> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.nexrender.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Template Registration
> Learn how to register an After Effects template in Nexrender Cloud via API.
Before Nexrender Cloud can process your project files, you need to **register a template object** using the API.\
This step defines what kind of project you’re uploading and prepares secure storage for it in Nexrender Cloud.
You can register and upload one of the following file types:
* **`.aep`** — Standard After Effects project
* **`.zip`** — Bundled project with all assets included
* **`.mogrt`** — Motion Graphics Template
#### Example: Register a Template
```bash Register a Template theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.nexrender.com/api/v2/templates \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"type": "aep",
"displayName": "My First Video"
}'
```
```bash Template Registration Response theme={null}
"template": {
"id": "01K8NKEDR9HCGNK3BB7QM6XR8P",
"type": "zip",
"displayName": "test",
"status": "awaiting_upload",
"createdAt": "2025-10-28T14:27:10.217Z",
"updatedAt": "2025-10-28T14:27:10.217Z",
"mogrt": {}
},
"uploadInfo": {
"url": "https://nx1-assets-eu.hel1.your-objectstorage.com/01JQEGHQFANYJT2Z52G7XV8JQQ/templates/01K8NKEDRBB7479ERKMERGXB7Z.zip?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=LJ0F6FQU9N6ASUST5SQK%2F20251028%2Fauto%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20251028T142710Z&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Signature=38f4b903ee7f96d68368f8df4c1e7394a3a797716c9b8e838ef86625e39cb82d&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&x-amz-checksum-crc32=AAAAAA%3D%3D&x-amz-meta-templateid=01K8NKEDR9HCGNK3BB7QM6XR8P&x-amz-sdk-checksum-algorithm=CRC32&x-id=PutObject",
"method": "PUT",
"fields": {
"Content-Type": "application/octet-stream",
"x-amz-meta-custom": "{\"templateId\":\"01K8NKEDR9HCGNK3BB7QM6XR8P\"}"
},
"expiresIn": 3600,
"key": "01JQEGHQFANYJT2Z52G7XV8JQQ/templates/01K8NKEDRBB7479ERKMERGXB7Z.zip"
}
}
```
## Uploading Your Files
### Upload via Temporary Link
After registering a template, Nexrender Cloud generates a **temporary upload link** (`uploadInfo.url`).\
This presigned URL allows you to securely upload your project file without additional authentication.
The `uploadInfo.url` is a **time-limited presigned URL** — it grants secure, temporary access to upload the file directly. The method is always `PUT`.
### Example `curl` Request
You can replace `.zip` with `.aep` or `.mogrt` depending on your project.
```bash Template File Upload Request theme={null}
curl --location --request PUT \
'https://your-upload-url-from-uploadInfo.url' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/octet-stream' \
--data-binary '@/path/to/your/project.zip'
```
### Limitations
To ensure stable upload performance, a few technical limitations apply:
* Maximum file size: 2 GiB
* Upload duration: URLs typically expire after \~1 hour
* Upload method: Always PUT
* File format: Must match the declared type (.aep, .zip, or .mogrt)
Files exceeding the 2 GiB limit or uploaded after expiration will fail with an HTTP 403 or similar error.
### Refreshing an Expired Upload URL
If the presigned URL from template registration has expired before you completed the upload, request a fresh one using `PUT /templates/{id}/upload`. This generates a new presigned URL for the same template without creating a new template object.
```bash Request theme={null}
curl -X PUT https://api.nexrender.com/api/v2/templates/01JTGM9GCR71JV7EJYDF45QAFD/upload \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
```
```json Response theme={null}
{
"url": "https://nx1-assets-eu.cloudflarestorage.com/...?X-Amz-Expires=3600&...",
"method": "PUT",
"fields": {
"Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"
},
"expiresIn": 3600,
"key": "01JQEGHQFANYJT2Z52G7XV8JQQ/templates/01JTGM9GCR71JV7EJYDF45QAFD.zip"
}
```
Use the returned `url` exactly as you would the original `uploadInfo.url` - a standard `PUT` request with your file as the body.
## Download Template Files During Template Registration
Instead of uploading template files manually, you can also provide a direct file URL during registration using the optional **'src'** field. Nexrender will download the file automatically, process it, and transition the template through the same lifecycle.
```bash Register Template with field theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.nexrender.com/api/v2/templates \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"type": "zip",
"displayName": "Logo Animation",
"src": "https://example.com/files/logo-animation.zip"
}'
```
```bash Register Template with field - Response theme={null}
{
"id": "tpl_01JZ2M9GCR712V7EJYDF45QAFD",
"type": "zip",
"displayName": "Logo Animation",
"status": "downloading",
"createdAt": "2025-10-28T09:57:43.121Z",
"updatedAt": "2025-10-28T09:57:43.121Z",
"mogrt": {},
"error": null,
"src": "https://example.com/files/logo-animation.zip"
}
```
## What Happens Behind the Scenes?
* The backend **initiates a download** of your file from the provided `src` URL
* The system **validates and processes** the project automatically after download
* Extracts **available compositions and layers** for later use in render jobs
* The template status is initially set to **`downloading`**, then transitions to **`processing`** and finally **`uploaded`**.
If the platform cannot download the file, it will **retry up to three times** before setting the template status to `error`.
## Requirements
* The `src` must be a **directly downloadable HTTPS link**
* Supported sources include:
* Secure `https://` URLs
* Google Drive shared links
* Presigned S3 URLs
* The maximum supported file size is **2 GiB**
* Maximum download time is **10 minutes**
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Result |
| ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Providing a non-secure `http://` link | The request will be rejected |
| Using an expired or inaccessible URL | Template enters the `error` state after retries |
| File larger than 2 GiB | Download will fail before processing |
Once the download and processing are complete, the status will transition to `uploaded`, and Nexrender Cloud will extract all available compositions and dynamic layers for use in jobs.
### Checking Upload Status
Once the upload is complete, the template status transitions automatically:
`awaiting_upload` → `processing` → `uploaded`
Once `uploaded`, Nexrender has completed introspection and the template is ready to render jobs. Use the v3 endpoints to inspect discovered compositions and layers - see [Inspecting Templates](/docs/cloud/templates/inspecting).
## API Reference
## OpenAPI
````yaml POST /templates
openapi: 3.0.4
info:
title: Nexrender API
version: '2.0'
description: >
REST API for the Nexrender cloud rendering platform, enabling programmatic
control over After Effects template processing, job management, and asset
handling.
Features include:
- Template upload and management (AEP, MOGRT, ZIP files)
- Job creation and status monitoring with real-time progress
- Job nesting for multi-composition renders (parent/child jobs)
- Job stitching to combine multiple videos into one
- Batch job creation for submitting up to 1000 jobs at once
- Font library management for typography consistency
- Secret management for secure API key storage
- Webhook notifications for job lifecycle events
- Asset injection for dynamic content replacement
Authentication is required for all endpoints using Bearer token
authorization.
servers:
- url: https://api.nexrender.com/api/v2
description: Production API server
security:
- apiToken: []
paths:
/templates:
post:
tags:
- Template Management
summary: Create new template
description: Create a new template with specified type and display name
operationId: createOrUpdateTemplate
requestBody:
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/TemplateCreation'
responses:
'201':
description: Template successfully created with upload information
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/Template'
'400':
description: Invalid request - missing required fields or invalid template type
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationErrorResponse'
'401':
description: Unauthorized - invalid or missing API token
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
components:
schemas:
TemplateCreation:
type: object
description: >-
Configuration for creating a new template with project file type and
display information
properties:
type:
type: string
enum:
- aep
- zip
- mogrt
description: >-
Template project file type - aep (After Effects Project), zip
(compressed project), or mogrt (Motion Graphics Template)
displayName:
type: string
description: Human-readable name for the template shown in UI and listings
src:
type: string
description: >-
Link to the project file nexrender should create the template from.
If not set, presigned upload URL is returned in the response object
instead.
required:
- type
- displayName
Template:
type: object
description: >-
Complete template object with metadata, processing status, and content
information
properties:
id:
type: string
description: >-
Unique template identifier used for referencing in jobs and API
operations
type:
type: string
description: Template file format (aep, zip, or mogrt)
displayName:
type: string
description: Human-readable name displayed in UI and template listings
status:
type: string
description: >-
Current processing status (awaiting_upload, processing, uploaded,
error)
createdAt:
type: string
format: date-time
description: ISO timestamp when the template was initially created
updatedAt:
type: string
format: date-time
description: ISO timestamp of the most recent template modification
compositions:
type: array
items:
type: string
description: Individual composition name available for rendering
description: List of compositions found within the template that can be rendered
layers:
type: array
items:
type: string
description: Individual layer name within the template
description: List of layers available for asset replacement and manipulation
mogrt:
type: object
description: Motion Graphics Template specific metadata and properties
additionalProperties: true
error:
type: string
nullable: true
description: >-
Error message if template processing or validation failed (null if
successful)
uploadInfo:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/TemplateUploadInfo'
ValidationErrorResponse:
type: object
description: Validation error response with detailed field information
properties:
error:
type: string
description: Main error message
details:
type: array
description: Array of specific validation errors for individual fields
items:
type: object
properties:
field:
type: string
description: Field name that failed validation
message:
type: string
description: Specific validation error for this field
ErrorResponse:
type: object
description: Standard error response format
properties:
error:
type: string
description: Human-readable error message explaining what went wrong
required:
- error
TemplateUploadInfo:
type: object
description: >-
Presigned upload URL and metadata for securely uploading template files
to cloud storage
properties:
url:
type: string
description: Presigned upload URL with temporary access credentials
method:
type: string
enum:
- PUT
- POST
description: HTTP method required for the upload operation
fields:
type: object
description: Additional form fields or headers required for successful upload
additionalProperties:
type: string
expiresIn:
type: integer
description: Time in seconds until the upload URL expires and becomes invalid
key:
type: string
description: Unique storage key/path where the uploaded file will be stored
required:
- url
- method
- expiresIn
- key
securitySchemes:
apiToken:
type: http
scheme: bearer
description: >
Bearer token authentication using API tokens for team-based access
control.
You can generate your own API token at:
https://app.nexrender.com/settings/api-tokens
````