How to read TIFF images in Java

In this article, I will explain how to read Tiff files in Java. We also have a related article covering how to write TIFF files in Java.

ImageIO does not read TIFF file types by default so you will need to use an ImageIO plugin or an external library. I will demonstrate using an Open source ImageIO plugin called TwelveMonkeys (which extends ImageIO to provide TIFF reading support), and using the JDeli Image Library.

How to read a TIFF image in Java with ImageIO

1. Download TwelveMonkeys plugin and add to your class path.
2. Create a File handle, InputStream, or URL pointing to the raw TIFF image.
3. ImageIO will now be able to read a TIFF file into a BufferedImage.

   BufferedImage image = ImageIO.read(tiffFileOrInputStreamOrURL)

How to read a TIFF image in Java with JDeli

1. Add JDeli to your class or module path. (download the trial jar).
2. Create a File handle, InputStream pointing to the raw TIFF image. You can also use a byte[] containing the image data.
3. Read the TIFF image into a BufferedImage

   BufferedImage image = JDeli.read(tiffFile);

How to read a multi-file TIFF image in Java with JDeli

1. Add JDeli to your class or module path. (download the trial jar).
2. Create a File handle, InputStream pointing to the raw TIFF image. You can also use a byte[] containing the image data.
3. Read the TIFF file into a TiffDecoder instance

   RandomAccessFile raf = new RandomAccessFile("yourTiffFileLocation", "r");
   TiffDecoder decoder = new TiffDecoder(raf);

4. Loop through the separate images in the TIFF file

   for (int i = 1; i <= decoder.getPageCount(); i++) {
   BufferedImage decodedImage = decoder.read(i);
     // Insert BufferedImage handling code here
   }
   raf.close();

Why use JDeli to read TIFF?

JDeli offers a range of advantages over ImageIO and alternatives, including:

• prevents heap related JVM crashes
• reads 1-32 bit bilevel, grayscale, rgb, argb, cmyk, acmyk, ycbcr Colorspaces, and converts to sRGB BufferedImage
• implements both Little and Big Endian Byte Ordering
• decompresses uncompressed, CCITT group 3 and 4, Deflate/Adobe Deflate, LZW, Packbits
• support for Single, Multi-file, Tiling, Planar (Chunky, Separated), Predictor, 16,32 bit floating samples
• improve read performance
• supports threading
• superior image scaling algorithms

Why do developers choose JDeli over free alternatives?

1. Works with newer image formats such as AVIF, HEIC, JPEG XL, WEBP (AVIF next release) that are not supported in Java.
2. Better support than alternatives for JPEG, PNG, TIFF.
3. Process images up to 3x faster than ImageIO and other Java image libraries.
4. Prevent JVM crashes caused by native code in other image libraries such as ImageIO.
5. Image security as JDeli processes images on your servers with no calls to any external system or third party library.

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(dicomImageFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(heicImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "heic", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(jpegImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "jpeg", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(jpeg2000ImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "jpx", outputStreamOrFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "pdf", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(pngImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "png", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(tiffImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "tiff", outputStreamOrFile);

// Read an image
BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(webpImageFile);

// Write an image
JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "webp", outputStreamOrFile);