds[1]
);
wm.opacity = 60;
app.echoToOE("watermark applied");
function getLayerInfo(parent, depth) {
depth = depth || 0;
var result = [];
for (var i = 0; i < parent.layers.length; i++) {
var l = parent.layers[i];
var info = {
name: l.name,
type: l.typename,
visible: l.visible,
opacity: l.opacity,
depth: depth
};
if (l.typename === "ArtLayer") {
info.kind = l.kind.toString();
info.bounds = [l.bounds[0], l.bounds[1], l.bounds[2], l.bounds[3]];
if (l.kind === LayerKind.TEXT) {
info.text = l.textItem.contents;
info.font = l.textItem.font;
info.size = l.textItem.size;
}
} else if (l.typename === "LayerSet") {
info.children = getLayerInfo(l, depth + 1);
}
result.push(info);
}
return result;
}
app.echoToOE(JSON.stringify(getLayerInfo(app.activeDocument)));
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
createEmbed never resolves |
Container has no size | Add width + height CSS to the container <div> |
runScript returns ["done"] with no data |
No echoToOE in script |
Add app.echoToOE(value) for anything you want back |
result[0] is "done", not the expected value |
echoToOE not reached |
Check script logic for early exit or errors |
| Images won't load (network error) | CORS | Server must respond with Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * |
openFromURL(url, true) layer not ready |
Async loading lag | Use addImageAndWait utility |
exportImage only PNG/JPG |
exportImage limitation |
Use runScript("saveToOE('webp:0.85')") for other formats |
| Pixel coordinates behave unexpectedly | Wrong ruler units | Always set app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS first |
Text size set but looks different |
Wrong type units | Set app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.PIXELS |
| Layer not found by name | Wrong layer level | Layers are scoped; use recursive search for nested layers |
layer.bounds[0] returns a UnitValue, not number |
Ruler units issue | Force Units.PIXELS before reading bounds |
| Smart Object edit hangs | Missing doc.save(); doc.close() |
Always save + close when done editing SO |
| React double-mount in dev | Strict Mode | Use if (peaRef.current) return guard in useEffect |
runScript executes scripts inside the embedded Photopea document context. Only run scripts you understand and only with user-approved files.JSON.stringify before embedding them in a runScript string. Never concatenate user-provided URLs, layer names, or text directly into Photopea script source.