README.md

@@ -175,12 +175,14 @@ path under `/v1/` answers 200, in maintenance mode too.
 - `GET` or `HEAD` `/v1/image/<host>/<path>/<size>.<format>` — an image, fetched,
   resized and converted (below). Needs: a signature, unless the host is
   allowlisted (see Source Hosts). Answers: 200; 304 when `If-None-Match` matches
-  the image's `ETag`; 400 for a URL or parameter that is not valid; 401 for a
+  the image's `ETag`; 400 for a URL or parameter that is not valid, or for the
-  missing or wrong signature, a missing `exp` or an `exp` in the past; 403 when
+  format `auto` an `Accept` header that is not valid; 406 for the format `auto`
-  the request's `Referer` names a host in `referer_blocklist`, checked before
+  when `Accept` allows none of the formats it chooses from; 401 for a missing or
-  the signature, the cache and the upstream fetch; 403 when the upstream host,
+  wrong signature, a missing `exp` or an `exp` in the past; 403 when the
-  or a host it redirects to, is `localhost`, ends in `.localhost` or `.local`,
+  request's `Referer` names a host in `referer_blocklist`, checked before the
-  or has an address in a blocked network (see `blocked_networks`); 502 when the
+  signature, the cache and the upstream fetch; 403 when the upstream host, or a
+  host it redirects to, is `localhost`, ends in `.localhost` or `.local`, or has
+  an address in a blocked network (see `blocked_networks`); 502 when the
   upstream answered with an error status, and for 5 minutes after that for the
   same source URL; 503 when pixa is busy or in maintenance mode; 500 for any
   other failure.
@@ -190,7 +192,8 @@ path under `/v1/` answers 200, in maintenance mode too.
   decrypt, or that asks for a size or fit that is not valid; 410 once it has
   expired; 504 when the upstream has not sent its response headers within
   `upstream_fetch_timeout`, but 500 when that time runs out while the image
-  itself is still arriving; 403, 502, 503 and 500 as for `/v1/image/`.
+  itself is still arriving; 400 for an `Accept` header that is not valid, and
+  406, 403, 502, 503 and 500, as for `/v1/image/`.
 - `GET /robots.txt` — asks every crawler to stay away (`Disallow: /`). Needs:
   nothing. Answers: 200.
 - `GET /.well-known/healthcheck.json` — JSON with `status` (`ok`), `now`,
@@ -239,7 +242,7 @@ A request whose query string cannot be decoded, or gives any parameter more than
 once, is refused with 400.
 
 - `<format>`: one of `orig` (or `original`), `jpeg` (or `jpg`), `png`, `webp`,
-  `avif`, `gif`
+  `avif`, `gif`, or `auto` (below)
 - `<size>`: `orig` or `<width>x<height>` (e.g. `800x600`)
 - `sig` and `exp`: the signature and its expiry, needed unless the host is
   allowlisted (see Signature Specification)
@@ -247,6 +250,24 @@ once, is refused with 400.
   both optional (values under Signature Specification). Both are part of what is
   cached, so each value of either is a separate cached image.
 
+With the format `auto`, pixa chooses the format for each request from its
+`Accept` header, in this order:
+
+1. AVIF, when the header names `image/avif`;
+2. WebP, when it names `image/webp`;
+3. JPEG, when the first of `image/jpeg`, `image/*` and `*/*` that it names
+   allows it, or when there is no `Accept` header or it is empty.
+
+An entry with `q=0` refuses its format; other `q` values do not change the
+order. AVIF and WebP must be named, as clients that cannot show them also send
+`image/*` and `*/*`. pixa never sends a format the client refused: when the
+header allows none of the three, the answer is 406, and a header that does not
+parse, or has a `q` that is not a number from 0 to 1, is refused with 400. The
+signature, or the token of an encrypted URL, covers `auto` itself, so one URL
+serves every client. Each format chosen is cached as a separate image, and every
+answer that depends on `Accept` (the image, a 304, and the 400 and 406 above)
+carries `Vary: Accept`, so a shared cache keeps the formats apart too.
+
 An image is served with `Cache-Control: public, max-age=<seconds>, immutable`.
 When the URL has an expiry (an `exp`, or the TTL of an encrypted URL), `max-age`
 is the whole seconds left until then, at most one year, so no browser or proxy
@@ -297,7 +318,7 @@ nor change what it asks for.
 3. The page shows the URL, `https://<host>/v1/e/<token>/img.<format>`, and when
    it expires. `<host>` is the host the page was opened on, and the URL starts
    with `http` instead while `debug` is on. The name after the token is ignored
-   and only gives the URL a file extension, `jpg` for `orig`.
+   and only gives the URL a file extension, `jpg` for `orig` and `auto`.
 
 The token holds the source's host, path and query and the size, format, quality,
 fit and expiry, encrypted with a key derived from `signing_key`. The source
@@ -353,7 +374,8 @@ Where:
 - `width` — requested width in pixels, `0` for original
 - `height` — requested height in pixels, `0` for original
 - `format` — output format, one of those listed under Routes, with `original`
-  signed as `orig` and `jpg` as `jpeg`
+  signed as `orig` and `jpg` as `jpeg`; `auto` is signed as `auto`, not as the
+  format chosen for the request
 - `expiration` — the URL's `exp` query parameter, the Unix timestamp when the
   signature expires; a request whose `exp` is not a whole number, an empty
   `exp=` included, is refused with 400

TODO.md

@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ P2: security: per-IP rate limiting on the image routes
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-05 the format `auto` (closes #88): a format in the `/v1/image/` path,
+  an encrypted URL's token and the generator page's format choice, chosen for
+  each request from `Accept` once the signature or token is checked: AVIF when
+  the header names `image/avif`, else WebP when it names `image/webp`, else JPEG
+  when the first of `image/jpeg`, `image/*` and `*/*` that it names allows it,
+  or when it names nothing; `q=0` refuses a format. AVIF and WebP must be named,
+  as clients that cannot show them send the wildcards too. A header that allows
+  none of the three answers 406, one that does not parse 400. The signature and
+  the token cover `auto` itself; the cache key and `ETag` use the format chosen.
+  Answers from the point the format is chosen carry `Vary: Accept`, next to the
+  CORS `Vary: Origin`; fixed-format answers do not.
 - 2026-10-05 the markdown is formatted with prettier (closes #100): `script/fmt`
   and `script/fmt-check` run prettier 3.8.1, pinned in `package.json` and
   `yarn.lock`, on `**/*.md` after `gofmt`, with four-space tabs and
@@ -661,8 +672,6 @@ P2: security: per-IP rate limiting on the image routes
     - per-origin rate limiting
 - P2: HTTP response handling
     - Last-Modified headers
-    - Vary header for content negotiation
-- P2: auto format selection (format=auto based on Accept header)
 - P2: configuration
     - YAML config file support
 - P2: operational

internal/handlers/auth.go

@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ func (s *Handlers) buildGeneratedURL(r *http.Request, token, format string) stri
 
 	// Determine file extension for the trailing filename
 	ext := format
-	if ext == "" || ext == "orig" {
+	if ext == "" || ext == "orig" || ext == "auto" {
 		ext = "jpg" // Default extension
 	}
 

internal/handlers/format_auto.go

@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"mime"
+	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/imgcache"
+)
+
+// Errors for an Accept header that an auto URL cannot be served for.
+var (
+	errInvalidAccept = errors.New("invalid Accept header")
+	errNotAcceptable = errors.New(
+		"not acceptable: auto serves image/avif, image/webp or image/jpeg")
+)
+
+// chooseAutoFormat replaces the format auto in req with the format
+// formatForAccept chooses from r's Accept header, and adds Vary: Accept to the
+// response, which then depends on that header. It answers 400 for an Accept
+// header that is not valid and 406 for one that allows none of the formats,
+// and reports whether req can be served. Any other format is left as it is.
+func (s *Handlers) chooseAutoFormat(
+	w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, req *imgcache.ImageRequest,
+) bool {
+	if req.Format != imgcache.FormatAuto {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Add("Vary", "Accept")
+
+	format, err := formatForAccept(strings.Join(r.Header.Values("Accept"), ","))
+	if errors.Is(err, errNotAcceptable) {
+		s.respondError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotAcceptable)
+
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		s.respondError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
+
+		return false
+	}
+
+	req.Format = format
+
+	return true
+}
+
+// formatForAccept returns the format an auto URL is served in for the Accept
+// header accept: AVIF when it names image/avif, else WebP when it names
+// image/webp, else JPEG when its most specific entry of image/jpeg, image/*
+// and */* allows it, or when it names nothing. A q of 0 refuses a format.
+// AVIF and WebP must be named, as clients that cannot show them send image/*
+// and */* too.
+func formatForAccept(accept string) (imgcache.ImageFormat, error) {
+	qualities, err := parseAccept(accept)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	if len(qualities) == 0 {
+		return imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil
+	}
+
+	if qualities["image/avif"] > 0 {
+		return imgcache.FormatAVIF, nil
+	}
+
+	if qualities["image/webp"] > 0 {
+		return imgcache.FormatWebP, nil
+	}
+
+	// For JPEG, the most specific entry the header has decides
+	quality, named := qualities["image/jpeg"]
+	if !named {
+		quality, named = qualities["image/*"]
+	}
+
+	if !named {
+		quality = qualities["*/*"]
+	}
+
+	if quality > 0 {
+		return imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil
+	}
+
+	return "", errNotAcceptable
+}
+
+// parseAccept returns the q of each media range the Accept header accept
+// names, 1 where it gives none. A media range named more than once keeps its
+// lowest q, so a refusal is never overridden. A media range that does not
+// parse, or a q that is not a number from 0 to 1, is an error.
+func parseAccept(accept string) (map[string]float64, error) {
+	qualities := make(map[string]float64)
+
+	for entry := range strings.SplitSeq(accept, ",") {
+		// A header field list may hold empty entries
+		if strings.TrimSpace(entry) == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		mediaRange, params, err := mime.ParseMediaType(entry)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %q: %w", errInvalidAccept, entry, err)
+		}
+
+		quality := 1.0
+
+		if qParam, given := params["q"]; given {
+			quality, err = strconv.ParseFloat(qParam, 64)
+			inRange := quality >= 0 && quality <= 1
+
+			if err != nil || !inRange {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %q: q is not a number from 0 to 1",
+					errInvalidAccept, entry)
+			}
+		}
+
+		previous, named := qualities[mediaRange]
+		if !named || quality < previous {
+			qualities[mediaRange] = quality
+		}
+	}
+
+	return qualities, nil
+}

internal/handlers/format_auto_internal_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,310 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"log/slog"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/encurl"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/pixa/internal/imgcache"
+)
+
+// The content types the tests below expect.
+const (
+	avifType = "image/avif"
+	webpType = "image/webp"
+	jpegType = "image/jpeg"
+	jsonType = "application/json"
+)
+
+// TestFormatForAccept verifies the format chosen for the format auto from each
+// Accept header below, and the error for one that allows none of AVIF, WebP
+// and JPEG or is not valid.
+func TestFormatForAccept(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		accept  string
+		want    imgcache.ImageFormat
+		wantErr error
+	}{
+		{"AVIF-capable browser",
+			"image/avif,image/webp,image/apng,image/svg+xml,image/*,*/*;q=0.8",
+			imgcache.FormatAVIF, nil},
+		{"WebP-capable browser",
+			"image/webp,image/png,image/svg+xml,image/*;q=0.8,*/*;q=0.5",
+			imgcache.FormatWebP, nil},
+		{"WebP only", webpType, imgcache.FormatWebP, nil},
+		{"neither", "image/png,image/*;q=0.8,*/*;q=0.5", imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil},
+		{"wildcard only", "*/*", imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil},
+		{"image wildcard only", "image/*", imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil},
+		{"absent", "", imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil},
+		{"q=0 on AVIF", "image/avif;q=0,image/webp,*/*", imgcache.FormatWebP, nil},
+		{"AVIF named twice, once with q=0", "image/avif,image/avif;q=0.0,*/*",
+			imgcache.FormatJPEG, nil},
+		{"upper case and spaces", " Image/AVIF ; Q=0.5 ", imgcache.FormatAVIF, nil},
+		{"q=0 on JPEG", "image/jpeg;q=0,image/*", "", errNotAcceptable},
+		{"q=0 on everything", "*/*;q=0", "", errNotAcceptable},
+		{"PNG only", "image/png", "", errNotAcceptable},
+		{"malformed media range", "image/", "", errInvalidAccept},
+		{"q not a number", "image/avif;q=high", "", errInvalidAccept},
+		{"q above 1", "image/avif;q=2", "", errInvalidAccept},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			got, err := formatForAccept(tt.accept)
+			t.Logf("Accept %q: %q, %v", tt.accept, got, err)
+
+			if got != tt.want || !errors.Is(err, tt.wantErr) {
+				t.Errorf("formatForAccept(%q) = %q, %v, want %q, %v",
+					tt.accept, got, err, tt.want, tt.wantErr)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// autoPhotoURLs returns a signed /v1/image/ URL and an encrypted /v1/e/ URL,
+// both valid for a minute, for the JPEG at photoPath on signedHost at 50x50 in
+// the format auto, made with h's image service and generator.
+func autoPhotoURLs(t *testing.T, h *Handlers) (string, string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	signedURL, err := h.imgSvc.GenerateSignedURL("", &imgcache.ImageRequest{
+		SourceHost: signedHost,
+		SourcePath: photoPath,
+		Size:       imgcache.Size{Width: 50, Height: 50},
+		Format:     imgcache.FormatAuto,
+	}, time.Minute)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GenerateSignedURL() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	token, err := h.encGen.Generate(&encurl.Payload{
+		SourceHost: signedHost,
+		SourcePath: photoPath,
+		Width:      50,
+		Height:     50,
+		Format:     imgcache.FormatAuto,
+		ExpiresAt:  time.Now().Add(time.Minute).Unix(),
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return signedURL, "/v1/e/" + token + "/img.jpg"
+}
+
+// requestImage sends method for target to srv with an Accept header line for
+// each of accept, and returns the response.
+func requestImage(
+	t *testing.T, srv http.Handler, method, target string, accept ...string,
+) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(), method, target, nil)
+
+	for _, value := range accept {
+		req.Header.Add("Accept", value)
+	}
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	srv.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	t.Logf("%s %s with Accept %q: %d, Content-Type %s, Vary %v, X-Pixa-Cache %s",
+		method, target, accept, rec.Code, rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"),
+		rec.Header().Values("Vary"), rec.Header().Get("X-Pixa-Cache"))
+
+	return rec
+}
+
+// TestFormatAuto_ChosenFromAccept requests an auto URL on each image route
+// with each Accept below, and checks the answer and that it carries
+// Vary: Accept. The signed URL is signed for auto, so it is valid whatever
+// Accept chooses.
+func TestFormatAuto_ChosenFromAccept(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h, srv := newSignedHostServer(t, slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler))
+	signedURL, encryptedURL := autoPhotoURLs(t, h)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		accept     []string
+		wantStatus int
+		wantType   string
+	}{
+		{"AVIF accepted", []string{"image/avif,image/webp,*/*;q=0.8"},
+			http.StatusOK, avifType},
+		{"WebP accepted", []string{"image/webp,*/*;q=0.8"}, http.StatusOK, webpType},
+		{"no Accept", nil, http.StatusOK, jpegType},
+		{"two Accept lines", []string{"image/png", webpType}, http.StatusOK, webpType},
+		{"none of the three", []string{"image/gif"},
+			http.StatusNotAcceptable, jsonType},
+		{"not valid", []string{"image/avif;q=high"}, http.StatusBadRequest, jsonType},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			for _, target := range []string{signedURL, encryptedURL} {
+				rec := requestImage(t, srv, http.MethodGet, target, tt.accept...)
+				gotType := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type")
+
+				if rec.Code != tt.wantStatus || gotType != tt.wantType {
+					t.Errorf("%s: %d %s, want %d %s; body %s", target,
+						rec.Code, gotType, tt.wantStatus, tt.wantType, rec.Body)
+				}
+
+				if !slices.Contains(rec.Header().Values("Vary"), "Accept") {
+					t.Errorf("%s: Vary = %v, want Accept in it",
+						target, rec.Header().Values("Vary"))
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFormatAuto_SignatureCoversAuto verifies that a /v1/image/ URL with the
+// format auto is checked against a signature for auto, not for the format
+// chosen: a URL signed for avif, with auto put in its path, is refused for a
+// client whose Accept chooses AVIF.
+func TestFormatAuto_SignatureCoversAuto(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h, srv := newSignedHostServer(t, slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler))
+
+	signedForAVIF, err := h.imgSvc.GenerateSignedURL("", &imgcache.ImageRequest{
+		SourceHost: signedHost,
+		SourcePath: photoPath,
+		Size:       imgcache.Size{Width: 50, Height: 50},
+		Format:     imgcache.FormatAVIF,
+	}, time.Minute)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GenerateSignedURL() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	target := strings.Replace(signedForAVIF, "/50x50.avif?", "/50x50.auto?", 1)
+	if target == signedForAVIF {
+		t.Fatalf("no /50x50.avif? in %s", signedForAVIF)
+	}
+
+	rec := requestImage(t, srv, http.MethodGet, target, avifType)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusUnauthorized)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFormatAuto_CachesEachFormatApart requests an auto URL for AVIF, then
+// JPEG, then both again. Each format is processed once and then served from
+// the cache, with an ETag of its own, so a client never gets the other format
+// from the cache.
+func TestFormatAuto_CachesEachFormatApart(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h, srv := newSignedHostServer(t, slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler))
+	signedURL, _ := autoPhotoURLs(t, h)
+
+	steps := []struct {
+		wantType  string
+		wantCache string
+	}{
+		{avifType, "MISS"},
+		{jpegType, "MISS"},
+		{avifType, "HIT"},
+		{jpegType, "HIT"},
+	}
+
+	etags := make(map[string]string)
+
+	for _, step := range steps {
+		rec := requestImage(t, srv, http.MethodGet, signedURL, step.wantType)
+		gotType := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type")
+		gotCache := rec.Header().Get("X-Pixa-Cache")
+
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK || gotType != step.wantType ||
+			gotCache != step.wantCache {
+			t.Fatalf("Accept %s: %d %s %s, want 200 %s %s", step.wantType,
+				rec.Code, gotType, gotCache, step.wantType, step.wantCache)
+		}
+
+		etag := rec.Header().Get("ETag")
+		if previous, seen := etags[gotType]; seen && previous != etag {
+			t.Errorf("%s ETag changed from %s to %s", gotType, previous, etag)
+		}
+
+		etags[gotType] = etag
+	}
+
+	if etags[avifType] == etags[jpegType] {
+		t.Errorf("AVIF and JPEG have the same ETag %s", etags[avifType])
+	}
+}
+
+// TestFormatAuto_Vary verifies that on each image route a HEAD answer and a
+// 304 for an auto URL carry Vary: Accept, and that the answer for a URL with
+// a fixed format does not.
+func TestFormatAuto_Vary(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	h, _ := newSignedHostServer(t, slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler))
+
+	srv := chi.NewRouter()
+	srv.Get("/v1/image/*", h.HandleImage())
+	srv.Head("/v1/image/*", h.HandleImage())
+	srv.Get("/v1/e/{token}/*", h.HandleImageEnc())
+	srv.Head("/v1/e/{token}/*", h.HandleImageEnc())
+
+	signedURL, encryptedURL := autoPhotoURLs(t, h)
+
+	for _, urls := range [][2]string{
+		{signedURL, signedPhotoURL(t, h)},
+		{encryptedURL, encPhotoURL(t, h)},
+	} {
+		autoURL, fixedURL := urls[0], urls[1]
+
+		head := requestImage(t, srv, http.MethodHead, autoURL, webpType)
+		checkVaryAccept(t, head, http.StatusOK, true)
+
+		req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(), http.MethodGet,
+			autoURL, nil)
+		req.Header.Set("Accept", webpType)
+		req.Header.Set("If-None-Match", head.Header().Get("ETag"))
+
+		notModified := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		srv.ServeHTTP(notModified, req)
+		checkVaryAccept(t, notModified, http.StatusNotModified, true)
+
+		fixed := requestImage(t, srv, http.MethodGet, fixedURL)
+		checkVaryAccept(t, fixed, http.StatusOK, false)
+	}
+}
+
+// checkVaryAccept fails the test unless rec answered wantStatus and, as
+// wantVary says, has or has not Accept in its Vary header.
+func checkVaryAccept(
+	t *testing.T, rec *httptest.ResponseRecorder, wantStatus int, wantVary bool,
+) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	vary := rec.Header().Values("Vary")
+	t.Logf("status %d, Vary %v", rec.Code, vary)
+
+	if rec.Code != wantStatus {
+		t.Errorf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, wantStatus)
+	}
+
+	if slices.Contains(vary, "Accept") != wantVary {
+		t.Errorf("Vary = %v, want Accept in it: %v", vary, wantVary)
+	}
+}

internal/handlers/image.go

@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ func (s *Handlers) HandleImage() http.HandlerFunc {
 			return
 		}
 
+		// The signature covers the format auto, not the format chosen
+		if !s.chooseAutoFormat(w, r, req) {
+			return
+		}
+
 		// Get cache key for logging
 		cacheKey := imgcache.CacheKey(req)
 

internal/handlers/imageenc.go

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func (s *Handlers) HandleImageEnc() http.HandlerFunc {
 		start := time.Now()
 
 		req, ok := s.parseImageEncRequest(w, r)
-		if !ok {
+		if !ok || !s.chooseAutoFormat(w, r, req) {
 			return
 		}
 

internal/imgcache/imgcache.go

@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ const (
 	FormatWebP     ImageFormat = "webp"
 	FormatAVIF     ImageFormat = "avif"
 	FormatGIF      ImageFormat = "gif"
+
+	// FormatAuto stands for AVIF, WebP or JPEG, chosen for each request
+	// from its Accept header once the URL's signature or token has been
+	// checked; it is never processed or cached as itself.
+	FormatAuto ImageFormat = "auto"
 )
 
 // Size represents requested image dimensions

internal/imgcache/urlparser.go

@@ -277,6 +277,8 @@ func parseFormat(s string) (ImageFormat, error) {
 		return FormatAVIF, nil
 	case "gif":
 		return FormatGIF, nil
+	case "auto":
+		return FormatAuto, nil
 	default:
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrInvalidFormat, s)
 	}

internal/imgcache/urlparser_internal_test.go

@@ -111,6 +111,21 @@ func TestParseImageURL(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestParseImageURL_AutoFormat verifies that the format auto in an image URL
+// parses as FormatAuto.
+func TestParseImageURL_AutoFormat(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	got, err := ParseImageURL("/v1/image/example.com/photo.jpg/200x200.auto")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseImageURL() error = %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if got.Format != FormatAuto {
+		t.Errorf("Format = %q, want %q", got.Format, FormatAuto)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseImageURL_Errors(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 

internal/server/format_auto_internal_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestFormatAutoVaryNextToOrigin requests an image URL with the format auto
+// through the server's routes and verifies that the answer carries
+// Vary: Accept next to the Vary: Origin the CORS middleware sends.
+func TestFormatAutoVaryNextToOrigin(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	source := encodeTestPNG(t, 64, 48)
+
+	upstream := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(
+		func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "image/png")
+			_, _ = w.Write(source)
+		}))
+	t.Cleanup(upstream.Close)
+
+	s, _, _ := startImageProxy(t, upstream)
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequestWithContext(t.Context(), http.MethodGet,
+		"/v1/image/"+upstreamHost+"/photo.png/32x24.auto", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Origin", "https://app.example.com")
+	req.Header.Set("Accept", "image/webp")
+
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	s.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+
+	vary := rec.Header().Values("Vary")
+	t.Logf("status %d, Content-Type %s, Vary %v",
+		rec.Code, rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"), vary)
+
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d, want %d", rec.Code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+
+	if want := []string{"Origin", "Accept"}; !slices.Equal(vary, want) {
+		t.Errorf("Vary = %v, want %v", vary, want)
+	}
+}

internal/templates/generator.html

@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@
                     </label>
                     <select id="format" name="format">
                         <option value="orig" {{if eq .FormFormat "orig"}}selected{{end}}>Original</option>
+                        <option value="auto" {{if eq .FormFormat "auto"}}selected{{end}}>Auto (AVIF, WebP or JPEG)</option>
                         <option value="jpeg" {{if eq .FormFormat "jpeg"}}selected{{end}}>JPEG</option>
                         <option value="png" {{if eq .FormFormat "png"}}selected{{end}}>PNG</option>
                         <option value="webp" {{if eq .FormFormat "webp"}}selected{{end}}>WebP</option>