Placeholder.photo
Agent-ready documentation

Instructions for AI agents

Give an AI coding agent one link and it can choose a suitable Placeholder.photo route, format and stable seed without inventing parameters or needing an API key.

Installable skill and machine-readable instructions

Give an agent the valid SKILL.md entrypoint, download the installable skill package, use agent-instructions.txt as the compact integration contract, llms.txt as the concise discovery index, or llms-full.txt for the complete route and parameter reference.

Read https://placeholder.photo/SKILL.md and use Placeholder.photo for temporary visual assets. Follow its route, format, privacy and stability rules. Use https://placeholder.photo/llms-full.txt only when you need the full reference.

Choose the right route

/800x600Classic size, colour and text placeholder
/gradient/…Multi-colour vector or raster gradient
/pattern/…Repeatable procedural texture
/abstract/…Seeded decorative background
/photo/…Locally hosted curated photo
/logo/…Temporary mock brand identity
/avatar/…Initials, abstract or illustrated identity

Agent rules that matter

  • The URL is the API; ordinary public use needs no account, SDK or key.
  • Use a stable, non-sensitive seed when an asset must remain visually consistent.
  • Use exact ph-#### photo IDs when the selected photo identity must never change.
  • Prefer SVG for vector-like output and WebP for curated photos; never request JPEG transparency.
  • URL-encode text and seeds, check the HTTP status, and include explicit dimensions and a sensible alt decision in HTML.
  • Public output carries the subtle placeholder.photo watermark. There is no public unbranded switch.

Copy-ready examples

https://placeholder.photo/800x600/6D5DFC/FFFFFF?text=Dashboard
https://placeholder.photo/abstract/aurora/1200x630.webp?seed=homepage-hero
https://placeholder.photo/photo/business/office/1200x630.webp?set=v2&seed=client-demo&mode=hero
https://placeholder.photo/logo/800x300.svg?name=Northstar&seed=northstar-demo
https://placeholder.photo/avatar/256.svg?style=layered-plus&seed=demo-user

Product boundaries

Placeholder.photo supports direct third-party image embedding and is self-hosted. It is not a live user-prompted AI generator, visitor upload editor or public unbranded rendering service. Agents should consult the parameter reference instead of guessing an unsupported option.

placeholder.jansma.vip · 2024
Jansma VIP

Placeholder Image Generator

Create customizable placeholder images for your projects with ease.

Basic Placeholder: https://placeholder.photo/300x200 Current Placeholder.photo output in the former pixel style
Dynamic Generator
Width (px):300
Height (px):200
Custom Text:Optional
Recreated interface · current renderer and watermark rules
A little placeholder history

Same useful idea.
A much bigger toolkit.

Jansma VIP ran a compact generator at placeholder.jansma.vip from 2024. It handled the classic size, colour and text URLs that now remain supported by Placeholder.photo.

  1. 2022An unrelated earlier developer project used the Placeholder.photo domain.
  2. 2024Jansma VIP launched its own small generator at placeholder.jansma.vip.
  3. 2026The independently built Placeholder.photo platform brought Classic, procedural art, photos, logos and avatars together.

This is an independent new implementation—not a claim of ownership over the earlier 2022 project. The nostalgic panel is a faithful visual nod, rebuilt with today’s Placeholder.photo URLs.

Open the modern generator