FFmpeg
FFmpeg is a free, open-source, cross-platform command-line tool and software library for handling multimedia data, including audio, video, and image files. It is used for recording, converting, streaming, and processing media in various formats, supporting a wide range of codecs and protocols. Its core components include libavcodec for encoding and decoding, libavformat for muxing and demuxing, and libavfilter for filtering.
Developers should learn FFmpeg when working on projects involving media processing, such as video editing apps, streaming services, or multimedia applications, as it provides powerful, scriptable functionality for tasks like format conversion, compression, and editing. It is essential for automating media workflows, handling diverse file types, and integrating with other tools in pipelines, making it a go-to solution for backend media processing in industries like entertainment, broadcasting, and software development.