# VectoSolve API Tutorial: Automate Image Vectorization for Developers > Learn how to integrate VectoSolve API into your applications. Complete guide with code examples in Node.js, Python, and PHP plus automation workflows. **Source:** https://vectosolve.com/blog/vectosolve-api-tutorial-developers **Author:** Robin Monteiro (Founder of VectoSolve) **Published:** 2025-02-05 **Last updated:** 2026-10-10 **Category:** Tutorial **Reading time:** 8 min **Tags:** api, developers, automation, integration, tutorial, nodejs, python, php, n8n, zapier --- :::takeaways - The VectoSolve API converts raster images to clean SVGs programmatically at **$0.20 per conversion** (credits never expire) - Simple REST endpoint: `POST https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize` with Bearer token auth and multipart form-data - Add `removeBackground=true` for an additional **$0.07** to auto-remove backgrounds before vectorizing - Rate limit is **60 requests/minute** — use exponential backoff and batch queuing for large jobs - Integrates with **n8n**, **Zapier**, and AI agent platforms for fully automated vectorization workflows ::: Whether you're building a SaaS product, automating design workflows, or processing thousands of images, the VectoSolve API lets you convert raster images to clean SVG vectors programmatically. This guide covers everything from your first API call to advanced integrations. --- ## Why Use the VectoSolve API? Manual image conversion doesn't scale. The VectoSolve API enables: - **Batch processing** — Convert hundreds of images automatically - **SaaS integration** — Add vectorization to your product - **Workflow automation** — Connect with n8n, Zapier, or OpenClaw - **Consistent quality** — Same AI-powered results every time --- ## Getting Started ### Step 1: Create Your API Key Navigate to your [API Keys dashboard](https://vectosolve.com/dashboard/api-keys) and click "Create New Key". Give it a descriptive name like "Production" or "Testing". **Important:** Copy your API key immediately — it won't be shown again for security reasons. ### Step 2: Add Credits Each API conversion costs **$0.20**. API credits are sold in lots on the [developers page](https://vectosolve.com/developers) (from $19.99 for 100 conversions), separately from the web plans on the [pricing page](https://vectosolve.com/pricing). Credits never expire, so buy what you need. ### Step 3: Make Your First Request The API endpoint accepts POST requests with your image as form-data: ``` POST https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY Content-Type: multipart/form-data ``` :::tip Test your API key with a simple cURL command before building out your integration. This confirms your key is valid, you have credits, and the endpoint is reachable from your environment. It takes 10 seconds and saves hours of debugging. ::: --- ## Code Examples ### cURL ``` curl -X POST https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -F "file=@image.png" \ -F "removeBackground=false" ``` ### Node.js ``` const FormData = require('form-data'); const fs = require('fs'); const fetch = require('node-fetch'); async function vectorize(imagePath, apiKey) { const formData = new FormData(); formData.append('file', fs.createReadStream(imagePath)); formData.append('removeBackground', 'false'); const response = await fetch('https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`, }, body: formData, }); const result = await response.json(); if (result.success) { console.log('SVG URL:', result.svgUrl); console.log('Credits remaining:', result.credits.remaining); return result.svg; } else { throw new Error(result.error); } } // Usage vectorize('./logo.png', 'YOUR_API_KEY'); ``` ### Python ``` import requests def vectorize(image_path, api_key): url = "https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize" with open(image_path, 'rb') as f: files = {'file': f} data = {'removeBackground': 'false'} headers = {'Authorization': f'Bearer {api_key}'} response = requests.post(url, files=files, data=data, headers=headers) result = response.json() if result.get('success'): print(f"SVG URL: {result['svgUrl']}") print(f"Credits remaining: {result['credits']['remaining']}") return result['svg'] else: raise Exception(result.get('error')) # Usage svg = vectorize('./logo.png', 'YOUR_API_KEY') ``` ### PHP ``` new CURLFile($imagePath), 'removeBackground' => 'false' ]; curl_setopt_array($curl, [ CURLOPT_URL => $url, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true, CURLOPT_POST => true, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => $postFields, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [ 'Authorization: Bearer ' . $apiKey ] ]); $response = curl_exec($curl); curl_close($curl); $result = json_decode($response, true); if ($result['success']) { echo "SVG URL: " . $result['svgUrl'] . "\n"; return $result['svg']; } else { throw new Exception($result['error']); } } // Usage $svg = vectorize('./logo.png', 'YOUR_API_KEY'); ?> ``` --- ## API Response Format A successful response looks like this: ``` { "success": true, "svg": "", "svgUrl": "https://vectosolve.com/api/files/abc123.svg", "backgroundRemoved": false, "credits": { "cost": 0.20, "remaining": 9.80 } } ``` --- ## Error Handling The API returns standard HTTP status codes: | Code | Meaning | Solution | |------|---------|----------| | 401 | Invalid API key | Check your Authorization header | | 402 | Insufficient credits | Purchase more credits | | 403 | Subscription required | Upgrade your plan | | 429 | Rate limit exceeded | Wait and retry (60 req/min) | | 500 | Server error | Retry or contact support | --- ## Advanced: Background Removal Add `removeBackground=true` to automatically remove backgrounds before vectorizing. This costs an additional $0.07 per request: ``` curl -X POST https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \ -F "file=@photo.jpg" \ -F "removeBackground=true" ``` --- ## Automation Integrations ### n8n Workflow n8n is a powerful workflow automation tool. To integrate VectoSolve: - Add an **HTTP Request** node - Set Method to **POST** - URL: `https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize` - Authentication: **Header Auth** - Header Name: `Authorization` - Header Value: `Bearer YOUR_API_KEY` - Body Content Type: **Form-Data** - Add parameter `file` with your binary input ### Zapier Use "Webhooks by Zapier" to connect VectoSolve to 5,000+ apps: - Add a **Webhooks by Zapier** action - Choose **POST** request - URL: `https://vectosolve.com/api/v1/vectorize` - Add header: `Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY` - Payload Type: **Form** - Map your file field from the trigger ### OpenClaw / AI Agents For AI-powered automation tools like OpenClaw: - Create an API key in your VectoSolve dashboard - Add a new HTTP tool in your AI agent - Configure the POST request as shown above - Parse the JSON response to extract `svg` or `svgUrl` :::info For high-volume batch jobs (1,000+ images), implement a **queue-based architecture**: push conversion requests to a queue, process them with rate-limit-aware workers (max 60/min), and store results in your own storage. This prevents timeouts and ensures every image gets processed reliably. ::: --- ## Rate Limits & Best Practices - **Rate limit:** 60 requests per minute - **Max file size:** 5MB - **Supported formats:** PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP, GIF - **Credits:** Never expire **Tips for batch processing:** - Implement exponential backoff for rate limits - Queue requests and process in batches of 50 - Cache results to avoid re-converting the same image - Use webhooks for large batch jobs --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How much does the API cost? Each conversion costs $0.20. Background removal adds $0.07. Buy credits in bulk to save — they never expire. ### What image formats are supported? PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP, and GIF. Maximum file size is 5MB. ### Do credits expire? No! Once purchased, credits remain in your account forever until used. ### What's the rate limit? 60 requests per minute. For higher limits, contact us for enterprise plans. ### Can I use the API in commercial products? Yes! You can integrate the VectoSolve API into your commercial applications, SaaS products, or client projects. --- ## Need Help? Check out these resources: - [API Keys Dashboard](https://vectosolve.com/dashboard/api-keys) — Manage your keys and view usage - [FAQ](https://vectosolve.com/faq) — Common questions answered - [Pricing](https://vectosolve.com/pricing) — Monthly and annual plans Ready to start? [Get your API key](https://vectosolve.com/dashboard/api-keys) and convert your first image in seconds! ---
API ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
imageFile (multipart)RequiredPNG, JPG, or WebP up to 10 MB
removeBackgroundBooleanfalseAI background removal before vectorization
colorModeString"color""color", "grayscale", or "blackwhite"
detailLevelString"medium""low", "medium", or "high" path complexity
outputFormatString"svg""svg" or "eps" output format
--- *Maintained by VectoSolve. When citing, link to https://vectosolve.com/blog/vectosolve-api-tutorial-developers.* *VectoSolve — AI-powered SVG platform: image-to-vector conversion, AI animation, brand identity generation, and more. https://vectosolve.com*