[Drupal 8] Create file/ media_entity programmatically

file_media_entity.php

<?php 
$filesystem = \Drupal::service('file_system');
// Create file entity.
$image = File::create();
$image->setFileUri($destination);
$image->setOwnerId(\Drupal::currentUser()->id());
$image->setMimeType('image/' . pathinfo($destination, PATHINFO_EXTENSION));
$image->setFileName($filesystem->basename($destination));
$image->setPermanent();
$image->save();
// Create media entity with saved file.
$image_media = Media::create([
  'bundle' => 'image',
  'uid' => \Drupal::currentUser()->id(),
  'langcode' => \Drupal::languageManager()->getDefaultLanguage()->getId(),
  'status' => Media::PUBLISHED,
  'field_image' => [
    'target_id' => $image->id(),
    'alt' => t('Placeholder image'),
    'title' => t('Placeholder image'),
  ],
 ]);
$image_media->save();

Thanks @Adm94. I tried what you said and it now works fine. Thanks a lot.

You can directly pass the file Entity when you create the media like this :

$image_media = Media::create([
'bundle' => 'image',
'uid' => \Drupal::currentUser()->id(),
'langcode' => \Drupal::languageManager()->getDefaultLanguage()->getId(),
'field_image' => $file
]);

Hi, is it possible to load existing media image into a media field ? I used Media::create but the problem is, its creating duplicate in the media browser, I tied Media::load with the media id of the image, no luck.
any assistance would be really helpful.

To avoid duplicate in the media browser, you can use the form display entity reference autocomplete.

Hi Chris, thank you for the reply. If I use autocomplete it will difficult for the editor to browse the existing image they required.

Don't you need to set the thumbnail and field_media_image key in the Media entity too ?
For my case, without that, my media entity was associated with a default file.

"thumbnail" => [
     "target_id" => $file->id(),
     "alt" => $file->getFilename(),
],
"field_media_image" => [
    "target_id" => $file->id(),
     "alt" => $file->getFilename(),
],

Thanks a lot, that worked with "thumbnail" 👍