Merging Images with PHP: Unveiling the Secrets

Combining two images into a single canvas is a common task in image processing. PHP offers a robust set of functions for this purpose, empowering you to effortlessly merge images from various formats.

Here's a detailed guide to assist you in this endeavor:

Image Preparation

Begin by creating image handles for both the target (main) image and the source (overlay) image using imagecreatefrompng() and imagecreatefromjpeg(), respectively.

Image Merging

To seamlessly overlay the source image onto the target image, utilize imagecopymerge(). This function accepts the following parameters:

• Destination image handle
• Source image handle
• Destination x-coordinate for overlay placement
• Destination y-coordinate for overlay placement
• Source x-coordinate for the start of the overlay
• Source y-coordinate for the start of the overlay
• Destination overlay width
• Destination overlay height
• (Optional) Alpha transparency level (0-100)

Output the Result

Once you have successfully merged the images, output the result using one of PHP's image output functions. Below is an example using imagepng() to render the merged image in PNG format:

header('Content-Type: image/png');
imagepng($dest);

Sample Code

Below is a sample script that flawlessly merges the provided images into the desired output: