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List of open-source codecs
open-in-new
<h2 id="video-codecs">Video codecs</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/X264/owWXH5CL">x264</a> – <a href="/facts/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC/soCzKcmJ">H.264/MPEG-4 AVC</a> implementation. x264 is not a codec (encoder/decoder); it is just an encoder (it cannot decode video).</li> <li><a href="/facts/OpenH264/X5HKAR5G">OpenH264</a> – H.264 baseline profile encoding and decoding</li> <li>OpenVVC<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> an <a href="/facts/Versatile_Video_Coding/nY7Ew1q8">VVC /H.266</a> <a href="/facts/Real-time_computing/p9HxgL4L">Real Time</a>-<a href="/facts/Video_decoder/4xyFGyNo">Decoder</a> for <a href="/facts/Mac_OS/EkobAhow">Mac OS</a>, <a href="/facts/Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>, <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a> and <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a> and special Version of <a href="/facts/FFmpeg/85yf3kHI">FFmpeg</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> which was used for <a href="/facts/Ateme/JUmxe1cP">Ateme</a> <a href="/facts/Satellite/PTX8c68t">Satellite</a> <a href="/facts/Broadcast/AV1f3dGy">Broadcast</a> Test.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/X265/grbdzKzS">x265</a> – An encoder based on the <a href="/facts/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding/6gp7DC1a">High Efficiency Video Coding</a> (HEVC/H.265) standard.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Xvid/CbpsozCI">Xvid</a> – <a href="/facts/MPEG-4_Part_2/qrahXdyN">MPEG-4 Part 2</a> codec, compatible with <a href="/facts/DivX/xHglFaG2">DivX</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Libvpx/YFQEMMSu">libvpx</a> – <a href="/facts/VP8/dfoDPMDg">VP8</a> and <a href="/facts/VP9/dBP8ffoc">VP9</a> implementation; formerly a proprietary codec developed by <a href="/facts/On2_Technologies/IDyBFK8S">On2 Technologies</a>, released by Google under a BSD-like license in May 2010.</li> <li>SVT-AV1 – An <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a> encoder originally developed by <a href="/facts/Intel/SMF0gJJX">Intel</a> and <a href="/facts/Netflix/TKtlFVY9">Netflix</a>, which is available as <a href="/facts/FOSS/1cHtjLCB">FOSS</a> now.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> SVT-AV1 is generally considered to be the most optimized and fastest free AV1 encoder, which is why it serves as the base for the development of new, free, general-purpose and production-ready implementations in the <i>AOMedia Software Implementation Working Group</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> While SVT-AV1 already performs very well in constrained quality mode and is economically usable for many scenarios, as of the time being commercial implementations like Aurora1 may still beat it.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/VideoLAN/2pKPhseQ">VideoLAN</a> dav1d – An <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a> decoder for decoding videos with AV1 codec</li> <li><a href="/facts/Xiph.Org/HJCFzyyx">Xiph.Org</a> rav1e – An <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a> encoder written in <a href="/facts/Rust_(programming_language)/8JNMV19F">Rust</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Google/GT9Sugza">Google</a> libgav1 – An <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a> decoder by Google</li> <li>xvc – An open source video codec, aiming to compete with <a href="/facts/H.265/6gp7DC1a">h.265</a> and <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a>. The reference implementation is released under the <a href="/facts/LGPL_2.1/AXwkz9x3">LGPL 2.1</a> and currently available in version 2.0 (as of 12/2020)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/FFmpeg/85yf3kHI">FFmpeg</a> codecs – Codecs in the <a href="/facts/Libavcodec/69SFWWvw">libavcodec</a> library from the FFmpeg project (<a href="/facts/FFV1/4jgrMNBK">FFV1</a>, <a href="/facts/Snow_(codec)/85yf3kHI">Snow</a>, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 part 2, MSMPEG-4, WMV2, <a href="/facts/SVQ1/Io1gh5kb">SVQ1</a>, MJPEG, HuffYUV and others). Decoders in the libavcodec (H.264, SVQ3, WMV3, VP3, Theora, Indeo, Dirac, Lagarith and others).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Lagarith/GClgC2F4">Lagarith</a> – Video codec designed for strong lossless compression in RGB(A) colorspace (similar to ZIP/RAR/etc.)</li> <li>libtheora – A <a href="/facts/Reference_implementation/k9B97xel">reference implementation</a> of the <a href="/facts/Theora/RnlKRQBb">Theora</a> format, based on <a href="/facts/VP3/0uCWamRp">VP3</a>, part of the Ogg Project</li> <li><a href="/facts/Dirac_(codec)/RJGIIss7">Dirac</a> as dirac-research, a <a href="/facts/Wavelet/3XcX4uIP">wavelet</a> based codec created by the <a href="/facts/BBC_Research/quEKy1jS">BBC Research</a>, and Schrödinger, an implementation developed by David Schleef.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Huffyuv/h0krtjGQ">Huffyuv</a> – <a href="/facts/Lossless/LS702KsN">Lossless</a> codec from BenRG</li> <li><a href="/facts/Daala/0oyPpRJP">Daala</a> – Experimental <a href="/facts/Video_codec/psfSuqg7">Video codec</a> which was under development by the <a href="/facts/Xiph.Org_Foundation/HJCFzyyx">Xiph.Org Foundation</a> and finally merged into <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Thor_(video_codec)/rG5hNmWQ">Thor</a> – Experimental royalty free video codec which was under development by <a href="/facts/Cisco_Systems/ocDgQt6T">Cisco Systems</a>, and merged technologies into <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a>.</li> <li>Turing – A <a href="/facts/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding/6gp7DC1a">High Efficiency Video Coding</a> (HEVC/H.265) encoder implemented by <a href="/facts/BBC_Research/quEKy1jS">BBC Research</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">libaom</a> – <a href="/facts/Reference_implementation/k9B97xel">Reference implementation</a> for the royalty free <a href="/facts/AV1/d07UxHgf">AV1</a> video coding format by <a href="/facts/AOMedia/hh8D2xpK">AOMedia</a>, inheriting technologies from <a href="/facts/VP9/dBP8ffoc">VP9</a>, <a href="/facts/Daala/0oyPpRJP">Daala</a> and <a href="/facts/Thor_(video_codec)/rG5hNmWQ">Thor</a>.</li> <li>Kvazaar – An academic open-source encoder based on the <a href="/facts/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding/6gp7DC1a">High Efficiency Video Coding</a> (HEVC/H.265) standard.</li> <li>UVG266 academic <a href="/facts/Open-source/7X9rCdz4">open-source</a> <a href="/facts/Versatile_Video_Coding/nY7Ew1q8">VVC/H.266</a> encoder based on Kvazaar.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> (on <a href="/facts/BSD_licenses/XLtmLp5x">3 Clause BSD License</a> for <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a>/<a href="/facts/Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>/<a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a>, and in Development)</li> <li>VVenC & VVdeC – An open-source encoder and decoder released by <a href="/facts/Fraunhofer_HHI/5oomHUel">Fraunhofer HHI</a> based on the <a href="/facts/Versatile_Video_Coding/nY7Ew1q8">Versatile Video Coding (VVC/H.266)</a> standard available on GitHub.</li> <li>XEVE (the eXtra-fast Essential Video Encoder) MPEG-5 Part 1: <a href="/facts/Essential_Video_Coding/PmtYmLAI">Essential Video Coding</a></li> <li>XEVD (the eXtra-fast Essential Video Decoder) MPEG-5 Part 1: <a href="/facts/Essential_Video_Coding/PmtYmLAI">Essential Video Coding</a></li> <li>REVC – a <a href="/facts/Rust_(programming_language)/8JNMV19F">Rust</a>-based MPEG-5 Part 1: <a href="/facts/Essential_Video_Coding/PmtYmLAI">Essential Video Coding</a> baseline encoder and <a href="/facts/Video_decoder/4xyFGyNo">decoder</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="audio-codecs">Audio codecs</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/FLAC/TbqpHlWy">FLAC</a> – Lossless codec developed by Xiph.Org Foundation.</li> <li><a href="/facts/LAME/stqsN04t">LAME</a> – Lossy compression (MP3 format).</li> <li><a href="/facts/TooLAME/wXMTzS4G">TooLAME</a>/<a href="/facts/TooLAME/wXMTzS4G">TwoLAME</a> – Lossy compression (MP2 format).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Musepack/GX6WMwkl">Musepack</a> – Lossy compression; based on MP2 format, with many improvements.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Speex/M7xqnPxN">Speex</a> – Low bitrate compression, primarily voice; developed by Xiph.Org Foundation. Deprecated in favour of Opus according to www.speex.org.</li> <li><a href="/facts/CELT/52Wt9cbu">CELT</a> – Lossy compression for low-latency audio communication</li> <li>libopus – A reference implementation of the <a href="/facts/Opus_(audio_format)/VP4KuGre">Opus</a> format, the IETF standards-track successor to CELT. (Opus support is mandatory for <a href="/facts/WebRTC/Ph9R1k9R">WebRTC</a> implementations.)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Libvorbis/rqJDTF0T">libvorbis</a> – Lossy compression, implementation of the <a href="/facts/Vorbis/rqJDTF0T">Vorbis</a> format; developed by Xiph.Org Foundation.</li> <li><a href="/facts/ILBC/rPQsKfjo">iLBC</a> – Low bitrate compression, primarily voice</li> <li><a href="/facts/Internet_Speech_Audio_Codec/vN6e0qvG">iSAC</a> – Low bitrate compression, primarily voice; (free when using the WebRTC codebase)</li> <li>TTA – Lossless compression</li> <li><a href="/facts/WavPack/MN8nT9Gj">WavPack</a> – Hybrid lossy/lossless</li> <li>Bonk – Hybrid lossy/lossless; supported by <a href="/facts/Fre:ac/4tQRh4yn">fre:ac</a> (formerly BonkEnc)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Apple_Lossless/a0D0hzbK">Apple Lossless</a> – Lossless compression (MP4)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fraunhofer_FDK_AAC/bAn7IEf6">Fraunhofer FDK AAC</a> – Lossy compression (AAC)</li> <li>FFmpeg codecs in the <i><a href="/facts/Libavcodec/69SFWWvw">libavcodec</a></i> library, e.g. AC-3, AAC, ADPCM, PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, <a href="/facts/Windows_Media_Audio/s5zePro7">WMA</a>, Vorbis, MP2, etc.</li> <li><a href="/facts/FAAD2/Gq4y95Jq">FAAD2</a> – open-source decoder for <a href="/facts/Advanced_Audio_Coding/VAG9NpI4">Advanced Audio Coding</a>. There is also <a href="/facts/FAAC/Gq4y95Jq">FAAC</a>, the same project's encoder, but it is proprietary (but still <a href="/facts/Freeware/c8oGA9ju">free of charge</a>).</li> <li><a href="/facts/Libgsm/WFfuQf2C">libgsm</a> – Lossy compression (<a href="/facts/GSM_06.10/WFfuQf2C">GSM 06.10</a>)</li> <li>opencore-amr – Lossy compression (<a href="/facts/Adaptive_Multi-Rate_audio_codec/lE2gNqNr">AMR</a> and AMR-WB)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Liba52/nfyW0yjn">liba52</a> – a free <a href="/facts/ATSC_A/52/58JfURnU">ATSC A/52</a> stream decoder (AC-3)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Libdca/dmbDDPS9">libdca</a> – a free DTS Coherent Acoustics decoder</li> <li><a href="/facts/Codec2/c1v01HdD">Codec2</a> – Low bitrate compression, primarily voice</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Free and open-source software portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_codecs/e5nTCc5X">List of codecs</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Comparison_of_video_codecs/Mq3ppaAy">Comparison of video codecs</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Comparison_of_audio_coding_formats/vn4Ym1dR">Comparison of audio coding formats</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Comparison_of_video_player_software/zHVHvVN7">Comparison of video player software</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Comparison_of_audio_player_software/RqKDc3Aw">Comparison of audio player software</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Open_file_format/TKcCW6mA">Open file format</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>IETR (2021-09-30). "OpenVVC French VVC Decoder". GitHub. <a href="https://github.com/OpenVVC" target="_blank">https://github.com/OpenVVC</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>IETR (2021-09-30). "Modified FFmpeg for VVC". GitHub. <a href="https://github.com/OpenVVC/FFmpeg" target="_blank">https://github.com/OpenVVC/FFmpeg</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"ATEME Joins Forces with SES to Trial First-Ever Live Over-The-Air UHD Broadcast Using VVC – ATEME". 2020-07-14. <a href="https://www.ateme.com/ateme-joins-forces-with-ses-to-trial-first-ever-live-over-the-air-uhd-broadcast-using-vvc/" target="_blank">https://www.ateme.com/ateme-joins-forces-with-ses-to-trial-first-ever-live-over-the-air-uhd-broadcast-using-vvc/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>ouest-valorisation.fr (2021-09-30). "DÉCODEUR VIDÉO VVC TEMPS RÉEL" (in French). <a href="https://www.ouest-valorisation.fr/entreprises/trouver-une-technologie-innovante/tic/logiciel/defense/2021_t_00024-decodeur-video-vvc-temps-reel/" target="_blank">https://www.ouest-valorisation.fr/entreprises/trouver-une-technologie-innovante/tic/logiciel/defense/2021_t_00024-decodeur-video-vvc-temps-reel/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Intel, Netflix to Deliver AV1 Scalable Codec to Power Next-Gen Compression Tech for Visual Workloads". <a href="https://newsroom.intel.com/news/intel-netflix-deliver-av1-scalable-codec-power-next-gen-compression-tech-visual-workloads/" target="_blank">https://newsroom.intel.com/news/intel-netflix-deliver-av1-scalable-codec-power-next-gen-compression-tech-visual-workloads/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"AOMedia Software Implementation Working Group to Bring AV1 to More Video Platforms". Alliance for Open Media. 20 August 2020. <a href="http://aomedia.org/press%20releases/aomedia-software-implementation-working-group-to-bring-av1-to-more-video-platforms/" target="_blank">http://aomedia.org/press%20releases/aomedia-software-implementation-working-group-to-bring-av1-to-more-video-platforms/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"AV1 Has Arrived: Comparing Codecs from AOMedia, Visionular, and Intel/Netflix". 18 September 2020. <a href="https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=142941" target="_blank">https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=142941</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"XVC". Retrieved 2024-01-11. <a href="https://xvc.io/" target="_blank">https://xvc.io/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Schrodinger FAQ". Archived from the original on 2010-10-17. Retrieved 2011-03-05. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101017224058/http://diracvideo.org/schrodinger-faq/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20101017224058/http://diracvideo.org/schrodinger-faq/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"UVG266". Retrieved 2024-01-11. <a href="https://github.com/ultravideo/uvg266" target="_blank">https://github.com/ultravideo/uvg266</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"The fastest and safest EVC encoder and decoder". GitHub. Retrieved 26 August 2020. <a href="https://github.com/revcx/revc" target="_blank">https://github.com/revcx/revc</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>