Opus
Opus is an open-source, high-quality audio codec designed for interactive speech and music transmission over the internet. It combines the best features of the SILK speech codec and the CELT music codec to provide low-latency, efficient compression suitable for real-time applications like VoIP, video conferencing, and streaming. It is standardized by the IETF as RFC 6716 and widely supported in web browsers, communication platforms, and media software.
Developers should learn and use Opus when building applications that require real-time audio communication, such as voice chat in games, video conferencing tools, or live streaming services, due to its low latency and high compression efficiency. It is particularly valuable for web-based projects because it is natively supported in modern browsers via the WebRTC API, eliminating the need for external plugins. Additionally, its flexibility in bitrate and sampling rate makes it suitable for diverse audio quality requirements, from low-bandwidth speech to high-fidelity music.