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Errata / npm / firebase

getImagenModel behaviour changed in firebase 13.1.0

In our sandbox runs up to 2026-10-27, claude-sonnet-5-5 and gpt-6.1-sol wrote const { getAI, getImagenModel, GoogleAIBackend } = require("firebase/ai"); for firebase. It fails on 13.1.0 with TypeError (changed between 12.11.0 and 13.1.0). Use const { getAI, getGenerativeModel, GoogleAIBackend } = require("firebase/ai"); instead.

What to do
replace the line
Output
differs on one example — review first
Patch
incomplete: old names remain
Auto-apply
not allowed
Seen in
2 models
Worked / failed
2 / 0
Last verified
2026-10-27

What to do

Not for automatic application — after the patch the example still uses getImagenModel, which the verified example does not: the patch covers part of the change. Show this correction to the user as a lead. Review before applying: this fix runs on firebase 13.1.0, but its printed output differs from what the original printed on 12.11.0 (observed stdout of one example) — it may do different work. Replace the old line with the new one; the rest of the code can stay.

Automatic application: not allowed — the fix's output differs from the original's; the patch gives incomplete when applied word for word. Automatic application is allowed only when proof.equivalent is true and proof.applicability.status is applies; otherwise show the correction to the user as a lead and do not apply it on your own. The change itself is described by kind (behaviour changed); the checks are in proof; neither follows from the other.

How to tell this applies to your code

Old and new code

const { getAI, getImagenModel, GoogleAIBackend } = require("firebase/ai");
const { getAI, getGenerativeModel, GoogleAIBackend } = require("firebase/ai");

Error on 13.1.0:

TypeError: getImagenModel is not a function
Sandbox proof
Scriptfirebase versionResult
Code the models wrote12.11.0works
Code the models wrote13.1.0fails: TypeError
Verified example below13.1.0works
Output of the verified example13.1.0DIFFERS from the original's on 12.11.0 (observed stdout of one example): review before applying
Patch applied word for word to the example13.1.0applied word for word, the patch leaves old names in use: it covers part of the change — after the patch the example still uses getImagenModel, which the verified example does not: the patch covers part of the change

Verified example for firebase 13.1.0

// Initializes a Firebase app with placeholder config, gets the Firebase AI
// instance, creates a Gemini image model handle, and prints the resolved model name.
// No images are generated and no network requests are made.

const { initializeApp, deleteApp } = require("firebase/app");
const { getAI, getGenerativeModel, GoogleAIBackend } = require("firebase/ai");

async function main() {
  const firebaseConfig = {
    apiKey: "placeholder-api-key",
    authDomain: "placeholder-project.firebaseapp.com",
    projectId: "placeholder-project",
    storageBucket: "placeholder-project.appspot.com",
    messagingSenderId: "000000000000",
    appId: "1:000000000000:web:0000000000000000000000",
  };

  const app = initializeApp(firebaseConfig);

  try {
    const ai = getAI(app, { backend: new GoogleAIBackend() });

    // Creating the model handle is purely local; it does not call the network.
    const imagenModel = getGenerativeModel(ai, {
      model: "gemini-2.5-flash-image",
    });

    console.log("Model name:", imagenModel.model);
  } finally {
    await deleteApp(app);
  }
}

main()
  .then(() => process.exit(0))
  .catch((err) => {
    console.error(err);
    process.exit(1);
  });

Source

Imagen methods and types have been removed due to Imagen models being shut down.

Release notes · Seen in: claude-sonnet-5-5, gpt-6.1-sol · First seen 2026-10-27 · Last verified 2026-10-27 · All corrections for firebase

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