tools-only Nanobanana
This is a guide for generating and editing images using the nanobanana CLI tool.
Nanobanana is a command-line interface for the Nano Banana image generation API, which uses Google's generative AI models.
Installation
If the nanobanana CLI is not already installed, install it using:
go install maragu.dev/nanobanana@latest
Prerequisites
The GOOGLE_API_KEY environment variable must be set, or a .env file with the key must be present in the working directory.
Generating images
To generate a single image:
nanobanana generate output.png "a beautiful sunset over mountains"
The output can be either a .png or .jpg file.
Using the pro model
To use the higher-quality pro model for generation:
nanobanana generate -pro output.png "a beautiful sunset over mountains"
The -pro flag enables Google's premium generative AI model, which typically produces higher quality results but may take slightly longer to generate.
Editing existing images
To edit or modify an existing image using a text prompt:
nanobanana generate -i input.png output.png "make the sky purple and add stars"
This is useful for making specific changes to existing images based on natural language instructions.
Tips for effective prompts
- Be specific and descriptive about what you want in the image
- Include details about style, colors, mood, composition, and subject matter
- For edits, clearly describe what should change while the rest remains the same
- You can reference art styles, artists, or specific visual aesthetics
Examples
Generate a logo:
nanobanana generate logo.png "minimalist tech company logo with geometric shapes in blue and white"
Create concept art:
nanobanana generate concept.png "futuristic city skyline at night with neon lights and flying vehicles, cyberpunk style"
Edit an existing photo:
nanobanana generate -i photo.png enhanced.png "enhance the colors and make it look like golden hour"