1 \input texinfo @c -*- texinfo -*-
3 @settitle Developer Documentation
5 @center @titlefont{Developer Documentation}
12 @chapter Developers Guide
16 @item libavcodec is the library containing the codecs (both encoding and
17 decoding). Look at @file{libavcodec/apiexample.c} to see how to use it.
19 @item libavformat is the library containing the file format handling (mux and
20 demux code for several formats). Look at @file{avplay.c} to use it in a
21 player. See @file{libavformat/output-example.c} to use it to generate
22 audio or video streams.
26 @section Integrating libav in your program
28 Shared libraries should be used whenever is possible in order to reduce
29 the effort distributors have to pour to support programs and to ensure
30 only the public api is used.
32 You can use Libav in your commercial program, but you must abide to the
33 license, LGPL or GPL depending on the specific features used, please refer
34 to @uref{http://libav.org/legal.html, our legal page} for a quick checklist and to
35 the following links for the exact text of each license:
36 @uref{http://git.libav.org/?p=libav.git;a=blob;f=COPYING.GPLv2, GPL version 2},
37 @uref{http://git.libav.org/?p=libav.git;a=blob;f=COPYING.GPLv3, GPL version 3},
38 @uref{http://git.libav.org/?p=libav.git;a=blob;f=COPYING.LGPLv2.1, LGPL version 2.1},
39 @uref{http://git.libav.org/?p=libav.git;a=blob;f=COPYING.LGPLv3, LGPL version 3}.
40 Any modification to the source code can be suggested for inclusion.
41 The best way to proceed is to send your patches to the
42 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-devel, libav-devel}
48 Libav is programmed in the ISO C90 language with a few additional
49 features from ISO C99, namely:
52 the @samp{inline} keyword;
56 designated struct initializers (@samp{struct s x = @{ .i = 17 @};})
58 compound literals (@samp{x = (struct s) @{ 17, 23 @};})
61 These features are supported by all compilers we care about, so we will not
62 accept patches to remove their use unless they absolutely do not impair
63 clarity and performance.
65 All code must compile with recent versions of GCC and a number of other
66 currently supported compilers. To ensure compatibility, please do not use
67 additional C99 features or GCC extensions. Especially watch out for:
70 mixing statements and declarations;
72 @samp{long long} (use @samp{int64_t} instead);
74 @samp{__attribute__} not protected by @samp{#ifdef __GNUC__} or similar;
76 GCC statement expressions (@samp{(x = (@{ int y = 4; y; @})}).
80 The presentation is one inspired by 'indent -i4 -kr -nut'.
81 The TAB character is forbidden outside of Makefiles as is any
82 form of trailing whitespace. Commits containing either will be
83 rejected by the git repository.
85 The main priority in Libav is simplicity and small code size in order to
86 minimize the bug count.
88 Comments: Use the JavaDoc/Doxygen
89 format (see examples below) so that code documentation
90 can be generated automatically. All nontrivial functions should have a comment
91 above them explaining what the function does, even if it is just one sentence.
92 All structures and their member variables should be documented, too.
105 typedef struct Foobar@{
106 int var1; /**< var1 description */
107 int var2; ///< var2 description
108 /** var3 description */
116 * @@param my_parameter description of my_parameter
117 * @@return return value description
119 int myfunc(int my_parameter)
123 fprintf and printf are forbidden in libavformat and libavcodec,
124 please use av_log() instead.
126 Casts should be used only when necessary. Unneeded parentheses
127 should also be avoided if they don't make the code easier to understand.
129 @section Development Policy
133 Contributions should be licensed under the LGPL 2.1, including an
134 "or any later version" clause, or the MIT license. GPL 2 including
135 an "or any later version" clause is also acceptable, but LGPL is
138 All the patches MUST be reviewed in the mailing list before they are
141 The Libav coding style should remain consistent. Changes to
142 conform will be suggested during the review or implemented on commit.
144 Patches should be generated using @code{git format-patch} or directly sent
145 using @code{git send-email}.
146 Please make sure you give the proper credit by setting the correct author
149 The commit message should have a short first line in the form of
150 @samp{topic: short description} as header, separated by a newline
151 from the body consting in few lines explaining the reason of the patch.
152 Referring to the issue on the bug tracker does not exempt to report an
155 Work in progress patches should be sent to the mailing list with the [WIP]
158 Branches in public personal repos are advised as way to
159 work on issues collaboratively.
161 You do not have to over-test things. If it works for you and you think it
162 should work for others, send it to the mailing list for review.
163 If you have doubt about portability please state it in the submission so
164 people with specific hardware could test it.
166 Do not commit unrelated changes together, split them into self-contained
167 pieces. Also do not forget that if part B depends on part A, but A does not
168 depend on B, then A can and should be committed first and separate from B.
169 Keeping changes well split into self-contained parts makes reviewing and
170 understanding them on the commit log mailing list easier. This also helps
171 in case of debugging later on.
173 Patches that change behavior of the programs (renaming options etc) or
174 public API or ABI should be discussed in depth and possible few days should
175 pass between discussion and commit.
176 Changes to the build system (Makefiles, configure script) which alter
177 the expected behavior should be considered in the same regard.
179 When applying patches that have been discussed (at length) on the mailing
180 list, reference the thread in the log message.
183 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-devel, libav-devel} and
184 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-commits, libav-commits}
186 Bugs and possible improvements or general questions regarding commits
187 are discussed on libav-devel. We expect you to react if problems with
188 your code are uncovered.
190 Update the documentation if you change behavior or add features. If you are
191 unsure how best to do this, send an [RFC] patch to libav-devel.
193 All discussions and decisions should be reported on the public developer
194 mailing list, so that there is a reference to them.
195 Other media (e.g. IRC) should be used for coordination and immediate
198 Never write to unallocated memory, never write over the end of arrays,
199 always check values read from some untrusted source before using them
200 as array index or other risky things. Always use valgrind to doublecheck.
202 Remember to check if you need to bump versions for the specific libav
203 parts (libavutil, libavcodec, libavformat) you are changing. You need
204 to change the version integer.
205 Incrementing the first component means no backward compatibility to
206 previous versions (e.g. removal of a function from the public API).
207 Incrementing the second component means backward compatible change
208 (e.g. addition of a function to the public API or extension of an
209 existing data structure).
210 Incrementing the third component means a noteworthy binary compatible
211 change (e.g. encoder bug fix that matters for the decoder).
213 Compiler warnings indicate potential bugs or code with bad style.
214 If it is a bug, the bug has to be fixed. If it is not, the code should
215 be changed to not generate a warning unless that causes a slowdown
216 or obfuscates the code.
217 If a type of warning leads to too many false positives, that warning
218 should be disabled, not the code changed.
220 If you add a new file, give it a proper license header. Do not copy and
221 paste it from a random place, use an existing file as template.
224 We think our rules are not too hard. If you have comments, contact us.
226 Note, some rules were borrowed from the MPlayer project.
228 @section Submitting patches
230 First, read the @ref{Coding Rules} above if you did not yet, in particular
231 the rules regarding patch submission.
233 As stated already, please do not submit a patch which contains several
235 Split it into separate, self-contained pieces. This does not mean splitting
236 file by file. Instead, make the patch as small as possible while still
237 keeping it as a logical unit that contains an individual change, even
238 if it spans multiple files. This makes reviewing your patches much easier
239 for us and greatly increases your chances of getting your patch applied.
241 Use the patcheck tool of Libav to check your patch.
242 The tool is located in the tools directory.
244 Run the @ref{Regression Tests} before submitting a patch in order to verify
245 it does not cause unexpected problems.
247 Patches should be posted as base64 encoded attachments (or any other
248 encoding which ensures that the patch will not be trashed during
250 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-devel, libav-devel}
253 It also helps quite a bit if you tell us what the patch does (for example
254 'replaces lrint by lrintf'), and why (for example '*BSD isn't C99 compliant
255 and has no lrint()'). This kind of explanation should be the body of the
258 Also please if you send several patches, send each patch as a separate mail,
259 do not attach several unrelated patches to the same mail.
261 Use @code{git send-email} when possible since it will properly send patches
262 without requiring extra care.
264 Your patch will be reviewed on the mailing list. You will likely be asked
265 to make some changes and are expected to send in an improved version that
266 incorporates the requests from the review. This process may go through
267 several iterations. Once your patch is deemed good enough, it will be
268 committed to the official Libav tree.
270 Give us a few days to react. But if some time passes without reaction,
271 send a reminder by email. Your patch should eventually be dealt with.
274 @section New codecs or formats checklist
278 Did you use av_cold for codec initialization and close functions?
280 Did you add a long_name under NULL_IF_CONFIG_SMALL to the AVCodec or
281 AVInputFormat/AVOutputFormat struct?
283 Did you bump the minor version number (and reset the micro version
284 number) in @file{avcodec.h} or @file{avformat.h}?
286 Did you register it in @file{allcodecs.c} or @file{allformats.c}?
288 Did you add the CodecID to @file{avcodec.h}?
290 If it has a fourcc, did you add it to @file{libavformat/riff.c},
291 even if it is only a decoder?
293 Did you add a rule to compile the appropriate files in the Makefile?
294 Remember to do this even if you are just adding a format to a file that
295 is already being compiled by some other rule, like a raw demuxer.
297 Did you add an entry to the table of supported formats or codecs in
298 @file{doc/general.texi}?
300 Did you add an entry in the Changelog?
302 If it depends on a parser or a library, did you add that dependency in
305 Did you @code{git add} the appropriate files before committing?
307 Did you make sure it compiles standalone, i.e. with
308 @code{configure --disable-everything --enable-decoder=foo}
309 (or @code{--enable-demuxer} or whatever your component is)?
313 @section patch submission checklist
317 Does @code{make fate} pass with the patch applied?
319 Does @code{make checkheaders} pass with the patch applied?
321 Is the patch against latest Libav git master branch?
323 Are you subscribed to the
324 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-devel, libav-devel}
325 mailing list? (Only list subscribers are allowed to post.)
327 Have you checked that the changes are minimal, so that the same cannot be
328 achieved with a smaller patch and/or simpler final code?
330 If the change is to speed critical code, did you benchmark it?
332 If you did any benchmarks, did you provide them in the mail?
334 Have you checked that the patch does not introduce buffer overflows or
335 other security issues?
337 Did you test your decoder or demuxer against damaged data? If no, see
338 tools/trasher and the noise bitstream filter. Your decoder or demuxer
339 should not crash or end in a (near) infinite loop when fed damaged data.
341 Does the patch not mix functional and cosmetic changes?
343 Did you add tabs or trailing whitespace to the code? Both are forbidden.
345 Is the patch attached to the email you send?
347 Is the mime type of the patch correct? It should be text/x-diff or
348 text/x-patch or at least text/plain and not application/octet-stream.
350 If the patch fixes a bug, did you provide a verbose analysis of the bug?
352 If the patch fixes a bug, did you provide enough information, including
353 a sample, so the bug can be reproduced and the fix can be verified?
354 Note please do not attach samples >100k to mails but rather provide a
355 URL, you can upload to ftp://upload.libav.org
357 Did you provide a verbose summary about what the patch does change?
359 Did you provide a verbose explanation why it changes things like it does?
361 Did you provide a verbose summary of the user visible advantages and
362 disadvantages if the patch is applied?
364 Did you provide an example so we can verify the new feature added by the
367 If you added a new file, did you insert a license header? It should be
368 taken from Libav, not randomly copied and pasted from somewhere else.
370 You should maintain alphabetical order in alphabetically ordered lists as
371 long as doing so does not break API/ABI compatibility.
373 Lines with similar content should be aligned vertically when doing so
374 improves readability.
377 @section Patch review process
379 All patches posted to the
380 @uref{https://lists.libav.org/mailman/listinfo/libav-devel, libav-devel}
381 mailing list will be reviewed, unless they contain a
382 clear note that the patch is not for the git master branch.
383 Reviews and comments will be posted as replies to the patch on the
384 mailing list. The patch submitter then has to take care of every comment,
385 that can be by resubmitting a changed patch or by discussion. Resubmitted
386 patches will themselves be reviewed like any other patch. If at some point
387 a patch passes review with no comments then it is approved, that can for
388 simple and small patches happen immediately while large patches will generally
389 have to be changed and reviewed many times before they are approved.
390 After a patch is approved it will be committed to the repository.
392 We will review all submitted patches, but sometimes we are quite busy so
393 especially for large patches this can take several weeks.
395 When resubmitting patches, if their size grew or during the review different
396 issues arisen please split the patch so each issue has a specific patch.
398 @anchor{Regression Tests}
399 @section Regression Tests
401 Before submitting a patch (or committing to the repository), you should at
402 least make sure that it does not break anything.
404 If the code changed has already a test present in FATE you should run it,
405 otherwise it is advised to add it.
407 Improvements to codec or demuxer might change the FATE results. Make sure
408 to commit the update reference with the change and to explain in the comment
409 why the expected result changed.
411 Please refer to @file{doc/fate.txt}.