Cloudflare Images

Cloudflare Images

Status: Production Ready ✅ Last Updated: 2025-10-26 Dependencies: Cloudflare account with Images enabled Latest Versions: Cloudflare Images API v2

Overview

Cloudflare Images provides two powerful features:

1. Images API: Upload, store, and serve images with automatic optimization and variants
2. Image Transformations: Resize, optimize, and transform any publicly accessible image

Key Benefits:

• Global CDN delivery
• Automatic WebP/AVIF conversion
• Variants for different use cases (up to 100)
• Direct creator upload (user uploads without API keys)
• Signed URLs for private images
• Transform any image via URL or Workers

Quick Start (5 Minutes)

1. Enable Cloudflare Images

Log into Cloudflare dashboard → Images → Enable for your account.

Get your Account ID and create an API token with Cloudflare Images: Edit permissions.

Why this matters:

• Account ID and API token are required for all API operations
• Images Free plan includes limited transformations

2. Upload Your First Image

curl --request POST \
  --url https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/<ACCOUNT_ID>/images/v1 \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: multipart/form-data' \
  --form 'file=@./image.jpg'

Response includes:

• id: Image ID for serving
• variants: Array of delivery URLs

CRITICAL:

• Use multipart/form-data encoding (NOT application/json)
• Image ID is automatically generated (or use custom ID)

3. Serve the Image

<img src="https://imagedelivery.net/<ACCOUNT_HASH>/<IMAGE_ID>/public" />

Default public variant serves the image. Replace with your own variant names.

4. Enable Image Transformations

Dashboard → Images → Transformations → Select your zone → Enable for zone

Now you can transform ANY image:

<img src="/cdn-cgi/image/width=800,quality=85/uploads/photo.jpg" />

Why this matters:

• Works on images stored OUTSIDE Cloudflare Images
• Automatic caching on Cloudflare's global network
• No additional storage costs

5. Transform via Workers (Advanced)

export default {
  async fetch(request: Request): Promise<Response> {
    const imageURL = "https://example.com/image.jpg";

    return fetch(imageURL, {
      cf: {
        image: {
          width: 800,
          quality: 85,
          format: "auto" // WebP/AVIF for supporting browsers
        }
      }
    });
  }
};

The 3-Feature System

Feature 1: Images API (Upload & Storage)

Store images on Cloudflare's network and serve them globally.

Upload Methods:

1. File Upload - Upload files directly from your server
2. Upload via URL - Ingest images from external URLs
3. Direct Creator Upload - Generate one-time upload URLs for user uploads

Serving Options:

• Default domain: imagedelivery.net
• Custom domains: /cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/...
• Signed URLs: Private images with expiry tokens

See: templates/upload-api-basic.ts, templates/direct-creator-upload-backend.ts

Feature 2: Image Transformations

Optimize and resize ANY image (stored in Images or external).

Two Methods:

1. URL Transformations - Special URL format
2. Workers Transformations - Programmatic control via fetch

Common Transformations:

• Resize: width=800,height=600,fit=cover
• Optimize: quality=85,format=auto
• Effects: blur=10,sharpen=3
• Crop: gravity=face,zoom=0.5

See: templates/transform-via-url.ts, templates/transform-via-workers.ts

Feature 3: Variants

Predefined image sizes for different use cases.

Named Variants (up to 100):

• Create once, use everywhere
• Example: thumbnail, avatar, hero
• Consistent transformations

Flexible Variants (dynamic):

• Enable per account
• Use transformation params in URL
• Example: w=400,sharpen=3
• Cannot use with signed URLs

See: templates/variants-management.ts, references/variants-guide.md

Images API - Upload Methods

Method 1: File Upload (Basic)

curl --request POST \
  https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/{account_id}/images/v1 \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>" \
  --header "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
  --form 'file=@./image.jpg' \
  --form 'requireSignedURLs=false' \
  --form 'metadata={"key":"value"}'

Key Options:

• file: Image file (required)
• id: Custom ID (optional, default auto-generated)
• requireSignedURLs: true for private images (default: false)
• metadata: JSON object (max 1024 bytes, not visible to end users)

Response:

{
  "result": {
    "id": "2cdc28f0-017a-49c4-9ed7-87056c83901",
    "filename": "image.jpg",
    "uploaded": "2022-01-31T16:39:28.458Z",
    "requireSignedURLs": false,
    "variants": [
      "https://imagedelivery.net/Vi7wi5KSItxGFsWRG2Us6Q/2cdc28f0.../public"
    ]
  }
}

See: templates/upload-api-basic.ts

Method 2: Upload via URL

Ingest images from external sources without downloading first.

curl --request POST \
  https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/{account_id}/images/v1 \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>" \
  --form 'url=https://example.com/image.jpg' \
  --form 'metadata={"source":"external"}'

When to use:

• Migrating images from another service
• Ingesting user-provided URLs
• Backing up images from external sources

CRITICAL:

• URL must be publicly accessible or authenticated
• Supports HTTP basic auth: https://user:password@example.com/image.jpg
• Cannot use both file and url in same request

See: templates/upload-via-url.ts

Method 3: Direct Creator Upload ⭐

Generate one-time upload URLs for users to upload directly to Cloudflare (no API key exposure).

Backend Endpoint (generate upload URL):

const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/${accountId}/images/v2/direct_upload`,
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiToken}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      requireSignedURLs: true,
      metadata: { userId: '12345' },
      expiry: '2025-10-26T18:00:00Z' // Optional: default 30min, max 6hr
    })
  }
);

const { uploadURL, id } = await response.json();
// Return uploadURL to frontend

Frontend Upload (HTML + JavaScript):

<form id="upload-form">
  <input type="file" id="file-input" accept="image/*" />
  <button type="submit">Upload</button>
</form>

<script>
document.getElementById('upload-form').addEventListener('submit', async (e) => {
  e.preventDefault();

  const fileInput = document.getElementById('file-input');
  const formData = new FormData();
  formData.append('file', fileInput.files[0]); // MUST be named 'file'

  const uploadURL = 'UPLOAD_URL_FROM_BACKEND'; // Get from backend

  const response = await fetch(uploadURL, {
    method: 'POST',
    body: formData // NO Content-Type header, browser sets multipart/form-data
  });

  if (response.ok) {
    console.log('Upload successful!');
  }
});
</script>

Why this matters:

• No API key exposure to browser
• Users upload directly to Cloudflare (faster, no intermediary server)
• One-time URL expires after use or timeout
• Webhooks available for upload success/failure notifications

CRITICAL CORS FIX:

• ✅ DO: Use multipart/form-data encoding (let browser set header)
• ✅ DO: Name field file (NOT image or other names)
• ✅ DO: Call /direct_upload API from backend only
• ❌ DON'T: Set Content-Type: application/json or image/jpeg
• ❌ DON'T: Call /direct_upload from browser (CORS will fail)

See: templates/direct-creator-upload-backend.ts, templates/direct-creator-upload-frontend.html, references/direct-upload-complete-workflow.md

Image Transformations

URL Transformations

Transform images using a special URL format.

URL Pattern:

https://<ZONE>/cdn-cgi/image/<OPTIONS>/<SOURCE-IMAGE>

Example:

<img src="/cdn-cgi/image/width=800,quality=85,format=auto/uploads/photo.jpg" />

Common Options:

• Sizing: width=800, height=600, fit=cover
• Quality: quality=85 (1-100)
• Format: format=auto (WebP/AVIF auto-detection), format=webp, format=jpeg
• Cropping: gravity=auto (smart crop), gravity=face, trim=10
• Effects: blur=10, sharpen=3, brightness=1.2, contrast=1.1
• Rotation: rotate=90, flip=h (horizontal), flip=v (vertical)

Fit Options:

• scale-down: Shrink to fit (never enlarge)
• contain: Resize to fit within dimensions (preserve aspect ratio)
• cover: Resize to fill dimensions (may crop)
• crop: Crop to exact dimensions
• pad: Resize and add padding (use with background option)

Format Auto-Detection:

<img src="/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/image.jpg" />

Cloudflare serves:

• AVIF to browsers that support it (Chrome, Edge)
• WebP to browsers without AVIF support (Safari, Firefox)
• Original format (JPEG) as fallback

See: templates/transform-via-url.ts, references/transformation-options.md

Workers Transformations

Programmatic image transformations with custom URL schemes.

Basic Pattern:

export default {
  async fetch(request: Request): Promise<Response> {
    const url = new URL(request.url);

    // Custom URL scheme: /images/thumbnail/photo.jpg
    if (url.pathname.startsWith('/images/thumbnail/')) {
      const imagePath = url.pathname.replace('/images/thumbnail/', '');
      const imageURL = `https://storage.example.com/${imagePath}`;

      return fetch(imageURL, {
        cf: {
          image: {
            width: 300,
            height: 300,
            fit: 'cover',
            quality: 85
          }
        }
      });
    }

    return new Response('Not found', { status: 404 });
  }
};

Advanced: Content Negotiation:

const accept = request.headers.get('accept') || '';

let format: 'avif' | 'webp' | 'auto' = 'auto';
if (/image\/avif/.test(accept)) {
  format = 'avif';
} else if (/image\/webp/.test(accept)) {
  format = 'webp';
}

return fetch(imageURL, {
  cf: {
    image: {
      format,
      width: 800,
      quality: 85
    }
  }
});

Why Workers Transformations:

• Custom URL schemes: Hide image storage location
• Preset names: Use thumbnail, avatar, large instead of pixel values
• Content negotiation: Serve optimal format based on browser
• Access control: Check authentication before serving
• Dynamic sizing: Calculate dimensions based on device type

See: templates/transform-via-workers.ts, references/transformation-options.md

Variants Management

Named Variants (Up to 100)

Create predefined transformations for different use cases.

Create via API:

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/{account_id}/images/v1/variants" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
    "id": "avatar",
    "options": {
      "fit": "cover",
      "width": 200,
      "height": 200,
      "metadata": "none"
    },
    "neverRequireSignedURLs": false
  }'

Use in URLs:

<img src="https://imagedelivery.net/<ACCOUNT_HASH>/<IMAGE_ID>/avatar" />

When to use:

• Consistent image sizes across your app
• Private images (works with signed URLs)
• Simple, predictable URLs

See: templates/variants-management.ts

Flexible Variants

Dynamic transformations using params in URL.

Enable (per account, one-time):

curl --request PATCH \
  https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/{account_id}/images/v1/config \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <API_TOKEN>" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{"flexible_variants": true}'

Use in URLs:

<img src="https://imagedelivery.net/<ACCOUNT_HASH>/<IMAGE_ID>/w=400,sharpen=3" />

When to use:

• Dynamic sizing needs
• Public images only (cannot use with signed URLs)
• Rapid prototyping

CRITICAL:

• ❌ Cannot use with requireSignedURLs=true
• ✅ Use named variants for private images

See: references/variants-guide.md

Signed URLs (Private Images)

Generate time-limited URLs for private images using HMAC-SHA256 tokens.

URL Format:

https://imagedelivery.net/<ACCOUNT_HASH>/<IMAGE_ID>/<VARIANT>?exp=<EXPIRY>&sig=<SIGNATURE>

Generate Signature (Workers example):

async function generateSignedURL(
  imageId: string,
  variant: string,
  expirySeconds: number = 3600
): Promise<string> {
  const accountHash = 'YOUR_ACCOUNT_HASH';
  const signingKey = 'YOUR_SIGNING_KEY'; // Dashboard → Images → Keys

  const expiry = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + expirySeconds;
  const stringToSign = `${imageId}${variant}${expiry}`;

  const encoder = new TextEncoder();
  const keyData = encoder.encode(signingKey);
  const messageData = encoder.encode(stringToSign);

  const cryptoKey = await crypto.subtle.importKey(
    'raw',
    keyData,
    { name: 'HMAC', hash: 'SHA-256' },
    false,
    ['sign']
  );

  const signature = await crypto.subtle.sign('HMAC', cryptoKey, messageData);
  const sig = Array.from(new Uint8Array(signature))
    .map(b => b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0'))
    .join('');

  return `https://imagedelivery.net/${accountHash}/${imageId}/${variant}?exp=${expiry}&sig=${sig}`;
}

Usage:

const signedURL = await generateSignedURL('image-id', 'public', 3600);
// Returns URL valid for 1 hour

When to use:

• User profile photos (private until shared)
• Paid content (time-limited access)
• Temporary downloads
• Secure image delivery

See: templates/signed-urls-generation.ts, references/signed-urls-guide.md

Responsive Images

Serve optimal image sizes for different screen sizes.

Using Named Variants:

<img
  srcset="
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/mobile 480w,
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/tablet 768w,
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/desktop 1920w
  "
  sizes="(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 768px) 768px, 1920px"
  src="https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/desktop"
  alt="Responsive image"
/>

Using Flexible Variants:

<img
  srcset="
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/w=480,f=auto 480w,
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/w=768,f=auto 768w,
    https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/w=1920,f=auto 1920w
  "
  sizes="(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 768px) 768px, 1920px"
  src="https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/w=1920,f=auto"
  alt="Responsive image"
/>

Art Direction (different crops for mobile vs desktop):

<picture>
  <source
    media="(max-width: 767px)"
    srcset="https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/mobile-square"
  />
  <source
    media="(min-width: 768px)"
    srcset="https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/desktop-wide"
  />
  <img src="https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<ID>/desktop-wide" alt="Hero image" />
</picture>

See: templates/responsive-images-srcset.html, references/responsive-images-patterns.md

Critical Rules

Always Do

✅ Use multipart/form-data for Direct Creator Upload ✅ Name the file field file (not image or other names) ✅ Call /direct_upload API from backend only (NOT browser) ✅ Use HTTPS URLs for transformations (HTTP not supported) ✅ URL-encode special characters in image paths ✅ Enable transformations on zone before using /cdn-cgi/image/ ✅ Use named variants for private images (signed URLs) ✅ Check Cf-Resized header for transformation errors ✅ Set format=auto for automatic WebP/AVIF conversion ✅ Use fit=scale-down to prevent unwanted enlargement

Never Do

❌ Use application/json Content-Type for file uploads ❌ Call /direct_upload from browser (CORS will fail) ❌ Use flexible variants with requireSignedURLs=true ❌ Resize SVG files (they're inherently scalable) ❌ Use HTTP URLs for transformations (HTTPS only) ❌ Put spaces or unescaped Unicode in URLs ❌ Transform the same image multiple times in Workers (causes 9403 loop) ❌ Exceed 100 megapixels image size ❌ Use /cdn-cgi/image/ endpoint in Workers (use cf.image instead) ❌ Forget to enable transformations on zone before use

Known Issues Prevention

This skill prevents 13+ documented issues.

Issue #1: Direct Creator Upload CORS Error

Error: Access to XMLHttpRequest blocked by CORS policy: Request header field content-type is not allowed

Source: Cloudflare Community #345739, #368114

Why It Happens: Server CORS settings only allow multipart/form-data for Content-Type header

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('file', fileInput.files[0]);
await fetch(uploadURL, {
  method: 'POST',
  body: formData // Browser sets multipart/form-data automatically
});

// ❌ WRONG
await fetch(uploadURL, {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, // CORS error
  body: JSON.stringify({ file: base64Image })
});

Issue #2: Error 5408 - Upload Timeout

Error: Error 5408 after ~15 seconds of upload

Source: Cloudflare Community #571336

Why It Happens: Cloudflare has 30-second request timeout; slow uploads or large files exceed limit

Prevention:

• Compress images before upload (client-side with Canvas API)
• Use reasonable file size limits (e.g., max 10MB)
• Show upload progress to user
• Handle timeout errors gracefully

const MAX_FILE_SIZE = 10 * 1024 * 1024; // 10MB

if (file.size > MAX_FILE_SIZE) {
  alert('File too large. Please select an image under 10MB.');
  return;
}

Issue #3: Error 400 - Invalid File Parameter

Error: 400 Bad Request with unhelpful error message

Source: Cloudflare Community #487629

Why It Happens: File field must be named file (not image, photo, etc.)

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT
formData.append('file', imageFile);

// ❌ WRONG
formData.append('image', imageFile); // 400 error
formData.append('photo', imageFile); // 400 error

Issue #4: CORS Preflight Failures

Error: Preflight OPTIONS request blocked

Source: Cloudflare Community #306805

Why It Happens: Calling /direct_upload API directly from browser (should be backend-only)

Prevention:

ARCHITECTURE:
Browser → Backend API → POST /direct_upload → Returns uploadURL → Browser uploads to uploadURL

Never expose API token to browser. Generate upload URL on backend, return to frontend.

Issue #5: Error 9401 - Invalid Arguments

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9401 - Required cf.image options missing or invalid

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Missing required transformation parameters or invalid values

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT
fetch(imageURL, {
  cf: {
    image: {
      width: 800,
      quality: 85,
      format: 'auto'
    }
  }
});

// ❌ WRONG
fetch(imageURL, {
  cf: {
    image: {
      width: 'large', // Must be number
      quality: 150 // Max 100
    }
  }
});

Issue #6: Error 9402 - Image Too Large

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9402 - Image too large or connection interrupted

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Image exceeds maximum area (100 megapixels) or download fails

Prevention:

• Validate image dimensions before transforming
• Use reasonable source images (max 10000x10000px)
• Handle network errors gracefully

Issue #7: Error 9403 - Request Loop

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9403 - Worker fetching its own URL or already-resized image

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Transformation applied to already-transformed image, or Worker fetches itself

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT
if (url.pathname.startsWith('/images/')) {
  const originalPath = url.pathname.replace('/images/', '');
  const originURL = `https://storage.example.com/${originalPath}`;
  return fetch(originURL, { cf: { image: { width: 800 } } });
}

// ❌ WRONG
if (url.pathname.startsWith('/images/')) {
  // Fetches worker's own URL, causes loop
  return fetch(request, { cf: { image: { width: 800 } } });
}

Issue #8: Error 9406/9419 - Invalid URL Format

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9406 or err=9419 - Non-HTTPS URL or URL has spaces/unescaped Unicode

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Image URL uses HTTP (not HTTPS) or contains invalid characters

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT
const imageURL = "https://example.com/images/photo%20name.jpg";

// ❌ WRONG
const imageURL = "http://example.com/images/photo.jpg"; // HTTP not allowed
const imageURL = "https://example.com/images/photo name.jpg"; // Space not encoded

Always use encodeURIComponent() for URL paths:

const filename = "photo name.jpg";
const imageURL = `https://example.com/images/${encodeURIComponent(filename)}`;

Issue #9: Error 9412 - Non-Image Response

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9412 - Origin returned HTML instead of image

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Origin server returns 404 page or error page (HTML) instead of image

Prevention:

// Verify URL before transforming
const originResponse = await fetch(imageURL, { method: 'HEAD' });
const contentType = originResponse.headers.get('content-type');

if (!contentType?.startsWith('image/')) {
  return new Response('Not an image', { status: 400 });
}

return fetch(imageURL, { cf: { image: { width: 800 } } });

Issue #10: Error 9413 - Max Image Area Exceeded

Error: Cf-Resized: err=9413 - Image exceeds 100 megapixels

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Troubleshooting

Why It Happens: Source image dimensions exceed 100 megapixels (e.g., 10000x10000px)

Prevention:

• Validate image dimensions before upload
• Pre-process oversized images
• Reject images above threshold

const MAX_MEGAPIXELS = 100;

if (width * height > MAX_MEGAPIXELS * 1_000_000) {
  return new Response('Image too large', { status: 413 });
}

Issue #11: Flexible Variants + Signed URLs Incompatibility

Error: Flexible variants don't work with private images

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Enable flexible variants

Why It Happens: Flexible variants cannot be used with requireSignedURLs=true

Prevention:

// ✅ CORRECT - Use named variants for private images
await uploadImage({
  file: imageFile,
  requireSignedURLs: true // Use named variants: /public, /avatar, etc.
});

// ❌ WRONG - Flexible variants don't support signed URLs
// Cannot use: /w=400,sharpen=3 with requireSignedURLs=true

Issue #12: SVG Resizing Limitation

Error: SVG files don't resize via transformations

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - SVG files

Why It Happens: SVG is inherently scalable (vector format), resizing not applicable

Prevention:

// SVGs can be served but not resized
// Use any variant name as placeholder
// https://imagedelivery.net/<HASH>/<SVG_ID>/public

// SVG will be served at original size regardless of variant settings

Issue #13: EXIF Metadata Stripped by Default

Error: GPS data, camera settings removed from uploaded JPEGs

Source: Cloudflare Images Docs - Transform via URL

Why It Happens: Default behavior strips all metadata except copyright

Prevention:

// Preserve metadata
fetch(imageURL, {
  cf: {
    image: {
      width: 800,
      metadata: 'keep' // Options: 'none', 'copyright', 'keep'
    }
  }
});

Options:

• none: Strip all metadata
• copyright: Keep only copyright tag (default for JPEG)
• keep: Preserve most EXIF metadata including GPS

Using Bundled Resources

Templates (templates/)

Copy-paste ready code for common patterns:

1. wrangler-images-binding.jsonc - Wrangler configuration (no binding needed)
2. upload-api-basic.ts - Upload file to Images API
3. upload-via-url.ts - Ingest image from external URL
4. direct-creator-upload-backend.ts - Generate one-time upload URLs
5. direct-creator-upload-frontend.html - User upload form
6. transform-via-url.ts - URL transformation examples
7. transform-via-workers.ts - Workers transformation patterns
8. variants-management.ts - Create/list/delete variants
9. signed-urls-generation.ts - HMAC-SHA256 signed URL generation
10. responsive-images-srcset.html - Responsive image patterns
11. batch-upload.ts - Batch API for high-volume uploads

Usage:

cp templates/upload-api-basic.ts src/upload.ts
# Edit with your account ID and API token

References (references/)

In-depth documentation Claude can load as needed:

1. api-reference.md - Complete API endpoints (upload, list, delete, variants)
2. transformation-options.md - All transform params with examples
3. variants-guide.md - Named vs flexible variants, when to use each
4. signed-urls-guide.md - HMAC-SHA256 implementation details
5. direct-upload-complete-workflow.md - Full architecture and flow
6. responsive-images-patterns.md - srcset, sizes, art direction
7. format-optimization.md - WebP/AVIF auto-conversion strategies
8. top-errors.md - All 13+ errors with detailed troubleshooting

When to load:

• Deep-dive into specific feature
• Troubleshooting complex issues
• Understanding API details
• Implementing advanced patterns

Scripts (scripts/)

check-versions.sh - Verify API endpoints are current

Advanced Topics

Custom Domains

Serve images from your own domain instead of imagedelivery.net.

URL Format:

https://example.com/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/<ACCOUNT_HASH>/<IMAGE_ID>/<VARIANT>

Requirements:

• Domain must be on Cloudflare (same account as Images)
• Proxied through Cloudflare (orange cloud)

Custom Paths (Transform Rules):

Rewrite /images/... to /cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/...:

1. Dashboard → Rules → Transform Rules → Rewrite URL
2. Match: starts_with(http.request.uri.path, "/images/")
3. Rewrite: /cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/<ACCOUNT_HASH>${substring(http.request.uri.path, 7)}

Now /images/{id}/{variant} → /cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/{hash}/{id}/{variant}

See: Serve images from custom domains

Batch API

High-volume uploads with batch tokens.

Host: batch.imagedelivery.net (instead of api.cloudflare.com)

Usage:

# Create batch token in dashboard: Images → Batch API

curl "https://batch.imagedelivery.net/images/v1" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <BATCH_TOKEN>" \
  --form 'file=@./image.jpg'

When to use:

• Migrating thousands of images
• Bulk upload workflows
• Automated image ingestion

See: templates/batch-upload.ts

Webhooks

Receive notifications for upload success/failure (Direct Creator Upload only).

Setup:

1. Dashboard → Notifications → Destinations → Webhooks → Create
2. Enter webhook URL and test
3. Notifications → All Notifications → Add → Images → Select webhook

Payload (example):

{
  "imageId": "2cdc28f0-017a-49c4-9ed7-87056c83901",
  "status": "uploaded",
  "metadata": {"userId": "12345"}
}

When to use:

• Update database after upload
• Trigger image processing pipeline
• Notify user of upload status

See: Configure webhooks

Troubleshooting

Problem: Images not transforming

Symptoms: /cdn-cgi/image/... returns original image or 404

Solutions:

1. Enable transformations on zone: Dashboard → Images → Transformations → Enable for zone
2. Verify zone is proxied through Cloudflare (orange cloud)
3. Check source image is publicly accessible
4. Wait 5-10 minutes for settings to propagate

Problem: Direct upload returns CORS error

Symptoms: Access-Control-Allow-Origin error in browser console

Solutions:

1. Use multipart/form-data encoding (let browser set Content-Type)
2. Don't call /direct_upload from browser; call from backend
3. Name file field file (not image)
4. Remove manual Content-Type header

Problem: Worker transformations return 9403 loop error

Symptoms: Cf-Resized: err=9403 in response headers

Solutions:

1. Don't fetch Worker's own URL (use external origin)
2. Don't transform already-resized images
3. Check URL routing logic to avoid loops

Problem: Signed URLs not working

Symptoms: 403 Forbidden when accessing signed URL

Solutions:

1. Verify image uploaded with requireSignedURLs=true
2. Check signature generation (HMAC-SHA256)
3. Ensure expiry timestamp is in future
4. Verify signing key matches dashboard (Images → Keys)
5. Cannot use flexible variants with signed URLs (use named variants)

Problem: Images uploaded but not appearing

Symptoms: Upload returns 200 OK but image not in dashboard

Solutions:

1. Check for draft: true in response (Direct Creator Upload)
2. Wait for upload to complete (check via GET /images/v1/{id})
3. Verify account ID matches
4. Check for upload errors in webhooks

Complete Setup Checklist

• Cloudflare account with Images enabled
• Account ID and API token obtained (Images: Edit permission)
• (Optional) Image transformations enabled on zone
• (Optional) Variants created for common use cases
• (Optional) Flexible variants enabled if dynamic sizing needed
• (Optional) Signing key obtained for private images
• (Optional) Webhooks configured for upload notifications
• (Optional) Custom domain configured with Transform Rules
• Upload method implemented (file, URL, or direct creator)
• Serving URLs tested (imagedelivery.net or custom domain)
• Transformations tested (URL or Workers)
• Error handling implemented (CORS, timeouts, size limits)

Official Documentation

• Cloudflare Images: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/
• Get Started: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/get-started/
• Upload Images: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/upload-images/
• Direct Creator Upload: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/upload-images/direct-creator-upload/
• Transform Images: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/transform-images/
• Transform via URL: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/transform-images/transform-via-url/
• Transform via Workers: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/transform-images/transform-via-workers/
• Create Variants: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/manage-images/create-variants/
• Serve Private Images: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/manage-images/serve-images/serve-private-images/
• Troubleshooting: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/reference/troubleshooting/
• API Reference: https://developers.cloudflare.com/api/resources/images/

Package Versions (Verified 2025-10-26)

API Version: v2 (for direct uploads), v1 (for standard uploads)

No npm packages required - uses native Cloudflare APIs

Optional:

• @cloudflare/workers-types@latest - TypeScript types for Workers

Questions? Issues?

1. Check references/top-errors.md for common issues
2. Verify all steps in the setup process
3. Check official docs: https://developers.cloudflare.com/images/
4. Ensure transformations are enabled on zone
5. Verify CORS setup for Direct Creator Upload