GDAL-RASTER-RGB-TO-PALETTE(1) GDAL GDAL-RASTER-RGB-TO-PALETTE(1)
gdal-raster-rgb-to-palette - Convert a RGB image into a pseudo-color
/ paletted image.
Added in version 3.12.
Usage: gdal raster rgb-to-palette [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Convert a RGB image into a pseudo-color / paletted image.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input raster datasets [required]
-o, --output <OUTPUT> Output raster dataset [required]
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format ("GDALG" allowed)
--co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Creation option [may be repeated]
--overwrite Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --append
--append Append as a subdataset to existing output
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
--color-count <COLOR-COUNT> Select the number of colors in the generated color table (default: 256)
--color-map <COLOR-MAP> Color map filename
Advanced Options:
--if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT> Input formats [may be repeated]
--oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Open options [may be repeated]
gdal raster rgb-to-palette computes an optimal pseudo-color table for
a given RGB image using a median cut algorithm on a downsampled RGB
histogram, unless a color table is provided with the --color-map
option. Then it converts the image into a pseudo-colored image using
the color table. This conversion utilizes Floyd-Steinberg dithering
(error diffusion) to maximize output image visual quality.
This subcommand is also available as a potential step of gdal raster
pipeline
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output raster format to use. Allowed values may be given
by gdal --formats | grep raster | grep rw | sort
--co, --creation-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that
can be used to control particulars about the file created. For
instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to
control compression, and whether the file should be tiled.
May be repeated.
The creation options available vary by format driver, and some
simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of
options supported for a format can be listed with the
--formats command line option but the documentation for the
format is the definitive source of information on driver
creation options. See Raster drivers format specific
documentation for legal creation options for each format.
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset.
Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or
dataset already exists.
--color-count <COLOR-COUNT>
Select the number of colors in the generated color table.
Defaults to 256. Must be between 2 and 256.
--color-map <FILENAME>
Extract the color table from <FILENAME> instead of computing
it. Can be used to have a consistent color table for multiple
files. The <FILENAME> must be either a raster file in a GDAL
supported format with a palette or a color file in a supported
format (.txt, QGIS .qml, QGIS .qlr).
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file
using the GDALG output format. The resulting file can then be opened
as a raster dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
NOTE:
However this algorithm is not natively streaming compatible.
Consequently a temporary dataset will be generated, which may
cause significant processing time at opening.
Example 1
Convert a TIFF file into a paletted PNG image
$ gdal raster rgb-to-palette input.tif output.png
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-RASTER-RGB-TO-PALETTE(1)
NAME
gdal-raster-rgb-to-palette - Convert a RGB image into a pseudo-color
/ paletted image.
Added in version 3.12.
SYNOPSIS
Usage: gdal raster rgb-to-palette [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Convert a RGB image into a pseudo-color / paletted image.
Positional arguments:
-i, --input <INPUT> Input raster datasets [required]
-o, --output <OUTPUT> Output raster dataset [required]
Common Options:
-h, --help Display help message and exit
--json-usage Display usage as JSON document and exit
--config <KEY>=<VALUE> Configuration option [may be repeated]
-q, --quiet Quiet mode (no progress bar)
Options:
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT> Output format ("GDALG" allowed)
--co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Creation option [may be repeated]
--overwrite Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
Mutually exclusive with --append
--append Append as a subdataset to existing output
Mutually exclusive with --overwrite
--color-count <COLOR-COUNT> Select the number of colors in the generated color table (default: 256)
--color-map <COLOR-MAP> Color map filename
Advanced Options:
--if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT> Input formats [may be repeated]
--oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE> Open options [may be repeated]
DESCRIPTION
gdal raster rgb-to-palette computes an optimal pseudo-color table for
a given RGB image using a median cut algorithm on a downsampled RGB
histogram, unless a color table is provided with the --color-map
option. Then it converts the image into a pseudo-colored image using
the color table. This conversion utilizes Floyd-Steinberg dithering
(error diffusion) to maximize output image visual quality.
This subcommand is also available as a potential step of gdal raster
pipeline
Standard options
-f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>
Which output raster format to use. Allowed values may be given
by gdal --formats | grep raster | grep rw | sort
--co, --creation-option <NAME>=<VALUE>
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that
can be used to control particulars about the file created. For
instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to
control compression, and whether the file should be tiled.
May be repeated.
The creation options available vary by format driver, and some
simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of
options supported for a format can be listed with the
--formats command line option but the documentation for the
format is the definitive source of information on driver
creation options. See Raster drivers format specific
documentation for legal creation options for each format.
--overwrite
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset.
Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or
dataset already exists.
--color-count <COLOR-COUNT>
Select the number of colors in the generated color table.
Defaults to 256. Must be between 2 and 256.
--color-map <FILENAME>
Extract the color table from <FILENAME> instead of computing
it. Can be used to have a consistent color table for multiple
files. The <FILENAME> must be either a raster file in a GDAL
supported format with a palette or a color file in a supported
format (.txt, QGIS .qml, QGIS .qlr).
GDALG OUTPUT (ON-THE-FLY / STREAMED DATASET)
This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file
using the GDALG output format. The resulting file can then be opened
as a raster dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver,
and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.
NOTE:
However this algorithm is not natively streaming compatible.
Consequently a temporary dataset will be generated, which may
cause significant processing time at opening.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Convert a TIFF file into a paletted PNG image
$ gdal raster rgb-to-palette input.tif output.png
AUTHOR
Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>
COPYRIGHT
1998-2026
March 20, 2026 GDAL-RASTER-RGB-TO-PALETTE(1)