Name: ControlNet HED API: Edge-Guided Image Restyling
Brand: magicapi
SKU: api-magicapi-image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed
Availability: InStock
Author: API Market

Shashank Agarwal

# 🖌️ Edge-Guided Image Generator API (jagilley ControlNet HED)

## Overview
ControlNet HED, packaged by jagilley, modifies images using HED maps. It detects the soft edges (HED boundary map) of your input image and generates a new image that follows those edges while matching your text prompt. The composition and outlines stay; the style, colors and details change.

Send an `input_image` and a `prompt` (both required). Each request returns a list of image URLs.

## Features
- **Edge-guided generation**: the HED boundary map of `input_image` keeps the layout and outlines of the original.
- **Prompt control**: `prompt` describes the new image; `a_prompt` is appended to it (default `best quality, extremely detailed`) and `n_prompt` lists what to avoid.
- **Output resolution**: `image_resolution` of `256`, `512` (default) or `768`.
- **1 or 4 samples**: `num_samples` is `1` (default) or `4`.
- **Sampling control**: `ddim_steps` (default 20), guidance `scale` (0.1 to 30, default 9), `eta` and `seed`.
- **Detection resolution**: `detect_resolution` (128 to 1024, default 512) sets the resolution used to detect the HED map.

## Use Cases
1. **Restyle a photo**: turn a portrait or scene into an oil painting, sketch or other style while keeping its outlines.
2. **Recolor and re-texture**: change materials, lighting or colors of an object without changing its shape.
3. **Concept variations**: generate 4 versions of the same composition with `num_samples` `4`.
4. **Line-preserving edits**: keep a design's structure while trying new looks.

## Visual Examples
### Example Input
Input image:

![Input image for ControlNet HED](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-input-api-market.png)

```json
{
  "scale": 9,
  "prompt": "oil painting of handsome older gentleman, masterpiece",
  "a_prompt": "best quality, extremely detailed",
  "n_prompt": "longbody, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worst quality, low quality",
  "ddim_steps": 20,
  "input_image": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-input-api-market.png",
  "num_samples": "1",
  "image_resolution": "512",
  "detect_resolution": 512
}
```

### Example Output
With `num_samples` set to `"1"`, the request returned two images: the HED edge map detected from the input, followed by the generated image.

![ControlNet HED output 1: HED edge map detected from the input image](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-output-1-y2rvh7hj-api-market-1.png)
![ControlNet HED output 2: oil painting of a handsome older gentleman following the input's edges](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-output-2-y2rvh7hj-api-market-1.png)

## Input Parameters
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `input_image` | string (URL) | Yes |  |  | Input image. Image URL (jpeg, png, gif or webp). |
| `prompt` | string | Yes |  |  | Prompt for the model |
| `num_samples` | string | No | `"1"` | `"1"`, `"4"` | Number of samples (higher values may run out of memory) |
| `image_resolution` | string | No | `"512"` | `"256"`, `"512"`, `"768"` | Image resolution to be generated |
| `ddim_steps` | integer | No | `20` |  | Steps |
| `scale` | number | No | `9` | 0.1 to 30 | Guidance scale |
| `seed` | integer | No | none |  | Seed |
| `eta` | number | No | `0` |  | eta (DDIM) |
| `a_prompt` | string | No | `best quality, extremely detailed` |  | Added prompt |
| `n_prompt` | string | No | `longbody, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worst quality, low quality` |  | Negative prompt |
| `detect_resolution` | integer | No | `512` | 128 to 1024 | Resolution for detection (only applicable when model type is HED) |

`num_samples` and `image_resolution` are strings: send `"4"`, not `4`.

## Pricing
- **Pay As You Go (PAYG) pricing**: you only pay for what you use.
- **Price**: $0.068 per API unit.
- **1 API unit = 1 request covering up to 43 seconds of processing.** A request that processes for longer uses one unit per started 43-second block (for example 44 seconds = 2 units, $0.136).
- **Example cost**: the example request processed for 6.32 seconds = 1 API unit = **$0.068**.
- **Failed or cancelled predictions are not billed.**
- **GET requests to check prediction status** are free and don't count toward API unit usage.
- **No monthly subscription fee.**

## API Documentation

### Base URL
All API requests go to: `https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed`

### Authentication
Send your api.market API key in the `x-api-market-key` header:
```
x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY
```

### Asynchronous Processing
**IMPORTANT**: This API is asynchronous. The flow is:
1. Send a POST request to `/predictions`. A successful request returns **201 Created** with a prediction `id` and a `status` of `starting` or `processing`.
2. Poll GET `/predictions/{id}` with that ID.
3. Keep polling while `status` is `starting` or `processing`.
4. Stop when `status` is `succeeded` (read `output`), `failed` or `canceled` (read `error`).

A polling interval of 1 second and an overall timeout of 600 seconds (10 minutes) work well.

### Endpoints

#### Create a Prediction
```bash
curl -X POST "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed/predictions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "version": "cde353130c86f37d0af4060cd757ab3009cac68eb58df216768f907f0d0a0653",
    "input": {
      "scale": 9,
      "prompt": "oil painting of handsome older gentleman, masterpiece",
      "a_prompt": "best quality, extremely detailed",
      "n_prompt": "longbody, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worst quality, low quality",
      "ddim_steps": 20,
      "input_image": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-input-api-market.png",
      "num_samples": "1",
      "image_resolution": "512",
      "detect_resolution": 512
    }
  }'
```

Response (201 Created):
```json
{
  "id": "y2rvh7hj01rne0d1ccrvh0ev0g",
  "version": "cde353130c86f37d0af4060cd757ab3009cac68eb58df216768f907f0d0a0653",
  "status": "starting",
  "created_at": "2026-10-22T10:38:51.058Z"
}
```

#### Check Prediction Status
```bash
curl -X GET "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed/predictions/{id}" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
```

Response when the prediction has finished (200 OK):
```json
{
  "id": "y2rvh7hj01rne0d1ccrvh0ev0g",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "output": [
    "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-output-1-y2rvh7hj-api-market-1.png",
    "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-output-2-y2rvh7hj-api-market-1.png"
  ],
  "error": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-22T10:38:51.058Z",
  "started_at": "2026-10-22T10:39:26.691Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-22T10:39:33.007Z"
}
```

`output` is a list of PNG image URLs: the detected HED edge map first, then one generated image per sample.

### Status Codes
- **201 Created**: prediction created (POST `/predictions`). This is the normal success response.
- **200 OK**: prediction details returned (GET `/predictions/{id}`).
- **400 Bad Request**: invalid input, for example a missing `input_image` or `prompt`, or `num_samples` sent as a number instead of `"1"` or `"4"`.
- **401 Unauthorized**: missing or invalid API key.
- **404 Not Found**: no prediction with that ID.
- **429 Too Many Requests**: rate limit exceeded.
- **500 Internal Server Error** or **503 Service Unavailable**: temporary server problem; retry later.

## Rate Limits
All plans allow 10 requests per second. Requests above that return `429 Too Many Requests`; back off before retrying and honour any `Retry-After` header. Polling a prediction with GET is free but still counts toward the per-second limit, so poll every 1 to 5 seconds rather than in a tight loop.

## Error Handling
- Check the HTTP status code of every request and read the response body for the error message.
- A prediction can also end with `status` set to `failed`; the `error` field then explains why. Failed predictions are not billed.
- Retry 429, 500 and 503 responses with exponential backoff. Fix the input before retrying a 400.

## Implementation Guide
### Example Code

#### JavaScript
```javascript
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY";
const baseUrl = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed";

async function createAndWaitForPrediction(input) {
  const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "x-api-market-key": apiKey
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ version: "cde353130c86f37d0af4060cd757ab3009cac68eb58df216768f907f0d0a0653", input })
  });

  if (response.status !== 201) {
    throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
  }

  const prediction = await response.json();
  return pollForResults(prediction.id);
}

const delay = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));

async function pollForResults(predictionId) {
  const maxTimeout = 600000;
  const pollInterval = 1000;
  const startTime = Date.now();

  while (Date.now() - startTime < maxTimeout) {
    const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions/${predictionId}`, {
      headers: { "x-api-market-key": apiKey }
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
    }

    const prediction = await response.json();

    if (prediction.status === "succeeded") {
      return prediction.output;
    }

    if (prediction.status === "failed" || prediction.status === "canceled") {
      throw new Error(`Prediction ${prediction.status}: ${prediction.error || "Unknown error"}`);
    }

    await delay(pollInterval);
  }

  throw new Error("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes");
}

createAndWaitForPrediction({
  scale: 9,
  prompt: "oil painting of handsome older gentleman, masterpiece",
  a_prompt: "best quality, extremely detailed",
  n_prompt: "longbody, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worst quality, low quality",
  ddim_steps: 20,
  input_image: "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-input-api-market.png",
  num_samples: "1",
  image_resolution: "512",
  detect_resolution: 512
}).then((output) => console.log(output));
```

#### Python
```python
import time
import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/image-modification-using-hed-maps-jagilley-controlnet-hed"


def create_and_wait_for_prediction(input_data):
    headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json", "x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    response = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/predictions",
        headers=headers,
        json={"version": "cde353130c86f37d0af4060cd757ab3009cac68eb58df216768f907f0d0a0653", "input": input_data},
    )

    if response.status_code != 201:
        raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

    return poll_for_results(response.json()["id"])


def poll_for_results(prediction_id):
    max_timeout = 600
    poll_interval = 1
    headers = {"x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    start_time = time.time()

    while time.time() - start_time < max_timeout:
        response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/predictions/{prediction_id}", headers=headers)

        if response.status_code != 200:
            raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

        prediction = response.json()

        if prediction["status"] == "succeeded":
            return prediction["output"]

        if prediction["status"] in ("failed", "canceled"):
            raise Exception(f"Prediction {prediction['status']}: {prediction.get('error') or 'Unknown error'}")

        time.sleep(poll_interval)

    raise Exception("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes")


print(create_and_wait_for_prediction({
    "scale": 9,
    "prompt": "oil painting of handsome older gentleman, masterpiece",
    "a_prompt": "best quality, extremely detailed",
    "n_prompt": "longbody, lowres, bad anatomy, bad hands, missing fingers, extra digit, fewer digits, cropped, worst quality, low quality",
    "ddim_steps": 20,
    "input_image": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/controlnet-hed-input-api-market.png",
    "num_samples": "1",
    "image_resolution": "512",
    "detect_resolution": 512
}))
```

## FAQ
- **Why did I get two images when I asked for one sample?**
  - The first URL is the HED edge map detected from your input image; the generated image follows it. With `num_samples` `"4"` you get the edge map plus 4 generated images.
- **What stays the same and what changes?**
  - The outlines and composition of `input_image` are kept through its HED map. The `prompt` decides style, colors, materials and content details.
- **What are `a_prompt` and `n_prompt`?**
  - `a_prompt` is added to your prompt (default `best quality, extremely detailed`). `n_prompt` lists things to avoid, such as bad anatomy and low quality.
- **Which output sizes are available?**
  - `image_resolution` sets the generated resolution: `"256"`, `"512"` (default) or `"768"`.
- **Is the 201 response from POST an error?**
  - No. 201 Created means the prediction was accepted. Use the returned `id` to poll GET `/predictions/{id}` until `status` is `succeeded`, `failed` or `canceled`.

## Contact Us
If you have any questions, reach out to us through the chat on the bottom right of the page. You can also email our support team at hello@magicapi.com.


Turn an input image into a new picture that keeps its edges and composition, guided by a text prompt, with ControlNet HED. Pay as you go, no monthly fee.