Turn code into images

Pick a theme, a gradient background, line numbers, and a window frame, then export a PNG or share a link. A Ray.so and Carbon alternative.

Create a Code Image

What you get

14 syntax themes

Midnight, Sunset, Candy, and more. Auto-detects your language or pick from 20 languages manually.

Gradients, images & patterns

Every theme ships its own gradient, or pick from dozens of gradients, image backgrounds, and patterns, or turn the background off for a transparent PNG.

Line numbers & window frame

Toggle line numbers, a macOS-style title bar or none at all, and resize the frame to fit your code.

Shareable links & 2x/4x export

Every setting is saved to the URL, so you can share a link or export a 2x or 4x PNG.

How it works

  1. 1

    Paste or type your code

    Drop in a snippet or start typing directly in the code card. Formatting and indentation are preserved.

  2. 2

    Pick a theme and background

    Choose a syntax theme, a gradient, padding, and whether to show line numbers or a window frame.

  3. 3

    Export or share

    Download a 2x PNG, copy the image to your clipboard, or copy a link that reopens your exact design.

How it compares

Carbon and Ray.so are established code screenshot tools with more syntax themes. Shots matches the core workflow and adds gradient backgrounds, a transparent export, and a full screenshot and mockup editor for everything else.

Is Shots a good Carbon alternative?

Yes, for most uses. Shots makes code images with 14 syntax themes, line numbers, a macOS title bar, gradient and image backgrounds, and transparent export. Carbon has more themes (29) and SVG export. Shots' main editor adds browser mockups, 3D transforms, animations, and video export. Carbon is free; Shots plans start at $199/mo and include launch features.

Full Carbon comparison

Is Shots a good Ray.so alternative?

Yes. Shots produces clean code images with 14 themes, gradient, image, and pattern backgrounds, and transparent export, and its main editor adds browser mockups, 3D perspective, animations, and video export. It is open source and included in every Shots plan.

Full Ray.so comparison

Competitor pricing and features checked on September 20, 2026. See each comparison for sourcing, since third-party plans change without notice.

Comparing more options? Best code to image tools

Frequently asked questions

Every plan. It is included in every Shots plan, with no watermark.

It covers the same core workflow, themes, gradients, line numbers, and a window frame, built into Shots' own editor, with shareable links.

Export the image at 2x, commit it to your repository (for example docs/code-example.png), and reference it in README.md with a relative path: ![What the code does](./docs/code-example.png). Keep copyable code in a fenced code block as well.

Yes. Turn the Background switch off before exporting and the PNG will have no backdrop, so it sits cleanly on GitHub light and dark mode.

Auto-detect picks up most popular languages automatically, or you can choose from 20 languages manually, including TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go, and SQL.

The code card is rendered and exported entirely in your browser, so your code is not sent to a server to create the image.

Related features

Open the code image editorScreenshot beautifierBrowser mockupsSocial media graphics

Compare details in the Carbon comparison or the Ray.so comparison, try the code editor, or browse every image tool.