Prefix2png

Prefix2png is an open-source command-line utility designed to convert image files into the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format. The project emphasizes batch processing by using a filename prefix to select input files, enabling users to convert multiple images in a single operation without listing each file individually.

It accepts common image formats such as JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, and WebP and outputs PNG files while preserving the original image's color space and, where possible, its alpha channel. The tool aims to produce lossless PNGs, though some color profiles may be adapted to ensure compatibility across platforms.

Typical usage involves invoking the program with a prefix pattern and optional flags. For example, a user might run prefix2png -d out --overwrite 'prefix_*.work' or similar. The exact syntax varies by release, but common options include selecting an output directory, controlling compression level, and choosing whether to strip or preserve metadata. By default, converted PNGs are named after the input files with a .png extension and placed in the chosen output directory.

Prefix2png has been developed by an open-source community with the goal of providing a lightweight, dependency-minimal tool for image conversion. It is designed to be cross-platform, supporting major operating systems, and is typically distributed under a permissive license. The project maintains a repository with issue tracking and contributor guidelines.

See also: ImageMagick, libvips, Pillow.