Generate images using AI with .NET

In this quickstart, you learn how to create a .NET console app to generate images using an OpenAI or Azure OpenAI DALLe AI model, which are specifically designed to generate images based on text prompts.

Clone the sample repository

You can create your own app using the steps in the sections ahead, or you can clone the GitHub repository that contains the completed sample apps for all of the quickstarts. If you plan to use Azure OpenAI, the sample repo is also structured as an Azure Developer CLI template that can provision an Azure OpenAI resource for you.

git clone https://github.com/dotnet/ai-samples.git

Create the app

Complete the following steps to create a .NET console app to connect to an AI model.

1. In an empty directory on your computer, use the dotnet new command to create a new console app:

   dotnet new console -o ImagesAI
   

2. Change directory into the app folder:

   cd ImagesAI
   

3. Install the required packages:

   dotnet add package Azure.AI.OpenAI
   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.UserSecrets
   

   dotnet add package OpenAI
   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
   dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.UserSecrets
   

4. Open the app in Visual Studio Code or your editor of choice.

   code .
   

Add the app code

1. In the Program.cs file, add the following code to connect and authenticate to the AI model.

   using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
   using OpenAI.Images;
   using System.ClientModel;
   using Azure.AI.OpenAI;
   using Azure.Identity;
   
   // Retrieve the local secrets saved during the Azure deployment. If you skipped the deployment
   // because you already have an Azure OpenAI available, edit the following lines to use your information,
   // e.g. string openAIEndpoint = "https://cog-demo123.openai.azure.com/";
   var config = new ConfigurationBuilder().AddUserSecrets<Program>().Build();
   string endpoint = config["AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT"];
   string deployment = config["AZURE_OPENAI_DALLE_NAME"];
   
   // Create the Azure OpenAI ImageClient
   ImageClient client =
       new AzureOpenAIClient(new Uri(endpoint), new DefaultAzureCredential())
           .GetImageClient(deployment);
   
   // Generate the image
   GeneratedImage generatedImage = await client.GenerateImageAsync("""
       A postal card with an happy hiker waving and a beautiful mountain in the background.
       There is a trail visible in the foreground.
       The postal card has text in red saying: 'You are invited for a hike!'
       """, new ImageGenerationOptions { Size = GeneratedImageSize.W1024xH1024 });
   
   Console.WriteLine($"The generated image is ready at:\n{generatedImage.ImageUri}");
   

   Note

   DefaultAzureCredential searches for authentication credentials from your local tooling. If you aren't using the azd template to provision the Azure OpenAI resource, you'll need to assign the Azure AI Developer role to the account you used to sign-in to Visual Studio or the Azure CLI. For more information, see Authenticate to Azure AI services with .NET.

   // Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
   // The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
   // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
   using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
   using OpenAI.Images;
   // Retrieve the local secrets that were set from the command line, using:
   // dotnet user-secrets init
   // dotnet user-secrets set OpenAIKey <your-openai-key>
   var config = new ConfigurationBuilder().AddUserSecrets<Program>().Build();
   string key = config["OpenAIKey"];
   string modelName = config["ModelName"];
   
   // Create the OpenAI ImageClient
   ImageClient client = new(modelName, key);
   
   // Generate the image
   GeneratedImage generatedImage = await client.GenerateImageAsync("""
       A postal card with a happy hiker waving and a beautiful mountain in the background.
       There is a trail visible in the foreground.
       The postal card has text in red saying: 'You are invited for a hike!'
       """,
       new ImageGenerationOptions 
       {
           Size = GeneratedImageSize.W1024xH1024 
       });
   
   Console.WriteLine($"The generated image is ready at:\n{generatedImage.ImageUri}");
   

   The preceding code:

   • Reads essential configuration values from the project user secrets to connect to the AI model
   • Creates an ImageClient to connect to the AI model
   • Sends a prompt to the model that describes the desired image
   • Prints the URL of the generated image to the console output

2. Use the dotnet run command to run the app:

   dotnet run
   

   Navigate to the image URL in the console output to view the generated image. Customize the text content of the prompt to create new images or modify the original.

azd down

Next steps

• Quickstart - Build an AI chat app with .NET
• Generate text and conversations with .NET and Azure OpenAI Completions