WebP Convert

Convert JPEG & PNG to WebP with PHP

This library enables you to do webp conversion with PHP. It supports an abundance of methods for converting and automatically selects the most capable of these that is available on the system.

The library can convert using the following methods:

cwebp (executing cwebp binary using an exec call)
vips (using Vips PHP extension)
imagick (using Imagick PHP extension)
gmagick (using Gmagick PHP extension)
imagemagick (executing imagemagick binary using an exec call)
graphicsmagick (executing graphicsmagick binary using an exec call)
ffmpeg (executing ffmpeg binary using an exec call)
wpc (using WebPConvert Cloud Service - an open source webp converter for PHP - based on this library)
ewwww (using the ewww cloud converter (1 USD startup and then free webp conversion))
gd (using the Gd PHP extension)

In addition to converting, the library also has a method for serving converted images, and we have instructions here on how to set up a solution for automatically serving webp images to browsers that supports webp.

Installation

Require the library with Composer, like this:

composer require rosell-dk/webp-convert

Converting images

Here is a minimal example of converting using the WebPConvert::convert method:

// Initialise your autoloader (this example is using Composer)
require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use WebPConvert\WebPConvert;

$source = __DIR__ . '/logo.jpg';
$destination = $source . '.webp';
$options = [];
WebPConvert::convert($source, $destination, $options);

The WebPConvert::convert method comes with a bunch of options. The following introduction is a must-read: docs/v2.0/converting/introduction-for-converting.md.

If you are migrating from 1.3.9, read this

Serving converted images

The WebPConvert::serveConverted method tries to serve a converted image. If there already is an image at the destination, it will take that, unless the original is newer or smaller. If the method cannot serve a converted image, it will serve original image, a 404, or whatever the 'fail' option is set to. It also adds X-WebP-Convert-Log headers, which provides insight into what happened.

Example (version 2.0):

require 'vendor/autoload.php';
use WebPConvert\WebPConvert;

$source = __DIR__ . '/logo.jpg';
$destination = $source . '.webp';

WebPConvert::serveConverted($source, $destination, [
    'fail' => 'original',     // If failure, serve the original image (source). Other options include 'throw', '404' and 'report'
    //'show-report' => true,  // Generates a report instead of serving an image

    'serve-image' => [
        'headers' => [
            'cache-control' => true,
            'vary-accept' => true,
            // other headers can be toggled...
        ],
        'cache-control-header' => 'max-age=2',
    ],

    'convert' => [
        // all convert option can be entered here (ie "quality")
    ],
]);

The following introduction is a must-read (for 2.0): docs/v2.0/serving/introduction-for-serving.md.

The old introduction (for 1.3.9) is available here: docs/v1.3/serving/convert-and-serve.md

WebP on demand

The library can be used to create a WebP On Demand solution, which automatically serves WebP images instead of jpeg/pngs for browsers that supports WebP. To set this up, follow what's described in this tutorial (not updated for 2.0 yet).

Projects using WebP Convert

CMS plugins using WebP Convert

This library is used as the engine to provide webp conversions to a handful of platforms. Hopefully this list will be growing over time. Currently there are plugins / extensions / modules / whatever the term is for the following CMS'es (ordered by market share):

Other projects using WebP Convert

webp-convert-cloud-service A cloud service based on WebPConvert
webp-convert-concat The webp-convert library and its dependents as a single PHP file (or two)

Supporting WebP Convert

Bread on the table don't come for free, even though this library does, and always will. I enjoy developing this, and supporting you guys, but I kind of need the bread too. Please make it possible for me to have both:

Supporters

Persons currently backing the project via patreon - Thanks!

Max Kreminsky
Nodeflame
Mathieu Gollain-Dupont
Ruben Solvang

Persons who recently contributed with ko-fi - Thanks!

18 Oct: Magestyx
10 Oct: Jesper
4 Oct: Caio Nogueira
22 Sep: Mark
8 Sep: Brinsley
4 Aug: Henri
13 Jun: Pat
2 May: Label Vier
28 Apr: Nealboy
11 Apr: Anonymous
3 Apr: Jakub
28 Mar: ciriman
31 Jan: Aron

Persons who contributed with extra generously amounts of coffee / lifetime backing (>50$) - thanks!:

Max Kreminsky ($115)
Justin - BigScoots ($105)
Bill Vallance ($102)
Label Vier ($100)
Sebastian ($99)
Tammy Lee ($90)
Steven Sullivan ($51)
Mathieu Gollain-Dupont ($50)
Erica Dreisbach ($50)
Brian Laursen ($50)
Dimitris Vayenas ($50)

New in 2.9.0 (released 7 dec 2021, on my daughters 10 years birthday!)

When exec() is unavailable, alternatives are now tried (emulations with proc_open(), passthru() etc). Using this library to do it.
Gd is now marked as not operational when the needed functions for converting palette images to RGB is missing. Rationale: A half-working converter causes more trouble than one that is marked as not operational
Improved CI tests. It is now tested on Windows, Mac and with deactivated functions (such as when exec() is disabled)
And more (view closed issues here

New in 2.8.0:

Converter option definitions are now accessible along with suggested UI and helptexts. This allows one to auto-generate a frontend based on conversion options. The feature is already in use in the webp-convert file manager, which is used in WebP Express. New method: WebPConvert::getConverterOptionDefinitions()
The part of the log that displays the options are made more readable. It also now warns about deprecated options.
Bumped image-mime-type guesser library to 0.4. This version is able to dectect more mime types by sniffing the first couple of bytes.
And more (view closed issues here

New in 2.7.0:

ImageMagick now supports the "near-lossless" option (provided Imagick >= 7.0.10-54) #299
Added "try-common-system-paths" option for ImageMagick (default: true). So ImageMagick will now peek for "convert" in common system paths #293
Fixed memory leak in Gd on very old versions of PHP #264
And more (view closed issues here

New in 2.6.0:

Introduced auto-limit option which replaces setting "quality" to "auto" #281
Added "sharp-yuv" option and made it default on. Its great, use it! Works in most converters (works in cwebp, vips, imagemagick, graphicsmagick, imagick and gmagick) #267, #280, #284
Bumped cwebp binaries to 1.2.0 #273
vips now supports "method" option and "preset" option.
graphicsmagick now supports "auto-filter" potion
vips, imagick, imagemagick, graphicsmagick and gmagick now supports "preset" option #275
cwebp now only validates hash of supplied precompiled binaries when necessary. This cuts down conversion time. #287
Added new option to cwebp for skipping precompiled binaries that are known not to work on current system. This will cut down on conversion time. #288
And more (view closed issues here)