You have a project to ship and a folder of empty image slots. The useful choice is between a curated Picdrome pack you can use now and an image-source integration you design around a separately approved provider. This article does not claim that Picdrome exposes a live API.
Here are the two routes, then a clear way to pick.
The two workflow models
- Image-pack workflow: assemble a fixed, matched set from approved image sources using the pack planning guide, then place the files in your website. Good when the set is small and fixed.
- Your own image-source integration: an adapter your site or builder uses with a provider that documents and authorizes programmatic access. Good when the set is large or changes frequently.
Delivery method never expands usage rights. Use Picdrome pack images only as authorized by the current Picdrome Image License. For another provider, preserve and enforce that provider's current license in your adapter.
How they compare
Think about your project along four lines: how much setup it takes, how it handles scale, how often images change, and the skill required.
| Factor | Image packs | Your image-source integration |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Download, unzip, and place files. | Contract with an approved provider, implement its documented authentication, normalize records, and test failures. |
| Scale | Best for a handful of images you place by hand | Comfortable across many pages without manual placement |
| Update frequency | Static — what you download is what you have until you swap files | Dynamic — pages can pull fresh or rotated images without you re-editing |
| Technical skill | None. If you can move a file, you can use a pack | Some. You (or your builder/agent) need to make and handle an HTTP request |
The pattern is straightforward. Packs minimize setup. A source integration adds engineering and provider-management work in exchange for automation at scale.
Choose a pack if…
- You're building one site by hand and you'll place images yourself.
- The image set is small and won't change much after launch.
- You don't write code and don't want to.
- You want images in your project today, no wiring.
If that's you, image packs is the place to start, because it sets out what a matched set covering the common sections of a first business site has to contain. There's a short walkthrough for placing them in how to use a downloaded image pack on your website, and if you want to grab everything for a site in one go, see the fastest way to get all your website images in one sitting.
Choose an image-source integration if…
- You're building or generating many pages — directories, listings, programmatic templates.
- Your site is dynamic: content changes, and you don't want to re-place images each time.
- An AI builder or agent is assembling pages and needs to fetch images itself.
- You'd rather wire it once than manage files forever.
If that's your situation, secure an approved source with a documented contract, then use the developer hub and the guide on adding website images automatically with an image API to design your internal record and failure handling.
Who each option is not for
Be honest about the mismatch — this is where people lose time.
- A pack is not for you if you're spinning up dozens of pages or a template that generates them. Hand-placing files across a growing site turns into a chore that never ends.
- An integration is not for you if you're hand-building a single small site and just need images now. Wiring up a provider for one landing page is effort you don't need to spend.
Can you use both?
Yes. Start with a pack, then add an approved external source integration if the manual work later outweighs the engineering and provider-management cost. Keep each source's license attached to its assets; do not assume the terms are interchangeable.
In Plain English
A Picdrome pack is the current low-setup path for hand-placed images. A separately approved image-source integration is an engineering option for many pages or an automated builder; this article does not promise a Picdrome API. Use every asset only under its source's current license, preserve AI-generated provenance, and block publishing when rights or attribution are unclear. If you want images now, start at the packs hub; if you're designing automation, start with the vendor-neutral integration guide.
Common Questions
Does programmatic delivery grant more rights than a pack?
No. Delivery method does not expand a source license. Apply the current Picdrome Image License to Picdrome pack images and the relevant provider terms to externally retrieved images.
Are the images real photos?
No. Picdrome images are AI-generated, by both routes. Where an image shows a person, treat it as a generated illustration, not a real customer or team member.
Can I add an integration later?
Yes. A project can start with a pack and add an approved source integration later. Keep source records and license terms separate.