How to install FFmpeg on Ubuntu 20.04?

Overview

FFmpeg is a software application that can be used across different platforms to perform a variety of multimedia tasks such as recording, converting and streaming audio/video files. Many software applications and websites make use of FFmpeg to handle the read and write operations of their multimedia files. In addition to being a useful tool for developers, FFmpeg also provides a command-line interface that allows users to manage, alter, and analyze their audio and video files in a variety of ways. This interface is capable of performing a large number of tasks related to multimedia file management, such as cutting and merging video files, adjusting video and audio quality, and converting files to different formats.

It is a powerful and versatile multimedia tool that can be used for a wide range of purposes, from basic file management to advanced video and audio editing. Its cross-platform compatibility and command-line interface makes it a popular choice for developers and users alike who require efficient and effective multimedia management tools.

Prerequisites

There are certain prerequisites that need to be met before you begin.

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS configured on your system.

• Non-root sudo user privileges.

Get Started

Step 1: Installing FFmpeg

• Update the package index:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

• Install FFmpeg:

sudo apt install ffmpeg

• Verify the installation by checking its version:

ffmpeg -version

Step 2: Utilizing the FFmpeg Command Line

FFmpeg is a powerful multimedia framework that includes a command-line tool for converting and manipulating audio and video files. The tool can be used to perform a wide range of operations, including video encoding, decoding, transcoding, filtering, and streaming. The ffmpeg CLI offers a vast array of options for its users to utilize. Below are some of the fundamental command line options commonly employed in conjunction with ffmpeg.

Command line options	Description
ffmpeg -version	to display version
ffmpeg -formats	to display available formats
ffmpeg -bsfs	to display available bit stream filters
ffmpeg -protocols	to display available protocols
ffmpeg -filters	to display available filters
ffmpeg -layouts	to display standard channel layouts
ffmpeg -decoders	to display available decoders
ffmpeg -encoders	to display available encoders

• To print all available FFmpeg’s encoders type, run the following command:

ffmpeg -encoders

• To print all available FFmpeg’s decoders type, run the following command:

ffmpeg -decoders

Conclusion

The aim of this tutorial is to give you directions on how to download and set up FFmpeg on your Linux system running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.