(image_renditions)=

# Generating renditions in Python

Rendered versions of original images generated by the Wagtail `{% image %}` template tag are called "renditions",
and are stored as new image files in the site's `[media]/images` directory on the first invocation.

Image renditions can also be generated dynamically from Python via the native `get_rendition()` method, for example:

```python
newimage = myimage.get_rendition('fill-300x150|jpegquality-60')
```

If `myimage` had a filename of `foo.jpg`, a new rendition of the image file called
`foo.fill-300x150.jpegquality-60.jpg` would be generated and saved into the site's `[media]/images` directory.
Argument options are identical to the `{% image %}` template tag's filter spec, and should be separated with `|`.

The generated `Rendition` object will have properties specific to that version of the image, such as
`url`, `width` and `height`. Hence, something like this could be used in an API generator, for example:

```python
url = myimage.get_rendition('fill-300x186|jpegquality-60').url
```

Properties belonging to the original image from which the generated Rendition was created, such as `title`, can
be accessed through the Rendition's `image` property:

```python
    >>> newimage.image.title
    'Blue Sky'
    >>> newimage.image.is_landscape()
    True
```

See also: [](image_tag)

(image_renditions_multiple)=

## Generating multiple renditions for an image

You can generate multiple renditions of the same image from Python using the native `get_renditions()` method. It will accept any number of 'specification' strings or `Filter instances`, and will generate a set of matching renditions much more efficiently than generating each one individually. For example:

```python
image.get_renditions('width-600', 'height-400', 'fill-300x186|jpegquality-60')
```

The return value is a dictionary of renditions keyed by the specifications that were provided to the method. The return value from the above example would look something like this:

```python
{
    "width-600": <Rendition: Rendition object (7)>,
    "height-400": <Rendition: Rendition object (8)>,
    "fill-300x186|jpegquality-60": <Rendition: Rendition object (9)>,
}
```

(caching_image_renditions)=

## Caching image renditions

Wagtail will cache image rendition lookups, which can improve the performance of pages which include many images.

By default, Wagtail will try to use the cache called "renditions". If no such cache exists, it will fall back to using the default cache.

(prefetching_image_renditions)=

## Prefetching image renditions

When using a queryset to render a list of images or objects with images, you can prefetch the renditions needed with a single additional query. For long lists of items, or where multiple renditions are used for each item, this can provide a significant boost to performance.

### Image QuerySets

When working with an Image QuerySet, you can make use of Wagtail's built-in `prefetch_renditions` queryset method to prefetch the renditions needed.

For example, say you were rendering a list of all the images uploaded by a user:

```python
def get_images_uploaded_by_user(user):
    return ImageModel.objects.filter(uploaded_by_user=user)
```

The above can be modified slightly to prefetch the renditions of the images returned:

```python
def get_images_uploaded_by_user(user):
    return ImageModel.objects.filter(uploaded_by_user=user).prefetch_renditions()
```

The above will prefetch all renditions even if we may not need them.

If images in your project tend to have very large numbers of renditions, and you know in advance the ones you need, you might want to consider specifying a set of filters to the `prefetch_renditions` method and only select the renditions you need for rendering. For example:

```python
def get_images_uploaded_by_user(user):
    # Only specify the renditions required for rendering
    return ImageModel.objects.filter(uploaded_by_user=user).prefetch_renditions(
        "fill-700x586", "min-600x400", "max-940x680"
    )
```

### Non Image Querysets

If you're working with a non Image Model, you can make use of Django's built-in `prefetch_related()` queryset method to prefetch renditions.

For example, say you were rendering a list of events (with thumbnail images for each). Your code might look something like this:

```python
def get_events():
    return EventPage.objects.live().select_related("listing_image")
```

The above can be modified slightly to prefetch the renditions for listing images:

```python
def get_events():
    return EventPage.objects.live().select_related("listing_image").prefetch_related("listing_image__renditions")
```

If you know in advance the renditions you'll need, you can filter the renditions queryset to use:

```python
from django.db.models import Prefetch
from wagtail.images import get_image_model


def get_events():
    Image = get_image_model()
    filters = ["fill-300x186", "fill-600x400", "fill-940x680"]

    # `Prefetch` is used to fetch only the required renditions
    prefetch_images_and_renditions = Prefetch(
        "listing_image",
        queryset=Image.objects.prefetch_renditions(*filters)
    )
    return EventPage.objects.live().prefetch_related(prefetch_images_and_renditions)
```

(image_rendition_methods)=

## Model methods involved in rendition generation

The following `AbstractImage` model methods are involved in finding and generating renditions. If using a custom image model, you can customise the behaviour of either of these methods by overriding them on your model:

```{eval-rst}
.. automodule:: wagtail.images.models

.. class:: AbstractImage
    :noindex:

    .. automethod:: get_rendition

    .. automethod:: find_existing_rendition

    .. automethod:: create_rendition

    .. automethod:: get_renditions

    .. automethod:: find_existing_renditions

    .. automethod:: create_renditions

    .. automethod:: generate_rendition_file
```