> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://developer.ideogram.ai/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://developer.ideogram.ai/_mcp/server. # Describe with Ideogram 4.0 POST https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4 Content-Type: multipart/form-data Describe an image as a structured `V4JsonPrompt` with Ideogram's 4.0 image captioner (a fine-tune of the Qwen3-VL vision-language model). Upload the image as `image` using `multipart/form-data`; the `json_prompt` is returned directly and can be passed to the `/v1/ideogram-v4/generate` endpoints. Reference: https://developer.ideogram.ai/api-reference/images/describe/ideogram-4 ## Authentication - `Api-Key` header (required) — API key for access control. Use in the header with the name \"Api-Key\" ## Request ### Body (multipart/form-data) This endpoint expects a multipart form containing a file. - `image` (file, required) — The image to describe (max 10MB). JPEG, PNG, and WebP are supported. Multipart requests only. - `include_bbox` (boolean, optional) — Whether to include bounding boxes for the subjects and text in the returned `json_prompt`. Defaults to true, so the prompt preserves the layout of the described image. - `include_style_descriptions` (boolean, optional) — Whether to include a free-form style description in the returned `json_prompt`. Defaults to false. - `include_tags` (boolean, optional) — Whether to include free-form tags in the returned `json_prompt`. Defaults to false. ## Response ### 200 Structured prompt generated successfully. - `description_id` (string, required) — URL-safe base64 ID of the description that was created. - `created` (datetime, required) — The time the request was created. - `json_prompt` (V4JsonPrompt, required) — Structured prompt for Ideogram 4.0 generation. When `json_prompt` is supplied, magic-prompt is disabled and the diffusion model consumes the JSON contract directly. Mutually exclusive with `text_prompt` and the legacy `prompt` field. ## Errors ### 400 Bad Request Error Invalid input provided. - `any` ### 401 Unauthorized Error Unauthorized. - `any` ### 402 Payment Required Error Insufficient credits or quota. - `error` (string, required) — A message describing why the generation request was rejected. - `reject_reason` (enum, required) — The account or usage limit that rejected a generation request. - Allowed values: `insufficient_funds`, `subscription_required`, `daily_limit`, `priority_credit_required`, `inflight_limit`, `feature_limit` - `max_inflight_requests` (integer, optional) — How many generations the account may have in progress at once on the queue this request resolved to. Present when `reject_reason` is `inflight_limit`. - `task_completion_speed` (enum, optional) — The queue this request resolved to. Present when `reject_reason` is `inflight_limit`. - Allowed values: `fast`, `slow` ### 404 Not Found Error The source image was not found. - `any` ### 422 Unprocessable Entity Error Image failed the safety check. - `error` (string, required) ### 429 Too Many Requests Error Too many requests. - `error` (string, required) — A message describing why the generation request was rejected. - `reject_reason` (enum, required) — The account or usage limit that rejected a generation request. - Allowed values: `insufficient_funds`, `subscription_required`, `daily_limit`, `priority_credit_required`, `inflight_limit`, `feature_limit` - `max_inflight_requests` (integer, optional) — How many generations the account may have in progress at once on the queue this request resolved to. Present when `reject_reason` is `inflight_limit`. - `task_completion_speed` (enum, optional) — The queue this request resolved to. Present when `reject_reason` is `inflight_limit`. - Allowed values: `fast`, `slow` ### 500 Internal Server Error Internal server error. - `any` ### 503 Service Unavailable Error The endpoint is temporarily unavailable. - `any` ## Types ### V4JsonPrompt Structured prompt for Ideogram 4.0 generation. When `json_prompt` is supplied, magic-prompt is disabled and the diffusion model consumes the JSON contract directly. Mutually exclusive with `text_prompt` and the legacy `prompt` field. - `high_level_description` (string, required) — One- or two-sentence overall description of the desired image. - `compositional_deconstruction` (V4CompositionalDeconstruction, required) — The compositional breakdown of a V4 prompt — background plus an ordered list of elements. - `style_description` (V4StyleDescription, optional) — Optional style description supplied alongside a V4 JSON prompt. ### V4CompositionalDeconstruction The compositional breakdown of a V4 prompt — background plus an ordered list of elements. - `background` (string, required) — Description of the background of the scene. - `elements` (list of V4PromptElement, required) — Ordered list of elements (objects and text) composing the scene. ### V4StyleDescription Optional style description supplied alongside a V4 JSON prompt. - `aesthetics` (string, optional) — Aesthetic notes (mood, vibe, references). - `art_style` (string, optional) — Optional art-style hint (e.g., illustration, oil painting). - `lighting` (string, optional) — Lighting description. - `medium` (string, optional) — Medium description (e.g., photograph, digital art). - `photo` (string, optional) — Optional photographic style notes (e.g., lens, film stock). - `color_palette` (list of string, optional) — Optional list of hex color strings (e.g. "#FFD700") that bias the Ideogram 4.0 output toward this palette. Applied as a soft color bias, not an exact per-pixel lock. ### V4PromptElement A single element in the V4 prompt's compositional deconstruction. Discriminated by the `type` field. - `type`: `obj` (V4ObjPromptElement) - `desc` (string, required) — Description of the object element. - `bbox` (list of integer, optional) — Bounding box for an element, expressed as four integers in `[0, 1000]` with `[y_min, x_min, y_max, x_max]` semantics (row-first). Values are normalized so the canvas is `1000 x 1000` regardless of the final resolution. - `color_palette` (list of string, optional) — Optional list of hex color strings (e.g. "#FFD700") that bias the Ideogram 4.0 output toward this palette. Applied as a soft color bias, not an exact per-pixel lock. - `type`: `text` (V4TextPromptElement) - `desc` (string, required) — Description of the text element (style, role, placement notes). - `text` (string, required) — The literal text to render in the image. - `bbox` (list of integer, optional) — Bounding box for an element, expressed as four integers in `[0, 1000]` with `[y_min, x_min, y_max, x_max]` semantics (row-first). Values are normalized so the canvas is `1000 x 1000` regardless of the final resolution. - `color_palette` (list of string, optional) — Optional list of hex color strings (e.g. "#FFD700") that bias the Ideogram 4.0 output toward this palette. Applied as a soft color bias, not an exact per-pixel lock. ## Examples **Request** ```json { "image": "" } ``` **Response** ```json { "description_id": "description_id", "created": "2024-01-15T09:30:00Z", "json_prompt": { "high_level_description": "high_level_description", "compositional_deconstruction": { "background": "background", "elements": [ { "type": "obj", "desc": "desc", "bbox": [ 0, 0, 1000, 1000 ], "color_palette": [ "#FFD700", "#FFD700" ] }, { "type": "obj", "desc": "desc", "bbox": [ 0, 0, 1000, 1000 ], "color_palette": [ "#FFD700", "#FFD700" ] } ] }, "style_description": { "aesthetics": "aesthetics", "art_style": "art_style", "lighting": "lighting", "medium": "medium", "photo": "photo", "color_palette": [ "#FFD700", "#FFD700" ] } } } ``` **SDK Code** ```python import requests url = "https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4" files = { "image": "open('string', 'rb')" } payload = { "include_bbox": , "include_style_descriptions": , "include_tags": } headers = {"Api-Key": ""} response = requests.post(url, data=payload, files=files, headers=headers) print(response.json()) ``` ```javascript const url = 'https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4'; const form = new FormData(); form.append('image', 'string'); form.append('include_bbox', ''); form.append('include_style_descriptions', ''); form.append('include_tags', ''); const options = {method: 'POST', headers: {'Api-Key': ''}}; options.body = form; try { const response = await fetch(url, options); const data = await response.json(); console.log(data); } catch (error) { console.error(error); } ``` ```go package main import ( "fmt" "strings" "net/http" "io" ) func main() { url := "https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4" payload := strings.NewReader("-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"image\"; filename=\"string\"\r\nContent-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_bbox\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_style_descriptions\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_tags\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001--\r\n") req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload) req.Header.Add("Api-Key", "") res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req) defer res.Body.Close() body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body) fmt.Println(res) fmt.Println(string(body)) } ``` ```ruby require 'uri' require 'net/http' url = URI("https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4") http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port) http.use_ssl = true request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url) request["Api-Key"] = '' request.body = "-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"image\"; filename=\"string\"\r\nContent-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_bbox\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_style_descriptions\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_tags\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001--\r\n" response = http.request(request) puts response.read_body ``` ```java import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse; import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest; HttpResponse response = Unirest.post("https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4") .header("Api-Key", "") .body("-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"image\"; filename=\"string\"\r\nContent-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_bbox\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_style_descriptions\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_tags\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001--\r\n") .asString(); ``` ```php request('POST', 'https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4', [ 'multipart' => [ [ 'name' => 'image', 'filename' => 'string', 'contents' => null ] ] 'headers' => [ 'Api-Key' => '', ], ]); echo $response->getBody(); ``` ```csharp using RestSharp; var client = new RestClient("https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4"); var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST); request.AddHeader("Api-Key", ""); request.AddParameter("undefined", "-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"image\"; filename=\"string\"\r\nContent-Type: application/octet-stream\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_bbox\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_style_descriptions\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001\r\nContent-Disposition: form-data; name=\"include_tags\"\r\n\r\n\r\n-----011000010111000001101001--\r\n", ParameterType.RequestBody); IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request); ``` ```swift import Foundation let headers = ["Api-Key": ""] let parameters = [ [ "name": "image", "fileName": "string" ], [ "name": "include_bbox", "value": ], [ "name": "include_style_descriptions", "value": ], [ "name": "include_tags", "value": ] ] let boundary = "---011000010111000001101001" var body = "" var error: NSError? = nil for param in parameters { let paramName = param["name"]! body += "--\(boundary)\r\n" body += "Content-Disposition:form-data; name=\"\(paramName)\"" if let filename = param["fileName"] { let contentType = param["content-type"]! let fileContent = String(contentsOfFile: filename, encoding: String.Encoding.utf8) if (error != nil) { print(error as Any) } body += "; filename=\"\(filename)\"\r\n" body += "Content-Type: \(contentType)\r\n\r\n" body += fileContent } else if let paramValue = param["value"] { body += "\r\n\r\n\(paramValue)" } } let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.ideogram.ai/v2/image/describe/ideogram-4")! as URL, cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy, timeoutInterval: 10.0) request.httpMethod = "POST" request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers request.httpBody = postData as Data let session = URLSession.shared let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in if (error != nil) { print(error as Any) } else { let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse print(httpResponse) } }) dataTask.resume() ```