meme-iq

memeIQ — Meme Generation with memegen.link

memeIQ is your AI-powered meme generation toolkit. It wraps the free memegen.link API so you can create developer memes in seconds — no API key, no auth, no config required.

Quick Reference

Setting	Value
Base URL	https://api.memegen.link/images
Formats	.png, .jpg, .gif (animated), .webp (animated)
Max text	~200 chars per line (HTTP 414 if exceeded)
Templates	200+ available; 16 curated below
Auth	None required

URL Construction

The URL pattern uses variable-length path segments — one segment per text line:

https://api.memegen.link/images/{template_id}/{line1}/{line2}/.../{lineN}.{format}

Examples

2-line template (drake — Drakeposting):

https://api.memegen.link/images/drake/Writing_tests/Writing_memes.png

1-line template (cmm — Change My Mind):

https://api.memegen.link/images/cmm/Tabs_are_better_than_spaces.png

3-line template (db — Distracted Boyfriend):

https://api.memegen.link/images/db/New_framework/My_current_project/Proven_technology.png

4-line template (gru — Gru's Plan):

https://api.memegen.link/images/gru/Write_a_migration/Deploy_to_prod/Drop_the_table/Drop_the_table.png

Blank line — use a single underscore _ for an empty text segment:

https://api.memegen.link/images/fry/_/Not_sure_if_bug_or_feature.png

Markdown embed for PRs and docs:

![Meme](https://api.memegen.link/images/drake/Manual_testing/CI~s~CD_pipeline.png)

Optional Query Parameters

Param	Effect	Example
width	Image width in px	?width=400
height	Image height in px	?height=300
font	Font name	?font=impact
layout	default or top	?layout=top
style	Template-specific styles	?style=maga

Special Character Encoding

Text in the URL path must encode special characters:

Character	Encoding	Example
space	_	Hello_world
underscore	__	my__var
dash	--	well--known
?	~q	Why~q
&	~a	this~a_that
%	~p	100~p
#	~h	issue_~h42
/	~s	CI~sCD
newline	~n	line1~nline2
"	''	''quoted''

Curated Dev Templates

Known-good as of 2026-04-23. If a template ID fails, query /templates (see Template Discovery below).

API ID	Name	Lines	Best For
drake	Drakeposting	2	Preferring one thing over another
db	Distracted Boyfriend	3	Temptation / switching technologies
cmm	Change My Mind	1	Hot takes / unpopular opinions
both	Why Not Both?	2	Having it all
fine	This Is Fine	2	Production incidents / ignoring problems
mordor	One Does Not Simply	2	Difficulty of a task
astronaut	Always Has Been	4	Realizations / "wait, it always was?"
exit	Left Exit 12 Off Ramp	3	Choosing the wrong path
gb	Galaxy Brain	4	Escalating ideas from normal to absurd
disastergirl	Disaster Girl	2	Watching something burn
rollsafe	Roll Safe	2	"Can't fail if..." logic
kermit	But That's None of My Business	2	Clever workarounds / passive observation
buzz	X, X Everywhere	2	Something ubiquitous
success	Success Kid	2	Celebrating wins
fry	Futurama Fry	2	"Not sure if..." ambiguity
gru	Gru's Plan	4	Step-by-step plans that backfire

Template Discovery

To find templates beyond the curated list, query the API:

GET https://api.memegen.link/templates

Returns JSON array. Each entry has:

• id — template ID for URL construction
• name — human-readable name
• lines — number of text lines supported
• keywords — searchable tags

Check a specific template:

GET https://api.memegen.link/templates/{id}

Search by keyword: Filter the full list client-side by matching keywords or name fields. If a template ID you want to use isn't in the curated list, verify it exists with a GET request before constructing the URL.

Line Count and Text Handling

Match text to the template's line count

Each template supports a specific number of text lines (see Lines column in the curated table). You must provide the correct number of path segments.

• 1-line template (e.g., cmm): /cmm/{line1}.png
• 2-line template (e.g., drake): /drake/{line1}/{line2}.png
• 3-line template (e.g., db): /db/{line1}/{line2}/{line3}.png
• 4-line template (e.g., gru): /gru/{line1}/{line2}/{line3}/{line4}.png

Blank lines

Use a single underscore _ for any line that should be empty:

/drake/_/Only_bottom_text.png

Long text strategies

If text exceeds ~200 characters per line:

1. Shorten it — meme text should be punchy, not a paragraph
2. Split across lines — use ~n for newlines within a single line segment
3. Switch template — choose one with more lines (e.g., gru has 4)
4. Use layout=top — places all text at the top for better readability on long text

When to use layout=top

Add ?layout=top when a template's default text placement doesn't work well:

• Single-line templates where you want text at the top
• Long text that wraps poorly at default position

Output Formatting

URL only (default)

Return the clickable link:

https://api.memegen.link/images/drake/Fixing_bugs/Creating_features.png

Markdown embed (for PRs and docs)

![Fixing bugs vs creating features](https://api.memegen.link/images/drake/Fixing_bugs/Creating_features.png)

Download command (when user requests local file)

curl -sL -o meme.png "https://api.memegen.link/images/drake/Fixing_bugs/Creating_features.png"

Content Safety Guidelines

• Workplace appropriate — memes should be safe for professional contexts
• No targeting individuals — never create memes that mock specific people
• No hate speech or harassment — refuse requests for discriminatory content
• Use existing public templates — avoid branded or logo-heavy custom concepts
• No NSFW content — keep all generated memes clean
• When in doubt, choose a lighter tone or decline the request

Important Notes

• Template IDs must be valid — never fabricate an ID. If unsure, check /templates/{id} first.
• HTTP 414 occurs when URL path is too long (~200+ chars per line). Keep meme text short.
• Animation — .gif and .webp formats support animation on templates that have it.
• Blank text — use _ not an empty string. Empty segments produce malformed URLs.
• Case insensitive — template IDs are case-insensitive but conventionally lowercase.
• GitHub rendering — markdown image embeds render in PR descriptions, comments, and README files.