Usage

Basic usage

The simplest way to generate a code image:

import silicate

png_bytes = silicate.generate("print('Hello!')")

This returns raw PNG bytes using the default settings (Python syntax, Dracula theme, Hack font at 26pt).

Save to file

silicate.to_file(
    "print('Hello!')",
    "output.png",
    language="python",
)

The output format is determined by the file extension (.png, .jpg, etc.).

Write bytes to file manually

png = silicate.generate("print('Hello!')")

with open("output.png", "wb") as f:
    f.write(png)

Customization

Themes

# Use a specific theme
png = silicate.generate(code, theme="Nord")

# List all available themes
for theme in silicate.list_themes():
    print(theme)

Available themes include: 1337, Coldark-Cold, Coldark-Dark, DarkNeon, Dracula, GitHub, Monokai Extended, Nord, OneHalfDark, OneHalfLight, Solarized (dark), Solarized (light), Sublime Snazzy, TwoDark, Visual Studio Dark+, gruvbox-dark, gruvbox-light, zenburn, and more.

Here's the same code rendered with different themes:

Dracula	Nord
Monokai Extended	GitHub

Languages

# Specify language by name or file extension
png = silicate.generate(code, language="rust")
png = silicate.generate(code, language="rs")

# List all available languages
for name, extensions in silicate.list_languages():
    print(f"{name}: {extensions}")

Fonts

# Use a system font
png = silicate.generate(code, font=[("Menlo", 24.0)])

# Multiple fonts (fallback chain)
png = silicate.generate(code, font=[("Fira Code", 24.0), ("Hack", 24.0)])

The default font is Hack at 26pt, which is bundled with Silicon.

Window appearance

# Window title
png = silicate.generate(code, window_title="main.py")

# Hide window controls (the red/yellow/green dots)
png = silicate.generate(code, show_window_controls=False)

# Hide line numbers
png = silicate.generate(code, show_line_numbers=False)

# Square corners
png = silicate.generate(code, round_corner=False)

Background and shadow

# Custom background color
png = silicate.generate(code, background="#2e3440")

# Custom shadow
png = silicate.generate(
    code,
    shadow_color="#1a1a2e",
    shadow_blur_radius=80.0,
)

# No shadow (set blur to 0 and match background)
png = silicate.generate(
    code,
    background="#282a36",
    shadow_color="#282a36",
    shadow_blur_radius=0.0,
    pad_horiz=40,
    pad_vert=40,
)

Colors are specified as hex strings: #RGB, #RGBA, #RRGGBB, or #RRGGBBAA.

Line highlighting

# Highlight specific lines (1-based)
png = silicate.generate(code, highlight_lines=[3, 4, 5])

Padding and spacing

png = silicate.generate(
    code,
    pad_horiz=40,      # Horizontal padding (default: 80)
    pad_vert=60,       # Vertical padding (default: 100)
    line_pad=4,        # Spacing between lines (default: 2)
    line_offset=10,    # Starting line number (default: 1)
    tab_width=2,       # Spaces per tab (default: 4)
)

Full example

import silicate

code = """\
async def fetch_data(url: str) -> dict:
    async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session:
        async with session.get(url) as response:
            response.raise_for_status()
            return await response.json()
"""

silicate.to_file(
    code,
    "api_call.png",
    language="python",
    theme="Nord",
    font=[("Fira Code", 24.0)],
    window_title="api.py",
    highlight_lines=[4],
    background="#2e3440",
    shadow_color="#1a1a2e",
    shadow_blur_radius=60.0,
    pad_horiz=60,
    pad_vert=80,
)

The code above produces: