How to Build an AI Image Generator in Minutes using OpenAI o1 and Dalle 3 API

Introduction

In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating a simple AI image generator using OpenAI's DALL·E 3 API and the Next.js framework. You’ll learn how to set up the project, create an input form for image prompts, generate images, and facilitate downloads—all within a few minutes.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Next.js Project

Create a Next.js app: If you haven't created a Next.js app yet, you can do so using the following command:

npx create-next-app my-ai-image-generator
[cd my-ai-image-generator](https://www.topview.ai/blog/detail/ai-image-generator)

Install Axios: Axios is necessary for making HTTP requests. Install it using:
```
npm install axios
```
Set Up Environment Variables: Create a .env.local file in the root of your project to store your OpenAI API key:
```
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here
```

Set Up API Route: Navigate to the src/app/api directory and create a new file named generate-image.js. This will handle image generation requests.

Add the following code to the generate-image.js file:

import axios from 'axios';

export default async function handler(req, res) (
    if (req.method === 'POST') {
        const { prompt ) = req.body;

        try (
            const response = await axios.post('https://api.openai.com/v1/images/generations', {
                prompt,
                n: 1,
                size: "1024x1024"
            ), (
                headers: {
                    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY)`,
                    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
                }
            });

            res.status(200).json(response.data);
        } catch (error) (
            res.status(500).json({ error: 'Failed to generate image' ));
        }
    } else (
        res.setHeader('Allow', ['POST']);
        res.status(405).end(`Method ${req.method) Not Allowed`);
    }
}

Create the Input Form: In your main page component (e.g., src/app/page.js), create an input form that allows users to type in prompts and generate images. The basic structure should include:

An input field for the prompt.
A button to generate the image.
An area to display the generated image.
A download button for saving the image to the computer.

Here’s a simple example:

import ( useState ) from 'react';
import axios from 'axios';

export default function Home() (
    const [prompt, setPrompt] = useState('');
    const [imageUrl, setImageUrl] = useState('');

    const handleGenerateImage = async () => {
        const res = await axios.post('/api/generate-image', { prompt ));
        setImageUrl(res.data.data[0].url);
    };

    return (
        <div>
            <h1>AI Image Generator</h1>
            <input
                type="text"
                value=(prompt)
                onChange=((e) => setPrompt(e.target.value))
                placeholder="Enter image prompt here"
            />
            <button onClick=(handleGenerateImage)>Generate Image</button>
            (imageUrl && (
                <div>
                    <img src={imageUrl) alt="Generated" />
                    <a href=(imageUrl) download="generated_image.png">Download</a>
                </div>
            )}
        </div>
    );
}

Step 2: Keywords

Keyword

Next.js
OpenAI
DALL·E 3 API
image generator
Axios
environment variables
prompt input
image downloading
web development

Step 3: FAQs

FAQ

Q: What is Next.js?
A: Next.js is a React framework that enables developers to build fast, scalable web applications with server-side rendering and static site generation.

Q: What is the DALL·E 3 API?
A: The DALL·E 3 API is an AI model developed by OpenAI that generates images from textual descriptions.

Q: What do I need to run this image generator?
A: You need a Node.js environment, an OpenAI API key, and a basic understanding of React and Next.js.

Q: How can I install Axios?
A: You can install Axios in your Next.js project using the command npm install axios.

Q: Can I customize the prompt for generating images?
A: Yes! You can input any textual description in the prompt field to generate corresponding images.

By following these steps, you successfully built a simple AI image generator using the OpenAI DALL·E 3 API and Next.js in just a few minutes. Feel free to expand and customize it further to suit your needs!