FFmpeg
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- No
- Runs on
- Windows, Mac, Linux
Summary
FFmpeg is free, open-source software for recording, converting, and streaming audio and video on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its command-line tool converts media files between formats. It can record locally and lists AVI among its output formats, with output protocols including HLS, RTMP, RTMPS, RTP, RTSP, SRT, and UDP. Hardware acceleration is available for encoding and decoding. Decoding support includes Vulkan, VAAPI, and OpenHarmony; Vulkan codecs can run on implementations of Vulkan 1.3. The Vulkan compute approach supports FFv1 encoding and decoding and ProRes RAW decoding, but applies only to codecs built for parallel decoding. FFmpeg’s transcoding components can run in parallel, potentially improving throughput and CPU use, though this may have little effect when one component dominates processing. Version 8.1 Hoare was announced as available for download on March 16, 2026.
Who it is for
FFmpeg suits people who need a cross-platform tool for media conversion, recording, or streaming and are comfortable using a command-line program. Its acceleration and protocol options may be useful for varied encoding and decoding workflows.
What is good
- Free and open source.
- Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Converts media through a command-line tool.
- Supports hardware-accelerated encoding and decoding.
- Offers multiple streaming protocols.
What to know first
- The main conversion tool is command-line based.
- Vulkan compute applies only to parallelizable codecs.
- Parallel processing may not help when one component dominates.
Verdict
FFmpeg provides broad media conversion, recording, and streaming capabilities across three desktop platforms. Its command-line approach and codec-specific acceleration limits are worth considering before choosing it.
Compared on video converter software
- Encoder type
- desktopffmpeg.org
- Output protocols
- HLS, RTMP, RTMPS, RTP, RTSP, SRT, UDPffmpeg.org
- Local recording
- Yesffmpeg.org
Facts
- Cross-Platform Solution
- FFmpeg records, converts, and streams audio and video across platforms.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Command-Line Conversion
- The ffmpeg command-line tool converts media files between formats.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Latest Release
- FFmpeg 8.1 Hoare was announced as available for download on March 16, 2026.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Hardware Encoding
- FFmpeg 8.0 included hardware-accelerated encoding using Vulkan and OpenHarmony.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Hardware Decoding
- FFmpeg supports hardware-accelerated decoding through Vulkan, VAAPI, and OpenHarmony.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Vulkan Support
- Vulkan codecs can work on implementations of Vulkan 1.3.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Supported Codecs
- Vulkan compute implementations support FFv1 encoding and decoding and ProRes RAW decoding.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Codec Limitations
- Only codecs designed for parallelized decoding can use the described Vulkan compute approach.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Multithreaded Pipeline
- The transcoding pipeline components run in parallel, improving throughput and CPU utilization.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Performance Limitation
- Parallel processing may not significantly improve cases dominated by one computational component.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Generic Acceleration
- Vulkan decoding is described as vendor-generic and platform-generic.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Compatibility Change
- FFmpeg 7.0 was not backwards compatible and removed APIs deprecated before version 6.0.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Build Requirement
- FFmpeg 7.0 requires a C11-compliant compiler to build the code.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Source Forge
- FFmpeg accepts contributions through a Forgejo instance at code.ffmpeg.org.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Community Channels
- The project provides mailing lists, IRC, forums, bug reports, a wiki, and conferences.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Government Sponsor
- Germany's Sovereign Tech Fund became FFmpeg's first governmental sponsor in 2024.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
- Static Analysis Quality
- FFmpeg's defect density is less than one-thirtieth of the average in open-source software with over a million lines.ffmpeg.org · 27 Sept 2026
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Sources
- ffmpeg.org· checked 27 Sept 2026