Checkered.

The professional, privacy-first, on-device background remover. Zero cost. Zero data sent. 100% Client-side.

Overview

Checkered is a modern web application that allows users to remove backgrounds from images instantly and securely. Unlike other tools that upload your photos to a cloud server, Checkered processes everything locally in your browser using high-performance WebAssembly.

Key Features

• Privacy First: All processing happens locally in your browser using @imgly/background-removal. Your images never leave your device.
• Zero Cost: No subscriptions, no credits, no API limits. Use it as much as you want.
• High Performance: Powered by SharedArrayBuffer for multi-threaded processing speeds.
• Dark Mode: Sleek, professional dark interface by default with high-contrast elements.
• Professional UI: Features a detailed "Before/After" comparison slider and industry-standard layout.
• Drag & Drop: Simple, intuitive file handling supporting PNG, JPG, and WebP.

Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js 15 (App Router)
• Styling: Tailwind CSS 4
• Components: shadcn/ui (Radix UI)
• Animations: Framer Motion
• Icons: Remix Icon
• AI Engine: @imgly/background-removal

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• pnpm (recommended) or npm/yarn

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/checkered.git
   cd checkered

2. Install dependencies

   pnpm install

3. Run the development server

   pnpm dev

4. Open in browser Navigate to http://localhost:3000.

Configuration

This project uses SharedArrayBuffer for the background removal engine, which requires specific COOP (Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy) and COEP (Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy) headers.

These are already configured in next.config.ts:

{
  key: "Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy",
  value: "same-origin",
},
{
  key: "Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy",
  value: "require-corp",
}

License

MIT © 2026 Checkered