meme-factory

# Meme Factory

Create memes using the free memegen.link API and textual meme formats.

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## Triggers

| Trigger | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| /meme-factory | Manual invocation |
| /meme-factory {template} {top} {bottom} | Direct meme generation |
| meme-factory: create a meme about X | Natural language request |

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## Quick Reference

| Action | Format |
|--------|--------|
| Basic meme | https://api.memegen.link/images/{template}/{top}/{bottom}.png |
| With sizing | ?width=1200&height=630 |
| Custom background | ?style=https://example.com/image.jpg |
| All templates | https://api.memegen.link/templates/ |
| Interactive docs | https://api.memegen.link/docs/ |

**Additional Resources:**
- [Markdown Memes Guide](references/markdown-memes-guide.md) - 15+ textual meme formats
- [Examples](references/examples.md) - Practical usage examples
- [meme_generator.py](scripts/meme_generator.py) - Python helper script

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## Quick Start

### Basic Meme Structure

https://api.memegen.link/images/{template}/{top_text}/{bottom_text}.{extension}

**Example:**

https://api.memegen.link/images/buzz/memes/memes_everywhere.png

Result: Buzz Lightyear meme with "memes" at top and "memes everywhere" at bottom.

### Text Formatting

| Character | Encoding |
|-----------|----------|
| Space | _ or - |
| Newline | ~n |
| Question mark | ~q |
| Percent | ~p |
| Slash | ~s |
| Hash | ~h |
| Single quote | '' |
| Double quote | "" |

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## Popular Templates

| Template | Use Case | Example |
|----------|----------|---------|
| buzz | X, X everywhere | bugs/bugs_everywhere |
| drake | Comparisons | manual_testing/automated_testing |
| success | Victories | deployed/no_errors |
| fine | Things going wrong | server_on_fire/this_is_fine |
| fry | Uncertainty | not_sure_if_bug/or_feature |
| changemind | Hot takes | tabs_are_better_than_spaces |
| distracted | Priorities | my_code/new_framework/current_project |
| mordor | One does not simply | one_does_not_simply/deploy_on_friday |

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## Template Selection Guide

| Context | Template | Why |
|---------|----------|-----|
| Comparing options | drake | Two-panel reject/approve format |
| Celebrating wins | success | Positive outcome emphasis |
| Problems ignored | fine | Ironic "everything is fine" |
| Uncertainty | fry | "Not sure if X or Y" format |
| Controversial opinion | changemind | Statement + challenge |
| Ubiquitous things | buzz | "X, X everywhere" |
| Bad ideas | mordor | "One does not simply..." |

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## Validation

After generating a meme:

- [ ] URL returns valid image (test in browser)
- [ ] Text is readable (not too long)
- [ ] Template matches the message context
- [ ] Special characters properly encoded
- [ ] Dimensions appropriate for platform

### Platform Dimensions

| Platform | Dimensions |
|----------|------------|
| Social media (Open Graph) | 1200x630 |
| Slack/Discord | 800x600 |
| GitHub | Default |

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## Anti-Patterns

| Avoid | Why | Instead |
|-------|-----|---------|
| Spaces without encoding | URL breaks | Use _ or - |
| Too much text | Unreadable | 2-6 words per line |
| Wrong template | Message mismatch | Match template to context |
| Missing extension | Invalid URL | Always include .png, .jpg, etc. |
| Unencoded special chars | URL breaks | Use ~q, ~s, ~p, etc. |
| Assuming template exists | 404 error | Check templates list first |

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## Verification

Meme generation is successful when:

1. **URL is valid** - Returns HTTP 200
2. **Image renders** - Displays correctly in markdown
3. **Text is visible** - Properly formatted on image
4. **Context matches** - Template fits the message

**Test command:**

curl -I "https://api.memegen.link/images/buzz/test/test.png"
# Should return: HTTP/2 200

---

<details>
<summary><strong>Deep Dive: Advanced Features</strong></summary>

### Image Formats

| Extension | Use Case |
|-----------|----------|
| .png | Best quality, default |
| .jpg | Smaller file size |
| .webp | Modern, good compression |
| .gif | Animated templates |

### Dimensions

?width=800
?height=600
?width=800&height=600  (padded to exact)

### Layout Options

?layout=top     # Text at top only
?layout=bottom  # Text at bottom only
?layout=default # Standard top/bottom

### Custom Fonts

View available: https://api.memegen.link/fonts/

?font=impact  (default)

### Custom Images

Use any image as background:

https://api.memegen.link/images/custom/hello/world.png?style=https://example.com/image.jpg

</details>

<details>
<summary><strong>Deep Dive: Contextual Memes</strong></summary>

### Code Reviews

Template: fry
https://api.memegen.link/images/fry/not_sure_if_feature/or_bug.png

### Deployments

Template: interesting
https://api.memegen.link/images/interesting/i_dont_always_test/but_when_i_do_i_do_it_in_production.png

### Documentation

Template: yodawg
https://api.memegen.link/images/yodawg/yo_dawg_i_heard_you_like_docs/so_i_documented_the_documentation.png

### Performance Issues

Template: fine
https://api.memegen.link/images/fine/memory_usage_at_99~/this_is_fine.png

### Successful Deploy

Template: success
https://api.memegen.link/images/success/deployed_to_production/zero_downtime.png

</details>

<details>
<summary><strong>Deep Dive: Workflow Integration</strong></summary>

### Generating Memes in Response

Here's a relevant meme:

![Meme](https://api.memegen.link/images/buzz/bugs/bugs_everywhere.png)

### Dynamic Generation (Python)

def generate_status_meme(status: str, message: str):
    template_map = {
        "success": "success",
        "failure": "fine",
        "review": "fry",
        "deploy": "interesting"
    }

    template = template_map.get(status, "buzz")
    words = message.split()
    top = "_".join(words[0:3])
    bottom = "_".join(words[3:6])

    return f"https://api.memegen.link/images/{template}/{top}/{bottom}.png"

### Using the Helper Script

from meme_generator import MemeGenerator

meme = MemeGenerator()
url = meme.generate("buzz", "features", "features everywhere")
print(url)

</details>

<details>
<summary><strong>Deep Dive: API Reference</strong></summary>

### Endpoints

| Endpoint | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| /templates/ | List all templates |
| /templates/{id} | Template details |
| /fonts/ | Available fonts |
| /images/{template}/{top}/{bottom}.{ext} | Generate meme |

### API Characteristics

- Free and open-source
- No API key required
- No rate limiting (normal use)
- Stateless (all info in URL)
- Images generated on-demand

### Error Handling

1. Check template at https://api.memegen.link/templates/
2. Verify text formatting (underscores for spaces)
3. Check special character encoding
4. Ensure valid extension
5. Test URL in browser

</details>

---

## References

| Document | Content |
|----------|---------|
| [markdown-memes-guide.md](references/markdown-memes-guide.md) | 15+ textual meme formats (greentext, copypasta, ASCII, etc.) |
| [examples.md](references/examples.md) | Practical usage examples |

### Scripts

| Script | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| [meme_generator.py](scripts/meme_generator.py) | Python helper for meme generation |

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## Summary

Generate contextual memes to:
- Add humor to conversations
- Create social media visuals
- Make code reviews engaging
- Celebrate successes

**Golden rule:** Keep text concise, match template to context.