Layerkit: AI Image Editor with Editable Layers Built with Claude Code

What Layerkit Does

Layerkit is a browser-based image editor created to solve the problem of constantly re-prompting AI image generators for small edits. The developer was frustrated with workflows where changing a headline, moving text slightly, or adding a CTA required re-prompting or switching to tools like Canva.

How It Works

The workflow consists of:

• Describe your scene in plain text
• AI generates the background image with composition in mind
• A second AI pass analyzes the actual generated image and places text where it's readable
• Everything exists as editable layers that can be dragged, resized, restyled, or deleted without affecting other elements

Technical Architecture

The entire codebase was built using Claude Code. The architecture features a staged AI pipeline:

• One LLM plans the composition
• An image model generates the scene
• A second LLM pass analyzes the actual generated image to place text

Claude Code handled everything from the Fabric.js canvas setup to the API routing layer that lets users plug in their own keys. Most of the prompt engineering for the decomposer and text refinement stages was iterated through Claude as well.

Key Features

• Brand kits - upload brand assets and AI extracts colors, fonts, and style to keep every generation on-brand
• Works with just a Google AI key - no subscription or per-image fees
• Option to add an OpenRouter key for access to GPT, Claude, and other models
• Export full setup as an encrypted file to share with teammates
• Runs fully in the browser - nothing stored on any server
• Free to use

Development Insights

The developer was surprised by how well Claude handled the multi-stage pipeline design. When describing problems like "text keeps landing on busy parts of the image," Claude would propose solutions (vision-based post-placement refinement) and implement them end-to-end.

The tool is currently available at layerkit.impulze.ai, and the developer is fine-tuning the smart text placement and welcomes feedback.