diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 90abfa71..ddd19053 100755
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -218,8 +218,42 @@ sharp(inputBuffer)
   });
 ```
 
+```javascript
+// Runtime discovery of available formats
+console.dir(sharp.format);
+```
+
 ## API
 
+### Attributes
+
+#### format
+
+An Object containing nested boolean values
+representing the available input and output formats/methods,
+for example:
+
+```json
+{ jpeg: { id: 'jpeg',
+    input: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true },
+    output: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true } },
+  png: { id: 'png',
+    input: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true },
+    output: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true } },
+  webp: { id: 'webp',
+    input: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true },
+    output: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true } },
+  tiff: { id: 'tiff',
+    input: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true },
+    output: { file: true, buffer: false, stream: false } },
+  magick: { id: 'magick',
+    input: { file: true, buffer: true, stream: true },
+    output: { file: false, buffer: false, stream: false } },
+  raw: { id: 'raw',
+    input: { file: false, buffer: false, stream: false },
+    output: { file: false, buffer: true, stream: true } } }
+```
+
 ### Input methods
 
 #### sharp([input])
@@ -235,7 +269,7 @@ JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF* or TIFF format image data can be streamed into the object
 
 JPEG, PNG or WebP format image data can be streamed out from this object.
 
-\* GIF support requires libvips 8.0.0+.
+\* libvips 8.0.0+ is required for Buffer/Stream input of GIF and other `magick` formats.
 
 #### metadata([callback])
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 86887bbe..9e0eca33 100755
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ var Sharp = function(input) {
 module.exports = Sharp;
 util.inherits(Sharp, stream.Duplex);
 
+/*
+  Supported image formats
+*/
+module.exports.format = sharp.format();
+
 /*
   Handle incoming chunk on Writable Stream
 */
@@ -481,7 +486,8 @@ Sharp.prototype.webp = function() {
   Force raw, uint8 output
 */
 Sharp.prototype.raw = function() {
-  if (semver.gte(libvipsVersion, '7.42.0')) {
+  var supportsRawOutput = module.exports.format.raw.output;
+  if (supportsRawOutput.file || supportsRawOutput.buffer || supportsRawOutput.stream) {
     this.options.output = '__raw';
   } else {
     console.error('Raw output requires libvips 7.42.0+');
@@ -491,15 +497,15 @@ Sharp.prototype.raw = function() {
 
 /*
   Force output to a given format
+  @param format is either the id as a String or an Object with an 'id' attribute
 */
-module.exports.format = {'jpeg': 'jpeg', 'png': 'png', 'webp': 'webp', 'raw': 'raw'};
 Sharp.prototype.toFormat = function(format) {
-  if (
-    typeof format === 'string' &&
-    typeof module.exports.format[format] === 'string' &&
-    typeof this[format] === 'function'
-  ) {
-    this[format]();
+  var id = format;
+  if (typeof format === 'object') {
+    id = format.id;
+  }
+  if (typeof id === 'string' && typeof module.exports.format[id] === 'object' && typeof this[id] === 'function') {
+    this[id]();
   } else {
     throw new Error('Unsupported format ' + format);
   }
diff --git a/src/sharp.cc b/src/sharp.cc
index 1e9e7e8c..bab73c9f 100755
--- a/src/sharp.cc
+++ b/src/sharp.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ extern "C" void init(v8::Handle<v8::Object> target) {
   NODE_SET_METHOD(target, "concurrency", concurrency);
   NODE_SET_METHOD(target, "counters", counters);
   NODE_SET_METHOD(target, "libvipsVersion", libvipsVersion);
+  NODE_SET_METHOD(target, "format", format);
 }
 
 NODE_MODULE(sharp, init)
diff --git a/src/utilities.cc b/src/utilities.cc
index 7911b3de..8c6de0ce 100755
--- a/src/utilities.cc
+++ b/src/utilities.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ using v8::Local;
 using v8::Object;
 using v8::Number;
 using v8::String;
+using v8::Boolean;
 
 using sharp::counterQueue;
 using sharp::counterProcess;
@@ -78,3 +79,66 @@ NAN_METHOD(libvipsVersion) {
   snprintf(version, sizeof(version), "%d.%d.%d", vips_version(0), vips_version(1), vips_version(2));
   NanReturnValue(NanNew<String>(version));
 }
+
+/*
+  Get available input/output file/buffer/stream formats
+*/
+NAN_METHOD(format) {
+  NanScope();
+
+  // Attribute names
+  Local<String> attrId =  NanNew<String>("id");
+  Local<String> attrInput =  NanNew<String>("input");
+  Local<String> attrOutput =  NanNew<String>("output");
+  Local<String> attrFile =  NanNew<String>("file");
+  Local<String> attrBuffer =  NanNew<String>("buffer");
+  Local<String> attrStream =  NanNew<String>("stream");
+
+  // Which load/save operations are available for each compressed format?
+  Local<Object> format = NanNew<Object>();
+  for (std::string f : {"jpeg", "png", "webp", "tiff", "magick", "openslide", "dz"}) {
+    // Input
+    Local<Object> input = NanNew<Object>();
+    input->Set(attrFile, NanNew<Boolean>(
+      vips_type_find("VipsOperation", (f + "load").c_str())));
+    input->Set(attrBuffer, NanNew<Boolean>(
+      vips_type_find("VipsOperation", (f + "load_buffer").c_str())));
+    input->Set(attrStream, input->Get(attrBuffer));
+    // Output
+    Local<Object> output = NanNew<Object>();
+    output->Set(attrFile, NanNew<Boolean>(
+      vips_type_find("VipsOperation", (f + "save").c_str())));
+    output->Set(attrBuffer, NanNew<Boolean>(
+      vips_type_find("VipsOperation", (f + "save_buffer").c_str())));
+    output->Set(attrStream, output->Get(attrBuffer));
+    // Other attributes
+    Local<Object> container = NanNew<Object>();
+    Local<String> formatId = NanNew<String>(f);
+    container->Set(attrId, formatId);
+    container->Set(attrInput, input);
+    container->Set(attrOutput, output);
+    // Add to set of formats
+    format->Set(formatId, container);
+  }
+
+  // Raw, uncompressed data
+  Local<Object> raw = NanNew<Object>();
+  raw->Set(attrId, NanNew<String>("raw"));
+  format->Set(NanNew<String>("raw"), raw);
+  // No support for raw input yet, so always false
+  Local<Boolean> unsupported = NanNew<Boolean>(false);
+  Local<Object> rawInput = NanNew<Object>();
+  rawInput->Set(attrFile, unsupported);
+  rawInput->Set(attrBuffer, unsupported);
+  rawInput->Set(attrStream, unsupported);
+  raw->Set(attrInput, rawInput);
+  // Raw output via Buffer/Stream is available in libvips >= 7.42.0
+  Local<Boolean> supportsRawOutput = NanNew<Boolean>(vips_version(0) >= 8 || (vips_version(0) == 7 && vips_version(1) >= 42));
+  Local<Object> rawOutput = NanNew<Object>();
+  rawOutput->Set(attrFile, unsupported);
+  rawOutput->Set(attrBuffer, supportsRawOutput);
+  rawOutput->Set(attrStream, supportsRawOutput);
+  raw->Set(attrOutput, rawOutput);
+
+  NanReturnValue(format);
+}
diff --git a/src/utilities.h b/src/utilities.h
index 7c319aa6..8fe53020 100755
--- a/src/utilities.h
+++ b/src/utilities.h
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ NAN_METHOD(cache);
 NAN_METHOD(concurrency);
 NAN_METHOD(counters);
 NAN_METHOD(libvipsVersion);
+NAN_METHOD(format);
 
 #endif  // SRC_UTILITIES_H_
diff --git a/test/unit/io.js b/test/unit/io.js
index 101a13c4..5f924c87 100755
--- a/test/unit/io.js
+++ b/test/unit/io.js
@@ -488,39 +488,43 @@ describe('Input/output', function() {
       });
   });
 
-  it('Convert SVG, if supported, to PNG', function(done) {
-    sharp(fixtures.inputSvg)
-      .resize(100, 100)
-      .toFormat('png')
-      .toFile(fixtures.path('output.svg.png'), function(err, info) {
-        if (err) {
-          assert.strictEqual('Input file is of an unsupported image format', err.message);
-        } else {
+  if (sharp.format.magick.input.file) {
+    it('Convert SVG, if supported, to PNG', function(done) {
+      sharp(fixtures.inputSvg)
+        .resize(100, 100)
+        .toFormat('png')
+        .toFile(fixtures.path('output.svg.png'), function(err, info) {
+          if (err) {
+            assert.strictEqual('Input file is of an unsupported image format', err.message);
+          } else {
+            assert.strictEqual(true, info.size > 0);
+            assert.strictEqual('png', info.format);
+            assert.strictEqual(100, info.width);
+            assert.strictEqual(100, info.height);
+          }
+          done();
+        });
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (sharp.format.magick.input.file) {
+    it('Convert PSD to PNG', function(done) {
+      sharp(fixtures.inputPsd)
+        .resize(320, 240)
+        .toFormat(sharp.format.png)
+        .toFile(fixtures.path('output.psd.png'), function(err, info) {
+          if (err) throw err;
           assert.strictEqual(true, info.size > 0);
           assert.strictEqual('png', info.format);
-          assert.strictEqual(100, info.width);
-          assert.strictEqual(100, info.height);
-        }
-        done();
-      });
-  });
+          assert.strictEqual(320, info.width);
+          assert.strictEqual(240, info.height);
+          done();
+        });
+    });
+  }
 
-  it('Convert PSD to PNG', function(done) {
-    sharp(fixtures.inputPsd)
-      .resize(320, 240)
-      .toFormat(sharp.format.png)
-      .toFile(fixtures.path('output.psd.png'), function(err, info) {
-        if (err) throw err;
-        assert.strictEqual(true, info.size > 0);
-        assert.strictEqual('png', info.format);
-        assert.strictEqual(320, info.width);
-        assert.strictEqual(240, info.height);
-        done();
-      });
-  });
-
-  if (semver.gte(sharp.libvipsVersion(), '7.40.0')) {
-    it('Load TIFF from Buffer [libvips ' + sharp.libvipsVersion() + '>=7.40.0]', function(done) {
+  if (sharp.format.tiff.input.buffer) {
+    it('Load TIFF from Buffer', function(done) {
       var inputTiffBuffer = fs.readFileSync(fixtures.inputTiff);
       sharp(inputTiffBuffer)
         .resize(320, 240)
@@ -537,8 +541,8 @@ describe('Input/output', function() {
     });
   }
 
-  if (semver.gte(sharp.libvipsVersion(), '8.0.0')) {
-    it('Load GIF from Buffer [libvips ' + sharp.libvipsVersion() + '>=8.0.0]', function(done) {
+  if (sharp.format.magick.input.buffer) {
+    it('Load GIF from Buffer', function(done) {
       var inputGifBuffer = fs.readFileSync(fixtures.inputGif);
       sharp(inputGifBuffer)
         .resize(320, 240)
@@ -555,8 +559,8 @@ describe('Input/output', function() {
     });
   }
 
-  if (semver.gte(sharp.libvipsVersion(), '7.42.0')) {
-    describe('Ouput raw, uncompressed image data [libvips ' + sharp.libvipsVersion() + '>=7.42.0]', function() {
+  if (sharp.format.raw.output.buffer) {
+    describe('Ouput raw, uncompressed image data', function() {
       it('1 channel greyscale image', function(done) {
         sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
           .greyscale()
diff --git a/test/unit/util.js b/test/unit/util.js
index e1e7291d..39304ee0 100755
--- a/test/unit/util.js
+++ b/test/unit/util.js
@@ -50,4 +50,25 @@ describe('Utilities', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('Format', function() {
+    it('Contains expected attributes', function() {
+      assert.strictEqual('object', typeof sharp.format);
+      Object.keys(sharp.format).forEach(function(format) {
+        assert.strictEqual(true, 'id' in sharp.format[format]);
+        assert.strictEqual(format, sharp.format[format].id);
+        ['input', 'output'].forEach(function(direction) {
+          assert.strictEqual(true, direction in sharp.format[format]);
+          assert.strictEqual('object', typeof sharp.format[format][direction]);
+          assert.strictEqual(3, Object.keys(sharp.format[format][direction]).length);
+          assert.strictEqual(true, 'file' in sharp.format[format][direction]);
+          assert.strictEqual(true, 'buffer' in sharp.format[format][direction]);
+          assert.strictEqual(true, 'stream' in sharp.format[format][direction]);
+          assert.strictEqual('boolean', typeof sharp.format[format][direction].file);
+          assert.strictEqual('boolean', typeof sharp.format[format][direction].buffer);
+          assert.strictEqual('boolean', typeof sharp.format[format][direction].stream);
+        });
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
 });