Add Remove Background feature using AI (rembg)

Frontend:
- Added "Remove Background (AI)" to Image menu
- Created remove_background.js module with dialog options
- Added removeBackground method to API service

Backend:
- Added /tools/remove-background-base64 endpoint for miniPaint frontend
- Uses rembg library for AI-powered background removal

Features:
- Automatically detects main subject and removes background
- Option to create as new layer or replace current
- Enables transparency mode after removal
- Works with any image layer

backend/app/routers/tools.py

@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ class InpaintRequest(BaseModel):
     guidance_scale: Optional[float] = 7.5
 
 
+class RemoveBackgroundRequest(BaseModel):
+    image: str  # Base64 encoded image
+
+
 @router.post("/smart-select-base64")
 async def smart_select_base64(request: SmartSelectRequest):
     """
@@ -124,6 +128,46 @@ async def inpaint_base64(request: InpaintRequest):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
 
 
+@router.post("/remove-background-base64")
+async def remove_background_base64(request: RemoveBackgroundRequest):
+    """
+    Remove background from a base64 encoded image using rembg.
+    Returns base64 encoded PNG with transparent background.
+    Used by miniPaint frontend.
+    """
+    try:
+        from rembg import remove
+    except ImportError:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=500,
+            detail="rembg not installed. Run: pip install rembg"
+        )
+
+    try:
+        # Decode base64 image
+        image_bytes = base64.b64decode(request.image)
+
+        # Remove background
+        result_bytes = remove(image_bytes)
+
+        # Convert result to base64
+        result_b64 = base64.b64encode(result_bytes).decode('utf-8')
+
+        # Get dimensions
+        img = Image.open(BytesIO(result_bytes))
+
+        return {
+            "result": result_b64,
+            "width": img.width,
+            "height": img.height
+        }
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        import traceback
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
+
+
 @router.post("/remove-background")
 async def remove_background(
     project_id: Optional[int] = Form(None),

frontend/src/js/config-menu.js

@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ const menuDefinition = [
 				name: 'Histogram',
 				ellipsis: true,
 				target: 'image/histogram.histogram'
+			},
+			{
+				divider: true
+			},
+			{
+				name: 'Remove Background (AI)',
+				ellipsis: true,
+				target: 'image/remove_background.remove_background'
 			}
 		]
 	},

frontend/src/js/modules/image/remove_background.js

@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+/**
+ * Remove Background Module - Uses AI to remove background and create transparent layer
+ */
+
+import app from './../../app.js';
+import config from './../../config.js';
+import Base_layers_class from './../../core/base-layers.js';
+import Dialog_class from './../../libs/popup.js';
+import Helper_class from './../../libs/helpers.js';
+import alertify from './../../../../node_modules/alertifyjs/build/alertify.min.js';
+import apiService from './../../services/api.js';
+
+var instance = null;
+
+class Image_remove_background_class {
+
+    constructor() {
+        // Singleton
+        if (instance) {
+            return instance;
+        }
+        instance = this;
+
+        this.Base_layers = new Base_layers_class();
+        this.Helper = new Helper_class();
+        this.Dialog = new Dialog_class();
+        this.isProcessing = false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Remove background from current layer
+     * Creates a new layer with transparent background
+     */
+    async remove_background() {
+        var _this = this;
+
+        if (this.isProcessing) {
+            alertify.warning('Already processing... please wait');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Check if current layer is an image
+        if (config.layer.type != 'image') {
+            alertify.error('Current layer must be an image');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var settings = {
+            title: 'Remove Background',
+            params: [
+                { name: "info", title: "AI will detect the main subject and remove the background.", type: "label" },
+                { name: "new_layer", title: "Create as new layer:", value: true },
+                { name: "trim_result", title: "Trim transparent edges:", value: false },
+            ],
+            on_finish: async function (params) {
+                await _this.do_remove_background(params);
+            },
+        };
+        this.Dialog.show(settings);
+    }
+
+    async do_remove_background(params) {
+        this.isProcessing = true;
+        alertify.message('AI is removing background... this may take a moment');
+
+        try {
+            // Get current layer image as base64
+            var canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+            var ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+            canvas.width = config.layer.width_original;
+            canvas.height = config.layer.height_original;
+            ctx.drawImage(config.layer.link, 0, 0);
+
+            var imageData = canvas.toDataURL('image/png').split(',')[1];
+
+            // Call backend API
+            var result = await apiService.removeBackground(imageData);
+
+            // Create image from result
+            var resultImage = new Image();
+            resultImage.onload = () => {
+                if (params.new_layer) {
+                    // Create as new layer
+                    var layerParams = {
+                        x: config.layer.x,
+                        y: config.layer.y,
+                        width: resultImage.width,
+                        height: resultImage.height,
+                        width_original: resultImage.width,
+                        height_original: resultImage.height,
+                        type: 'image',
+                        name: config.layer.name + ' (No BG)',
+                        data: 'data:image/png;base64,' + result.result
+                    };
+
+                    app.State.do_action(
+                        new app.Actions.Bundle_action('remove_background', 'Remove Background', [
+                            new app.Actions.Insert_layer_action(layerParams)
+                        ])
+                    );
+
+                    alertify.success('Background removed! New layer created.');
+                } else {
+                    // Replace current layer
+                    var newCanvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+                    newCanvas.width = resultImage.width;
+                    newCanvas.height = resultImage.height;
+                    var newCtx = newCanvas.getContext('2d');
+                    newCtx.drawImage(resultImage, 0, 0);
+
+                    app.State.do_action(
+                        new app.Actions.Bundle_action('remove_background', 'Remove Background', [
+                            new app.Actions.Update_layer_image_action(newCanvas, config.layer.id)
+                        ])
+                    );
+
+                    alertify.success('Background removed!');
+                }
+
+                // Enable transparency if not already
+                if (config.TRANSPARENCY == false) {
+                    config.TRANSPARENCY = true;
+                    this.Base_layers.render();
+                    alertify.message('Transparency enabled to show removed background');
+                }
+
+                this.isProcessing = false;
+            };
+
+            resultImage.onerror = () => {
+                alertify.error('Failed to load result image');
+                this.isProcessing = false;
+            };
+
+            resultImage.src = 'data:image/png;base64,' + result.result;
+
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error('Remove background error:', error);
+            alertify.error('Failed to remove background: ' + error.message);
+            this.isProcessing = false;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+export default Image_remove_background_class;

frontend/src/js/services/api.js

@@ -71,6 +71,30 @@ class ApiService {
         return response.json();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Remove background from image using AI (rembg)
+     * @param {string} imageData - Base64 encoded image data
+     * @returns {Promise<{result: string, width: number, height: number}>} - Base64 encoded result with transparency
+     */
+    async removeBackground(imageData) {
+        const response = await fetch(`${this.baseUrl}/tools/remove-background-base64`, {
+            method: 'POST',
+            headers: {
+                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+            },
+            body: JSON.stringify({
+                image: imageData,
+            }),
+        });
+
+        if (!response.ok) {
+            const error = await response.json().catch(() => ({ detail: 'Unknown error' }));
+            throw new Error(error.detail || `Remove background request failed: ${response.status}`);
+        }
+
+        return response.json();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Health check for the backend
      * @returns {Promise<boolean>}