# ImageOptim-CLI > Automates [ImageOptim](http://imageoptim.com), [ImageAlpha](http://pngmini.com), and [JPEGmini for Mac](http://jpegmini.com/mac) to make batch optimisation of images part of your automated build process. [![NPM version](http://img.shields.io/npm/v/imageoptim-cli.svg?style=flat-square)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/imageoptim-cli) [![NPM downloads](http://img.shields.io/npm/dm/imageoptim-cli.svg?style=flat-square)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/imageoptim-cli) [![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/workflow/status/JamieMason/imageoptim-cli/ci)](https://github.com/JamieMason/ImageOptim-CLI/actions) [![Maintainability](https://api.codeclimate.com/v1/badges/c7f41a90fa2c975cfd03/maintainability)](https://codeclimate.com/github/JamieMason/ImageOptim-CLI/maintainability) ## Table of Contents - [πŸ“£ Summary](#-summary) - [🌩 Installation](#-installation) - [πŸ•Ή Usage](#-usage) - [⚠️ JPEGmini and support for assistive devices](#️-jpegmini-and-support-for-assistive-devices) - [πŸ’‘ Related Projects](#-related-projects) - [❓ FAQs](#-faqs) - [βš™οΈ Contributing](#️-contributing) - [πŸ™‹πŸΏβ€β™€οΈ Getting Help](#♀️-getting-help) - [πŸ‘€ Other Projects](#-other-projects) - [πŸ€“ Author](#-author) ## πŸ“£ Summary While other image optimization tools are available from the command line, ImageOptim-CLI exists because the [current benchmarks](http://jamiemason.github.io/ImageOptim-CLI/) suggest that ImageOptim, ImageAlpha and JPEGmini currently outperform those alternatives over lossless and lossy optimizations. ImageOptim-CLI is written in TypeScript and AppleScript but is distributed as a self-contained executable binary, you don't need Node.js installed to use ImageOptim-CLI. Check out this short [video demo of ImageOptim-CLI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGBounRIzSs) to see how it works. ## 🌩 Installation ### [npm](https://npmjs.org/) npm install -g imageoptim-cli ### [homebrew](https://brew.sh/) brew update brew install imageoptim-cli ### Manual Otherwise, you can install manually by downloading the latest release then adding ImageOptim-CLI to your [\\\\$PATH](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(variable)). # go to home directory cd ~ # download the tarball (change 3.0.7 to latest version if available) curl --output imageoptim-cli.tgz https://registry.npmjs.org/imageoptim-cli/-/imageoptim-cli-3.0.7.tgz # extract the tarball tar -xvzf ./imageoptim-cli.tgz # delete the tarball rm imageoptim-cli.tgz # rename the directory extracted from the tarball mv ./package ./imageoptim-cli # make imageoptim command available in your terminal export PATH=$PATH:imageoptim-cli/dist > Saving somewhere in your home directory such as `~/imageoptim-cli` is recommended, but not essential. Saving to `/Applications` is **not** recommended, do not do this. ## πŸ•Ή Usage $ imageoptim --help Usage: imageoptim [options] [patterns...] Options: -V, --version output the version number -a, --imagealpha enable ImageAlpha -j, --jpegmini enable JPEGmini -C, --no-color output to the terminal without colors -I, --no-imageoptim disable ImageOptim -Q, --no-quit do not quit apps once finished -S, --no-stats do not display file size savings and quality loss information --number-of-colors ImageAlpha palette size, defaults to 256 --quality - ImageAlpha quality range from 0-100, defaults to 65-80 --speed ImageAlpha speed from 1 (brute-force) to 10 (fastest), defaults to 1 -h, --help output usage information Supported Apps: ImageAlpha: https://pngmini.com ImageOptim: https://imageoptim.com JPEGmini Lite: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jpegmini-lite/id525742250 JPEGmini Pro: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jpegmini-pro/id887163276 JPEGmini: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jpegmini/id498944723 Examples: Run ImageOptim.app over every image in current directory imageoptim Run ImageAlpha.app and ImageOptim.app over every PNG in current directory imageoptim --imagealpha '**/*.png' Run JPEGmini.app and ImageOptim.app over every JPG in current directory imageoptim --jpegmini '**/*.jpg' '**/*.jpeg' Run ImageOptim.app over every image in a specific directory imageoptim '~/Desktop' ## ⚠️ JPEGmini and support for assistive devices You may be presented with the following message the first time you run ImageOptim-CLI with the `--jpegmini` flag. > To automate JPEGmini we need to add Terminal.app (or iTerm.app etc) to the 'support for assistive devices' whitelist. The JPEGmini OS X Apps don't include a command line API, so a real user is simulated by entering synthetic clicks and keyboard commands instead. This requires your permission and is easily set up in System Preferences as shown by these guides. - [Enable access for assistive devices in OS X](http://mizage.com/help/accessibility.html) - [OS X Mavericks: Enable access for assistive devices and applications](http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT6026) ## πŸ’‘ Related Projects ### Grunt Plugin The ImageOptim-CLI [Grunt](http://gruntjs.com) plugin is [grunt-imageoptim](https://github.com/JamieMason/grunt-imageoptim). ### Comparison of image optimization tools ImageOptim-CLI features in this comparison of the [performance of image optimisation tools](http://jamiemason.github.io/ImageOptim-CLI/) alongside Kraken.io, CodeKit, grunt-contrib-imagemin, Smush.it, and TinyPNG. ### Article for Smashing Magazine [How Optimized Are Your Images? Meet ImageOptim-CLI, a Batch Compression Tool](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/12/17/imageoptim-cli-batch-compression-tool/) ### Alfred Workflow The ImageOptim-CLI Workflow for Alfred app is [alfred-image-optim-workflow](https://github.com/ramiroaraujo/alfred-image-optim-workflow) ## ❓ FAQs ### General #### Do ImageOptim, ImageAlpha, or JPEGmini come bundled with the ImageOptim-CLI installation? You will need to install these applications separately. #### Do I have to pay to use ImageOptim-CLI? The CLI, ImageOptim and ImageAlpha are all free. JPEGmini is a paid-for product but you can use ImageOptim-CLI and choose not to run JPEGmini. #### The WebP image format looks promising, can you get ImageOptim-CLI to convert images to it? WebP looks great and may well overtake the formats handled by ImageOptim-CLI, but converting images to WebP is outside ImageOptim-CLI's chosen remit. #### Can you get ImageOptim-CLI to skip images it has already processed, if they haven't changed? JPEGmini does this today, but for ImageOptim and ImageAlpha I feel a feature like this belongs in those applications rather than this automator. ### ImageOptim #### ImageOptim makes the fans on my Mac run at full power. Optimising images is a pretty intensive process, so instead of optimising one image at a time (which would take forever) β€” ImageOptim optimises many images at the same time until all of them are done. A side effect of this is that the fans come on at full power to keep your machine cool while it's maxed out. ### ImageAlpha #### I don't think ImageAlpha is running, I can't see anything. ImageOptim-CLI uses ImageAlpha's internal installation of [pngquant](http://pngquant.org) so it's normal that nothing is shown on screen. It's also possible that if you look in the [Activity Monitor](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5890) you will not see `pngquant` displayed but it _is_ being run. In my experience it's only when you run ImageOptim-CLI on a very large number of PNGs that you have enough time to spot it. ensure that Activity Monitor's **Update Frequency** is set to **Very Often (1 sec)**. ### JPEGmini #### Can I use ImageOptim-CLI with JPEGmini Lite, the free version of JPEGmini? Yes. #### I upgraded from JPEGmini Lite to JPEGmini but ImageOptim-CLI still says JPEGmini is not installed. Performing the in-app upgrade leaves the app named as jpegmini-lite, so ImageOptim-CLI can't determine whether it's the free or full version. It is better to instead buy [the full version of JPEGmini](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jpegmini/id498944723) separately. #### ImageOptim-CLI says β€œTo automate JPEGmini we need to enable GUI Scripting”, how do I do that? See this tutorial on [how to manage Accessibility preferences and GUI Scripting](http://www.macosautomation.com/mavericks/guiscripting/index.html). In the case of OS X Mavericks, you will want to add the Applications JPEGmini and Terminal (or equivalent such as iTerm). ### Windows and Linux #### Can I use ImageOptim-CLI on Windows or Linux? ImageOptim-CLI is responsible for automating 3 OS X applications so is inherently bound to OS X for that reason. #### Are there any plans for ImageOptim-CLI to support Windows or Linux? It would first require ImageOptim, ImageAlpha, and JPEGmini to be available for those platforms. #### I don't have OS X, can you recommend an alternative to ImageOptim-CLI? [@addyosmani](https://github.com/addyosmani) wrote a really thorough article on [tools for image optimization](http://addyosmani.com/blog/image-optimization-tools/) which discusses a wide range of options in great detail. ## βš™οΈ Contributing Have an idea? Found a bug? Please see the [Contributing Guide](/CONTRIBUTING.md) for information on how to install the project and start writing code. ## πŸ™‹πŸΏβ€β™€οΈ Getting Help Get help with issues by creating a [Bug Report] or discuss ideas by opening a [Feature Request]. [bug report]: https://github.com/JamieMason/ImageOptim-CLI/issues/new?template=bug_report.md [feature request]: https://github.com/JamieMason/ImageOptim-CLI/issues/new?template=feature_request.md ## πŸ‘€ Other Projects If you find my Open Source projects useful, please share them ❀️ - [**eslint-formatter-git-log**](https://github.com/JamieMason/eslint-formatter-git-log)
ESLint Formatter featuring Git Author, Date, and Hash - [**eslint-plugin-move-files**](https://github.com/JamieMason/eslint-plugin-move-files)
Move and rename files while keeping imports up to date - [**eslint-plugin-prefer-arrow-functions**](https://github.com/JamieMason/eslint-plugin-prefer-arrow-functions)
Convert functions to arrow functions - [**Jasmine-Matchers**](https://github.com/JamieMason/Jasmine-Matchers)
Write Beautiful Specs with Custom Matchers - [**karma-benchmark**](https://github.com/JamieMason/karma-benchmark)
Run Benchmark.js over multiple Browsers, with CI compatible output - [**self-help**](https://github.com/JamieMason/self-help#readme)
Interactive Q&A Guides for Web and the Command Line - [**syncpack**](https://github.com/JamieMason/syncpack#readme)
Manage multiple package.json files, such as in Lerna Monorepos and Yarn Workspaces ## πŸ€“ Author I'm [Jamie Mason] from [Leeds] in England, I began Web Design and Development in 1999 and have been Contracting and offering Consultancy as Fold Left Ltd since 2012. Who I've worked with includes [Sky Sports], [Sky Bet], [Sky Poker], The [Premier League], [William Hill], [Shell], [Betfair], and Football Clubs including [Leeds United], [Spurs], [West Ham], [Arsenal], and more.
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