border
Add solid color borders or decorative frames around images.
Usage
Terminal
$ mediaproc image border <input> [options]
Description
The border command adds a uniform solid color border around all sides of an image. The border extends the image dimensions by adding padding on all edges. Perfect for framing photos, creating gallery layouts, adding white space for presentations, or creating Instagram-style bordered posts.
Options
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
-w, --width | number | 10 | Border width in pixels (applied to all sides) |
--color | color | #000000 | Border color (hex, rgb, or color name) |
-o, --output | path | <input>-border.<ext> | Output file path |
--dry-run | flag | - | Preview changes without executing |
-v, --verbose | flag | - | Show detailed output |
Color Formats
The command supports multiple color specification formats:
Hexadecimal (Make sure that give hex code in double quotes)
# Short form (3 digits)
--color "#F00" # Red
--color "#0F0" # Green
--color "#00F" # Blue
# Full form (6 digits)
--color "#FF0000" # Red
--color "#00FF00" # Green
--color "#0000FF" # Blue
# With alpha transparency (8 digits)
--color "#FF000080" # Semi-transparent red
RGB/RGBA
# RGB format
--color "rgb(255, 0, 0)" # Red
--color "rgb(255, 255, 255)" # White
--color "rgb(0, 0, 0)" # Black
# RGBA with transparency
--color "rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5)" # Semi-transparent red
--color "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" # Fully transparent
Named Colors
# Common names
--color white
--color black
--color red
--color blue
--color green
--color yellow
--color gray
--color gold
--color silver
--color transparent
Examples
Basic Borders
# Default 10px black border
mediaproc image border photo.jpg
# 20px white border
mediaproc image border image.png --width 20 --color white
# 5px red border
mediaproc image border pic.jpg -w 5 --color red
# 30px custom color border
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 30 --color "#FF5733"
Presentation Borders
# Clean white border for slides
mediaproc image border slide-image.jpg --width 40 --color white -o presentation-ready.jpg
# Gray border for professional look
mediaproc image border chart.png -w 25 --color "#E0E0E0" -o framed-chart.png
# Black border for contrast
mediaproc image border diagram.jpg --width 15 --color black
Social Media Borders
# Instagram-style white border
mediaproc image border selfie.jpg --width 50 --color white -o insta-post.jpg
# Colored border matching brand
mediaproc image border product.jpg -w 30 --color "#0066CC" -o branded.jpg
# Minimalist thin border
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 2 --color white
Gallery Borders
# Uniform gallery frames
mediaproc image border "gallery/*.jpg" --width 15 --color white
# Black mat for art prints
mediaproc image border artwork.png --width 80 --color black -o matted.png
# Consistent framing for collection
mediaproc image border "photos/*.jpg" -w 20 --color "#F5F5F5"
Custom Colors
# RGB color specification
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 25 --color "rgb(100, 150, 200)"
# Hexadecimal custom color
mediaproc image border image.png -w 30 --color "#8B4513" -o sepia-border.png
# Named color for simplicity
mediaproc image border pic.jpg --width 15 --color gold
Batch Processing
# Add borders to all images
mediaproc image border "photos/*.jpg" --width 20 --color white -v
# Different width for thumbnails
mediaproc image border "thumbs/*.png" -w 5 --color black
# Preview before processing
mediaproc image border "images/*.jpg" --width 30 --color white --dry-run
How It Works
The border extends the image canvas in all directions:
Original image: 800x600px
Border width: 20px
Result: 840x640px (800+20+20 by 600+20+20)
Border is applied equally to:
- Top: 20px
- Bottom: 20px
- Left: 20px
- Right: 20px
Total dimension increase = 2 × border width
Common Use Cases
Professional Photo Finishing
# White border for print preparation
mediaproc image border portrait.jpg --width 50 --color white -o print-ready.jpg
# Black border for gallery display
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 40 --color black -o gallery.jpg
Web Design
# Add padding for better layout
mediaproc image border hero-image.jpg --width 30 --color white -o padded-hero.jpg
# Border to separate sections
mediaproc image border section-img.png -w 10 --color "#E0E0E0"
Social Media
# Instagram square post with border
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 60 --color white -o instagram.jpg
# Twitter header with margin
mediaproc image border header.jpg --width 20 --color "#1DA1F2" -o twitter-header.jpg
Product Photography
# White background extension
mediaproc image border product.png --width 100 --color white -o marketplace.png
# Branded border color
mediaproc image border item.jpg --width 40 --color "#FF6600" -o branded-product.jpg
Document/Presentation
# Frame screenshots for presentation
mediaproc image border screenshot.png --width 15 --color "#333333" -o slide.png
# Add space around diagrams
mediaproc image border diagram.jpg --width 35 --color white -o document-ready.jpg
Border Width Guide
| Width | Effect | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 2-5px | Minimal | Subtle separation, web thumbnails |
| 5-15px | Small | Gallery thumbnails, icons |
| 15-30px | Medium | Standard photo frames, presentations |
| 30-60px | Large | Instagram posts, emphasis |
| 60-100px | Extra Large | Art prints, poster effects |
| 100+px | Massive | Special effects, canvas extensions |
Color Recommendations
Classic Borders
# Pure white (clean, modern)
--color white # or #FFFFFF
# Pure black (gallery, contrast)
--color black # or #000000
# Off-white (warm, less harsh)
--color "#F8F8F8"
# Dark gray (professional)
--color "#333333"
Colored Borders
# Gold (elegant, premium)
--color gold # or #FFD700
# Navy blue (corporate)
--color "#003366"
# Warm gray (neutral)
--color "#999999"
# Cream (vintage)
--color "#FFFDD0"
Best Practices
- Choose Width Proportional to Image Size: Larger images can handle wider borders
- White Borders for Clean Look: Most versatile and modern
- Black for Gallery/Art: Traditional framing aesthetic
- Match Brand Colors: Use branded colors for marketing materials
- Test with --dry-run: Preview before processing multiple images
- Consistent Borders for Series: Use same settings for photo collections
Performance Tips
- Border operation is very fast (simple canvas extension)
- No quality loss (pixels aren't resampled)
- Minimal memory overhead
- Process hundreds of images quickly
Dimension Changes
Remember that borders increase image dimensions:
# Original: 1000x1000px
# Border: 50px
# Result: 1100x1100px (1000 + 50 + 50)
# Original: 1920x1080px
# Border: 30px
# Result: 1980x1140px (1920 + 60, 1080 + 60)
If you need specific output dimensions, resize before or after bordering.
Combining with Other Commands
Resize Then Border
# First resize to target size
mediaproc image resize photo.jpg --width 800 -o resized.jpg
# Then add border
mediaproc image border resized.jpg --width 30 --color white -o final.jpg
Border Then Optimize
# Add border
mediaproc image border photo.jpg --width 40 --color white -o bordered.jpg
# Optimize file size
mediaproc image optimize bordered.jpg --quality 85 -o final.jpg
Crop Then Border
# Crop to desired composition
mediaproc image crop photo.jpg -w 800 -h 800 -o cropped.jpg
# Frame it
mediaproc image border cropped.jpg --width 50 --color white -o framed.jpg
Troubleshooting
Border color not showing:
- Check color format is correct
- Use quotes around color values:
--color "rgb(255,0,0)" - Verify hex colors start with #
Unexpected output size:
- Remember: output = input + (2 × border width)
- Border is added to all four sides
Color appears different than expected:
- Monitor calibration may affect perception
- Some formats (JPEG) don't support transparency
- Use PNG for transparent borders
Large file size after border:
- Larger dimensions = larger file
- Optimize after adding border if needed
- Consider using compressed formats (WebP)
Limitations
- Border width is uniform (same on all sides)
- No gradient or pattern borders
- No rounded corners (use separate command)
- Cannot add different colors per side
Future Enhancements
These features are planned but not yet implemented:
- Individual side widths: Different width per side (FUTURE)
- Gradient borders: Color gradients instead of solid (FUTURE)
- Pattern borders: Textured or patterned borders (FUTURE)
- Rounded corners: Border with corner radius (FUTURE)
- Shadow effects: Drop shadow with border (FUTURE)