LQIP Placeholder
Create tiny low-quality image placeholders (LQIP) with inline base64 data URIs for instant page rendering while full images load. Dramatically improves perceived loading performance for image-heavy web pages. Generated entirely on your self-hosted server.
Features
- Generates tiny placeholders typically under 1KB in base64-encoded data URIs
- Configurable output size and blur level for quality-size tradeoff control
- Outputs ready-to-embed base64 data URI strings for direct HTML or CSS use
- Preserves aspect ratio to prevent cumulative layout shift during loading
- Batch generation for processing entire image directories at once
What you can do
- Generating blur-up placeholder images for a lazy-loaded photo gallery website
- Creating base64 LQIP strings for server-side rendered pages to eliminate layout shift
- Producing thumbnail previews for a content management system image library
- Building progressive image loading for a bandwidth-sensitive mobile web application
Self-hosted. Your files never leave your network.
SnapOtter runs entirely on your own infrastructure. Files processed with LQIP Placeholder are never uploaded to third-party servers. Deploy a single Docker container and process files with full privacy, no watermarks, and no usage limits. Open source under AGPL-3.0.
Frequently asked questions
- How small are the generated placeholder images?
- Placeholders are typically under 1KB as base64 strings, small enough to inline directly in HTML without meaningful page weight impact. Generation runs on your self-hosted SnapOtter server.
- Can I control the blur level of the placeholder?
- Yes, you can adjust the size and blur parameters to balance between a recognizable preview and minimal file size. All processing is local, so iterating on settings is instant and free.
- What format is the output?
- The output is a base64-encoded data URI string that you can embed directly in img src attributes or CSS background properties. Everything is generated on your own self-hosted server with no external dependencies.
Ready to try LQIP Placeholder?
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