image handling (#716)

Author: taylordowns2000

docs/jobs/image-handling.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+---
+title: Handling Images
+---
+
+OpenFn jobs run in Javascript, and most commonly we're handling JSON data from
+REST APIs or webhooks. We receive JSON, manipulate it with Javascript, then send
+JSON to some other REST API. Sometimes, however, you need to work with images or
+other binaries. This page explains how you do it.
+
+:::success The tl;dr:
+
+Images and other binaries mostly **_Just Work™️_**. Edges cases might
+need additions to adaptors.
+
+:::
+
+## Base64 (standard handling)
+
+In essence, the way to deal with images/PDFs/other files and be able to save
+them to `state` and pass them from step to step in an OpenFn workflow is to
+encode them as base64 and then turn them back into Buffers before sending them
+to a downstream system's API.
+
+The HTTP adaptor already contains everything you need to do this. Check out:
+
+1. [Request Options (`parseAs`)](https://docs.openfn.org/adaptors/packages/http-docs#requestoptions)
+2. [Encode](https://docs.openfn.org/adaptors/packages/http-docs#util_encode) a
+   given string into Base64 format.
+3. [Decode](https://docs.openfn.org/adaptors/packages/http-docs#util_decode) a
+   Base64 encoded string back to its original format.
+
+## Adaptor Native Support
+
+Some adaptors (DHIS2, FHIR-4, Sunbird-RC) have built in binary handling for
+known image/file endpoints. When you request a file (and image, a PDF, etc.) the
+response will be automatically converted to a base64 encoded string.
+
+## Working with Buffers
+
+You can also work directly with buffers in OpenFn job code via code like:
+
+```js
+fn(state => {
+  const encoded = Buffer.from(state.data.myBase64string, 'base64');
+  return { ...state, encodedImage };
+});
+```
+
+or...
+
+```js
+fn(state => {
+  const decoded = state.data.myBuffer.toString('base64');
+  return { ...state, decoded };
+});
+```
+
+## Summary
+
+Most use cases should **_Just Work ™️_**. If you have a specific need involving
+large file sizes or high volumes and you need to process images, rather than
+just moving them from place to place, you might need to make a change to your
+adaptor.

sidebars-main.js

@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ module.exports = {
         'jobs/javascript',
         'jobs/job-examples',
         'jobs/job-snippets',
+        'jobs/image-handling',
         'build-for-developers/security-for-devs',
       ],
     },