Variations
Variations are dynamically generated transformations of an origin asset.
Transformations are dynamic file changes that are applied via URL query string parameters. Examples:
change of the file format (JPG -> WebP; MP4 -> WebM)
resizing (crop, fit, trim, padding)
applying filters (grayscale, brightness, background color)
adding a watermark
generative AI (plate blurring; background removal; background expanding; etc)
video transformations (compression; transcoding)
Transformations are not saved as separate files in the DAM storage. They are created by the processing servers on-the-fly when a user requests the asset (e.g opening some image URL in the browser).
If you frequently use the same transformations, you can save them as Variations for faster reuse.
A Variation is a saved transformation which allows faster access and convenience when you need to download it or to copy its CDN link.
Use cases where Variations are applicable
Generate multiple resizings of an image, dedicated for different channels or marketplaces
Collect optimized versions of a file in one place, without duplicating the original and managing several copies of the same content.
Standardize output formats and ensure all teams work with the same file content
Creating a variation for a single image
Select a file and double-click it to open the asset management window
Go to the Variations tab.
Click the + Add variation button to create a new variation using the Image Editor.
After saving the variation, it will appear in the Variations tab. You can hover over the variation to either download it or copy an optimized CDN link for easy sharing.
If a file has multiple variations, you can download them in bulk.
Setting Presets
Presets is a special DAM feature which allows to create Variations automatically when a file is uploaded. In that way, you can create standard outputs for all uploaded files.
See the Presets configuration section for setup details.
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