Native Audio Libraries
Native audio libraries are software libraries that provide low-level, platform-specific APIs for audio processing, playback, recording, and synthesis, typically written in languages like C or C++ for performance. They offer direct access to hardware and operating system audio services, enabling high-performance, low-latency audio applications such as digital audio workstations, games, and real-time audio effects. Examples include Core Audio on macOS/iOS, ALSA on Linux, and WASAPI on Windows.
Developers should learn native audio libraries when building applications requiring high-performance audio, low latency, or direct hardware control, such as professional music production software, game audio engines, or real-time audio processing tools. They are essential for cross-platform audio development where consistent, optimized performance across different operating systems is critical, and for applications that cannot rely on higher-level abstractions like web audio APIs.