What is iipsrv?

iipsrv (IIPImage Server) is a high-performance image server built for streaming and zooming ultra high-resolution images up to terabyte scale. It uses tile-based streaming to enable real-time navigation of gigapixel images with minimal hardware requirements. The server handles TIFF, JPEG2000, and JPEG input with 1-32 bits per channel, CIELAB colorimetric data, multispectral imaging, and image stacks. It implements IIIF Image API, IIP, Zoomify, and DeepZoom protocols for compatibility with viewers like OpenSeaDragon, Mirador, and UniversalViewer. Deployment options include Docker, system packages (apt, apk, yum), binary downloads for Windows, macOS, and Solaris, or compilation from source. The server runs as a FastCGI process behind Apache, Nginx, Lighttpd, or IIS. Features include dynamic watermarking, Memcached caching, secure derivative-only delivery, and output in several raster formats. Licensed under GPL-3.0 with version 1.3 released in May 2025.

Should you self-host iipsrv?

iipsrv scores 52/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #9 of 13 in Image Processing. It has 326 GitHub stars.

There was no stable release in the past 12 months, so check the repository's recent activity before you rely on it.

Setup is advanced: plan for several services and some ongoing maintenance. An official Docker image is available. It is GPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in C++.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Rembg (78/100, 25 214 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See iipsrv vs Rembg side by side.

Features

CIELAB color space
DeepZoom protocol support
Dynamic watermarking
FastCGI deployment
High bit-depth support
ICC profile support
IIIF Image API support
IIP (Internet Imaging Protocol) support
Image stacks
Multiple Output Formats
Multispectral imaging
Panoramic 3D object sequences
Secure image distribution
Zoomify protocol support

How to configure iipsrv

ALLOW_UPSCALING1Allow rendering images larger than source (0=prevent, 1=allow).
Allow rendering images larger than source (0=prevent, 1=allow).
values: 0 or 1
BASE_URLPublic base URL for metadata responses (e.g., IIIF).
Public base URL for metadata responses (e.g., IIIF).
values: URL
CACHE_CONTROLmax-age=86400HTTP Cache-Control header value.
HTTP Cache-Control header value.
values: cache directives
CODEC_PASSTHROUGH1Enable pre-encoded tile pass-through (1=on, 0=off).
Enable pre-encoded tile pass-through (1=on, 0=off).
values: 0 or 1
COPYRIGHTGlobal copyright/rights statement.
Global copyright/rights statement.
values: string
CORSCross Origin Resource Sharing setting for AJAX requests.
Cross Origin Resource Sharing setting for AJAX requests.
values: "*" or domain
DECODER_MODULESComma-separated list of external decoder modules.
Comma-separated list of external decoder modules.
values: module names
EMBED_ICC1Embed ICC profile in output (0=strip, 1=embed).
Embed ICC profile in output (0=strip, 1=embed).
values: 0 or 1
FILENAME_PATTERN_pyr_Pattern for multispectral or 3D panoramic image sequences.
Pattern for multispectral or 3D panoramic image sequences.
values: pattern string
FILESYSTEM_PREFIXPrefix added to file system paths for security.
Prefix added to file system paths for security.
values: path
FILESYSTEM_SUFFIXSuffix added to file system paths.
Suffix added to file system paths.
values: suffix
IIIF_DELIMITERDelimiter for page/slice selection in IIIF requests.
Delimiter for page/slice selection in IIIF requests.
values: character or string
IIIF_EXTRA_INFOExtra JSON field for IIIF info.json responses.
Extra JSON field for IIIF info.json responses.
values: JSON key:value
IIIF_VERSION3Major IIIF Image API version (2 or 3).
Major IIIF Image API version (2 or 3).
values: 2 or 3
INTERPOLATION1Interpolation method for rescaling (0=nearest neighbor, 1=bilinear).
Interpolation method for rescaling (0=nearest neighbor, 1=bilinear).
values: 0 or 1
JPEG_QUALITY75Default JPEG quality factor for compression (1-100).
Default JPEG quality factor for compression (1-100).
values: 1-100
KAKADU_READMODE0Kakadu JPEG2000 read mode (0=fast, 1=fussy, 2=resilient).
Kakadu JPEG2000 read mode (0=fast, 1=fussy, 2=resilient).
values: 0, 1, or 2
LOGFILEThe log file the module will write to. Use "syslog" for syslog logging.
The log file the module will write to. Use "syslog" for syslog logging.
values: file path or "syslog"
MAX_CVT5000Maximum image dimensions in pixels for dynamic export.
Maximum image dimensions in pixels for dynamic export.
values: pixels
MAX_IMAGE_CACHE_SIZE10Max image cache size in MB for compressed JPEG tiles.
Max image cache size in MB for compressed JPEG tiles.
values: MB
MAX_LAYERShalf of available layersMaximum quality layers to decode for JPEG2000.
Maximum quality layers to decode for JPEG2000.
values: integer or -1 for all
MEMCACHED_SERVERSComma-delimited list of memcached servers with optional ports.
Comma-delimited list of memcached servers with optional ports.
values: host:port list
MEMCACHED_TIMEOUT86400Cache freshness time in seconds.
Cache freshness time in seconds.
values: seconds
OMP_NUM_THREADSall availableNumber of OpenMP threads for image processing.
Number of OpenMP threads for image processing.
values: integer
PNG_QUALITY1Default PNG quality factor for compression (1-9).
Default PNG quality factor for compression (1-9).
values: 1-9
URI_MAPMap URL prefix to protocol (e.g., "iiif=>IIIF").
Map URL prefix to protocol (e.g., "iiif=>IIIF").
values: prefix=>protocol
VERBOSITY0The level of logging (0=none, 1=minimal, 2=debug, 3=more debug, 6=very verbose).
The level of logging (0=none, 1=minimal, 2=debug, 3=more debug, 6=very verbose).
values: 0-6
WATERMARKTIFF image to use as watermark file.
TIFF image to use as watermark file.
values: file path
WATERMARK_OPACITYOpacity of watermark (0-1).
Opacity of watermark (0-1).
values: 0-1
WATERMARK_PROBABILITYProbability that a tile will have a watermark (0=never, 1=always).
Probability that a tile will have a watermark (0=never, 1=always).
values: 0-1
WEBP_QUALITY50Default WebP quality factor for compression (0-100).
Default WebP quality factor for compression (0-100).
values: 0-100