Engine Interface

The @cesdk/node package provides the same Engine API compiled for Node.js. The API is identical to @cesdk/engine in the browser, so you can share code between client and server.

Engine API Namespaces#

The Engine organizes its functionality into six namespaces:

• engine.block: Create, modify, and export design elements (shapes, text, images, videos)
• engine.scene: Load, save, and manage scenes and pages
• engine.asset: Register and query asset sources (images, templates, fonts)
• engine.editor: Configure editor settings, manage edit modes, handle undo/redo
• engine.variable: Define and update template variables for data merge
• engine.event: Subscribe to engine events (selection changes, state updates)

Basic Usage#

const { CreativeEngine } = require('@cesdk/node');

const engine = await CreativeEngine.init({
  license: process.env.CESDK_LICENSE,
});

try {
  await engine.scene.loadFromURL('https://example.com/template.scene');
  const page = engine.scene.getPages()[0];
  const blob = await engine.block.export(page, 'image/png', {
    targetWidth: 3840,
    targetHeight: 2160,
    dpi: 300,
  });
  // Save blob to file or storage
} finally {
  engine.dispose();
}

Server-Side Benefits#

Resources: Access more CPU, memory, and storage than client devices for print-quality exports.

Secure Assets: Process private templates and assets without exposing them to clients.

Background Operations: Handle long-running tasks without blocking users.

Hybrid Workflows#

Users design on the client with instant feedback. Send the scene to your server for high-resolution export:

// Client: Save scene and send to server
const sceneData = await cesdk.engine.scene.saveToString();

// Server: Load and export at high resolution
const engine = await CreativeEngine.init({ license: process.env.CESDK_LICENSE });
try {
  await engine.scene.loadFromString(sceneData);
  const blob = await engine.block.export(engine.scene.getPages()[0], 'image/png', {
    targetWidth: 3840,
    targetHeight: 2160,
    dpi: 300,
  });
} finally {
  engine.dispose();
}

Troubleshooting#

Engine not initialized: Ensure CreativeEngine.init() completes before calling other methods.

Memory issues: Dispose Engine instances after each use with engine.dispose().

License errors: Verify CESDK_LICENSE environment variable is set correctly.

Next Steps#

• Automation Overview for workflow examples
• Data Merge for template personalization