> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://hackmamba-3f164318.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Common Options Reference

> Syntax and typical values for -strip, -quality, -auto-orient, -gravity, -background, and -composite used across resize and batch workflows.

These options appear throughout the [quickstart](/quickstart), [tutorial](/tutorials/build-image-processing-pipeline), and [batch how-to](/how-to/batch-resize-and-optimize). Dimension strings (`800x600>`, `50%`, …) are covered in the [Geometry syntax reference](/reference/geometry).

<h2 id="strip">
  `-strip`
</h2>

**Role:** Operator. Removes profiles, comments, and other metadata blobs from the **current image** at the point it appears in the command line.

**Syntax:** `-strip` (no arguments).

**Typical use:** Web delivery and privacy (strip EXIF GPS, device names, ICC profiles you do not intend to ship).

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
magick input.jpg -strip output.jpg
```

<h2 id="quality">
  `-quality`
</h2>

**Role:** Setting. Sets **lossy** compression for the **next** JPEG, WebP, or similar write, until you change it again. Does not apply the same numeric scale to every format the same way; treat values as tunable defaults.

**Syntax:** `-quality` *integer* (commonly **1–100**; higher is usually better fidelity and larger files for JPEG and WebP).

**Typical use:** Balance file size vs. artifacts after `-resize` and before the output filename.

**Across these docs:** examples often use **`-quality 85`** for web-bound JPEG and WebP so copy-paste commands match each other; treat that as a starting point, not a requirement. Tune per asset and format.

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
magick input.jpg -resize '1200x>' -quality 85 output.webp
```

<h2 id="auto-orient">
  `-auto-orient`
</h2>

**Role:** Operator. Reads EXIF orientation, **physically** rotates pixels to upright, and normalizes orientation metadata so downstream `-resize` uses correct width/height.

**Syntax:** `-auto-orient` (no arguments).

**Typical use:** Phone photos before any geometry that assumes “width” is the long edge of the displayed picture.

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
magick input.jpg -auto-orient -resize '800x800>' -quality 85 output.webp
```

Place it **immediately after the input** (or right after reading the first image in a stack) so every later operator sees the corrected pixels.

<h2 id="gravity">
  `-gravity`
</h2>

**Role:** Setting. Chooses an **anchor** for placement operators (`-crop`, `-extent`, `-composite`, `-annotate`, …) until you change or clear it.

**Syntax:** `-gravity` *name*

**Common values:** `NorthWest` (default), `North`, `NorthEast`, `West`, `Center`, `East`, `SouthWest`, `South`, `SouthEast`. For text overlays you may also see directional hints like `North` for “top-centered.”

**Example (crop from center):**

```bash theme={null}
magick input-wide.jpg -gravity center -crop 800x600+0+0 +repage output-crop.jpg
```

Reset unusual gravity with `-gravity None` when you need the default origin again.

<h2 id="background">
  `-background`
</h2>

**Role:** Setting. Defines the color used when an operator **creates** new pixels (letterboxing, `-extent`, flattened alpha, etc.).

**Syntax:** `-background` *color*

**Values:** Named colors (`white`, `black`, `none` for transparent), `#RRGGBB`, `#RRGGBBAA`, or expressions like `srgb(255,255,255)` depending on build.

**Example (pad to square with white bars):**

```bash theme={null}
magick input.jpg -resize '800x800>' -gravity center -background white -extent 800x800 output-square.jpg
```

<h2 id="composite">
  `-composite`
</h2>

**Role:** Operator. Merges the **current image stack** (typically a base image plus one overlay loaded just before this token). Often paired with `-gravity` and `-geometry` for margins.

**Syntax:** `-composite` (no arguments). With multiple pairs of overlays, ImageMagick composites in order; see the [official composite docs](https://imagemagick.org/script/command-line-options.php#composite) for advanced forms.

**Typical pattern:** `magick base.ext overlay.ext -gravity SouthEast -geometry +20+20 -composite out.ext`

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
magick input.jpg watermark.png -gravity SouthEast -geometry +20+20 -composite output.jpg
```

Here `input.jpg` is the bottom layer, `watermark.png` is stacked on top, and `-composite` flattens them using the given gravity and offset.