#FFmpeg:
Most files in FFmpeg are under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1
or later (LGPL v2.1+). Read the file `COPYING.LGPLv2.1` for details. Some other
files have MIT/X11/BSD-style licenses. In combination the LGPL v2.1+ applies to
FFmpeg.
Some optional parts of FFmpeg are licensed under the GNU General Public License
version 2 or later (GPL v2+). See the file `COPYING.GPLv2` for details. None of
these parts are used by default, you have to explicitly pass `--enable-gpl` to
configure to activate them. In this case, FFmpeg's license changes to GPL v2+.
Specifically, the GPL parts of FFmpeg are:
- libpostproc
- optional x86 optimizations in the files
- `libavcodec/x86/flac_dsp_gpl.asm`
- `libavcodec/x86/idct_mmx.c`
- `libavfilter/x86/vf_removegrain.asm`
- libutvideo encoding/decoding wrappers in
`libavcodec/libutvideo*.cpp`
- the X11 grabber in `libavdevice/x11grab.c`
- the swresample test app in
`libswresample/swresample-test.c`
- the `texi2pod.pl` tool
- the following filters in libavfilter:
- `f_ebur128.c`
- `vf_blackframe.c`
- `vf_boxblur.c`
- `vf_colormatrix.c`
- `vf_cover_rect.c`
- `vf_cropdetect.c`
- `vf_delogo.c`
- `vf_eq.c`
- `vf_find_rect.c`
- `vf_fspp.c`
- `vf_geq.c`
- `vf_histeq.c`
- `vf_hqdn3d.c`
- `vf_interlace.c`
- `vf_kerndeint.c`
- `vf_mcdeint.c`
- `vf_mpdecimate.c`
- `vf_owdenoise.c`
- `vf_perspective.c`
- `vf_phase.c`
- `vf_pp.c`
- `vf_pp7.c`
- `vf_pullup.c`
- `vf_sab.c`
- `vf_smartblur.c`
- `vf_repeatfields.c`
- `vf_spp.c`
- `vf_stereo3d.c`
- `vf_super2xsai.c`
- `vf_tinterlace.c`
- `vf_uspp.c`
- `vsrc_mptestsrc.c`
Should you, for whatever reason, prefer to use version 3 of the (L)GPL, then
the configure parameter `--enable-version3` will activate this licensing option
for you. Read the file `COPYING.LGPLv3` or, if you have enabled GPL parts,
`COPYING.GPLv3` to learn the exact legal terms that apply in this case.
There are a handful of files under other licensing terms, namely:
* The files `libavcodec/jfdctfst.c`, `libavcodec/jfdctint_template.c` and
`libavcodec/jrevdct.c` are taken from libjpeg, see the top of the files for
licensing details. Specifically note that you must credit the IJG in the
documentation accompanying your program if you only distribute executables.
You must also indicate any changes including additions and deletions to
those three files in the documentation.
* `tests/reference.pnm` is under the expat license.
external libraries
==================
FFmpeg can be combined with a number of external libraries, which sometimes
affect the licensing of binaries resulting from the combination.
compatible libraries
--------------------
The following libraries are under GPL:
- frei0r
- libcdio
- libutvideo
- libvidstab
- libx264
- libx265
- libxavs
- libxvid
When combining them with FFmpeg, FFmpeg needs to be licensed as GPL as well by
passing `--enable-gpl` to configure.
The OpenCORE and VisualOn libraries are under the Apache License 2.0. That
license is incompatible with the LGPL v2.1 and the GPL v2, but not with
version 3 of those licenses. So to combine these libraries with FFmpeg, the
license version needs to be upgraded by passing `--enable-version3` to configure.
incompatible libraries
----------------------
The Fraunhofer AAC library, FAAC and aacplus are under licenses which
are incompatible with the GPLv2 and v3. We do not know for certain if their
licenses are compatible with the LGPL.
If you wish to enable these libraries, pass `--enable-nonfree` to configure.
But note that if you enable any of these libraries the resulting binary will
be under a complex license mix that is more restrictive than the LGPL and that
may result in additional obligations. It is possible that these
restrictions cause the resulting binary to be unredistributeable.