OCR Software APIs
OCR API
About OCR software
OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is a procedure that turns images of text into actual text. OCR is useful for many things, including text-to-speech software.
What is an OCR API?
OCR APIs connect to existing OCR software to leverage its character recognition ability in other programs.
For example, the developer of an app that creates image-based memes to share on social media might connect to an API server that contains OCR functionality to allow users to easily add alt text to the images they create.
How does an OCR API work?
APIs work by connecting a central software provider called a server with third-party programs called clients.
When a client needs the server to do something, it sends a request. The server receives the request, executes it and then returns relevant information to the client. The client can then make use of this information just like any other information it might have access to.
Who is OCR Software for?
Because OCR is used for accessibility, this software is great for developers who want to ensure text in images on their app can be perceived by those with screen readers.
However, OCR is also very useful in other cases, such as if a user wants to scan in old letters they have written and edit them on a computer. OCR can also be used to extract words from written forms and data sheets.
Why are OCR APIs important?
OCR is complicated.
Developers have to deal not just with typed text, but handwriting and nonstandard fonts. When looking at scanned images of documents, where ambient lighting, glare and other artefacts may affect the quality of the image, good OCR is even harder to manage.
Using an API to connect to an OCR server makes it possible for developers of all apps to use this powerful tool.
What can you expect from an OCR API?
Most APIs deal entirely with text-based data. When connecting to an OCR server, developers will be sending an image instead. Likewise, the data returned may contain not only the text on that image but where on the image it was located.
Except for these differences, OCR works just like any other API.
Best OCR APIs
OCR API SDKs
All OCR APIs are supported and made available in multiple developer programming languages and SDKs including:
- Node.js
- PHP
- Python
- Ruby
- Objective-C
- Java (Android)
- C# (.NET)
- cURL
Just select your preference from any API endpoints page.
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