> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flatredball.com/gum/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flatredball.com/gum/cli/cli/screenshot.md).

# screenshot

```
gumcli screenshot <project.gumx> <element> [--output <path>] [--width <px>] [--height <px>] [--backend <name>] [--background <hex>]
```

Renders a Gum Screen or Component to a PNG file. The element is laid out and drawn using the same backend a shipped game would use, so the output is pixel-accurate and suitable for visual regression testing, documentation screenshots, or asset pipelines.

## Arguments

* `<project.gumx>` — Path to the `.gumx` project file.
* `<element>` — Name of the Screen or Component to render (for example, `MainMenu` or `Controls/Button`).

## Options

* `--output` — Path for the output PNG file. Defaults to `<element>.png` in the current directory.
* `--width` — Width of the output image in pixels. Defaults to the project canvas width.
* `--height` — Height of the output image in pixels. Defaults to the project canvas height.
* `--backend` — Rendering backend to use: `monogame` (default, DesktopGL) or `raylib`.
* `--background` — Background color to clear to before rendering, as 6-digit (`RRGGBB`) or 8-digit (`RRGGBBAA`) hex, with or without a leading `#`. Defaults to fully transparent.

## Examples

```
gumcli screenshot MyProject/MyProject.gumx MainMenu
gumcli screenshot MyProject/MyProject.gumx Controls/Button --output button.png
gumcli screenshot MyProject/MyProject.gumx MainMenu --width 1920 --height 1080
gumcli screenshot MyProject/MyProject.gumx MainMenu --backend raylib
gumcli screenshot MyProject/MyProject.gumx MainMenu --background 1E2A38
```

Output on success:

```
Screenshot written to: /full/path/to/MainMenu.png
```

## Notes

* Works cross-platform — the default `monogame` backend uses DesktopGL, not a Windows-specific rendering path.
* Any fonts referenced by the element must already exist in the project's `FontCache/` folder. Run [`gumcli fonts`](/gum/cli/cli/fonts.md) first if fonts are missing.
* Bitmap content (sprites, nine-slices, text) is rasterized into the PNG at the requested resolution.
* To compare the two backends' output for every element in a project at once, see [`diff-screenshots`](/gum/cli/cli/diff-screenshots.md).
* Rendering against the default transparent background can make some visual differences (a semi-transparent panel or border, for example) hard to see once the image is opened in isolation. Use `--background` to composite against an opaque color, ideally the same clear color your game actually uses, for a more representative comparison.

## Exit Codes

| Code | Meaning                                                                                                       |
| ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 0    | Screenshot written successfully                                                                               |
| 1    | Rendering failed (for example, the named element does not exist)                                              |
| 2    | Project file not found, `--backend` is not `monogame` or `raylib`, or `--background` is not a valid hex color |


---

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