Abstract: The low system usability and poor portability of application programs are the key reasons why most parallel image processing architectures available have not been used in practice. Based on the image algebra theory presented by Ritter, a parallel image processing environment is studied and implemented. To program the parallel architecture, users need only describe their algorithms with image algebra operations provided in the environment. The environment can automatically extract the optimal or approximately optimal parallel codes from the parallel functions library according to the algorithm description and a time cost model, and execute the application program. The parallel execution of application programs and the hardware details of the parallel architecture are transparent to users.