A cleaner migration path for teams replacing the Unscreen API

Match the job model before you compare features

The documented remove-background workflow in this repo uses an asynchronous request pattern: submit a public video URL, receive a request id and status URL, and poll until the job completes. If your old Unscreen integration relied on delayed processing, queueing, or webhook-like orchestration, this matters more than a superficial feature checklist.

• Submission returns an accepted response rather than the final file immediately.
• Status polling is part of the normal path, not an edge case.
• Timeout, retry, and failed-job handling should be updated during migration, not after launch.

Alpha output is the real migration edge case

Teams often assume every export preset behaves the same. It does not. The local API docs make the compatibility rule clear: transparent output needs an alpha-capable preset. That means format choice should be deliberate rather than inherited from old defaults.

• Use alpha-capable presets such as WebM VP9 or MOV ProRes when transparency is required.
• Use MP4 H.264 for compatibility when transparency is not required.
• Retest every workflow that composites videos downstream in editors, ad tools, or web players.

Validate workload shape before promising parity

The current documented limits support inputs up to 30 seconds and preserve important source attributes like aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate, and audio when present. If your old Unscreen workflow handled longer videos, segmenting or changing the handoff expectation should be part of your migration plan up front.