---
title: Getting started
description: Install Pixer and process an image with the Dart API.
---

## Install Pixer

```yaml title="pubspec.yaml"
dependencies:
  pixer: ^0.0.10
```

Run your package manager as usual:

```bash
dart pub get
```

Pixer's build hook downloads the matching native binary for the current
platform. The package and binary ABI versions must match.

## Load an image

Load from a path on native platforms:

```dart
final image = Pixer.fromFile('photo.jpg');
```

Or load bytes on every platform, including the web:

```dart
final bytes = await File('photo.png').readAsBytes();
final image = Pixer.fromMemory(bytes);
```

Pixer auto-detects the format. Use `fromMemoryWithFormat` only when the format
must be supplied explicitly.

## Transform and encode

```dart
final image = Pixer.fromFile('photo.jpg');
try {
  final thumbnail = image.resize(640, 640);
  try {
    final bytes = thumbnail.encode(PixerJpegEncoder(quality: 85));
    await File('thumbnail.jpg').writeAsBytes(bytes);
  } finally {
    thumbnail.dispose();
  }
} finally {
  image.dispose();
}
```

`resize` preserves aspect ratio and fits the image within the requested bounds.
Use `resizeExact` when the output must have those exact dimensions.

## Supported formats

Pixer decodes and encodes PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, BMP, ICO, and TIFF.