-Most files in FFmpeg are under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1
-or later (LGPL v2.1+). Read the file COPYING.LGPL for details. Some other files
-have a MIT/X11/BSD-style license. In combination the LGPL v2.1+ applies to
-FFmpeg.
+Libav:
+======
-Some optional parts of FFmpeg are licensed under the GNU General Public License
-version 2 or later (GPL v2+). See the file COPYING.GPL for details. None of
+Most files in Libav 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
+Libav.
+
+Some optional parts of Libav 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+.
+configure to activate them. In this case, Libav's license changes to GPL v2+.
-Specifically, the GPL parts of FFmpeg are
+Specifically, the GPL parts of Libav are
-- libpostproc
-- some x86 and AltiVec optimizations in libswscale
-- optional x86 optimizations in the files
- libavcodec/x86/h264_deblock_sse2.asm
- libavcodec/x86/h264_idct_sse2.asm
- libavcodec/x86/idct_mmx.c
-- the AC-3 decoder in libavcodec/ac3dec.c
- the X11 grabber in libavdevice/x11grab.c
+- the texi2pod.pl tool
+- the following filters in libavfilter:
+ - vf_blackframe.c
+ - vf_boxblur.c
+ - vf_cropdetect.c
+ - vf_delogo.c
+ - vf_hqdn3d.c
+ - vf_interlace.c
-Some external libraries, e.g. libx264, are under GPL and can be used in
-conjunction with FFmpeg. They require --enable-gpl to be passed to configure
-as well.
-
-The nonfree external libraries libamrnb and libamrwb can be hooked up in FFmpeg.
-You need to pass --enable-nonfree to configure to enable them. Employ this
-option with care as FFmpeg then becomes nonfree and unredistributable.
+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.c, libavcodec/jrevdct.c
- are taken from libjpeg, see the top of the files for licensing details.
+* 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.
+
+
+external libraries
+==================
+
+Libav can be combined with a number of external libraries, which sometimes
+affect the licensing of binaries resulting from the combination.
+
+compatible libraries
+--------------------
+
+The libcdio, libx264, libx265, libxavs and libxvid libraries are under GPL. When
+combining them with Libav, Libav 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 Libav, the
+license version needs to be upgraded by passing --enable-version3 to configure.
+
+incompatible libraries
+----------------------
-* The file libavcodec/fdctref.c is copyrighted by the MPEG Software Simulation
- Group with all rights reserved. It is only used to create a DCT test program
- and not compiled into libavcodec.
+The Fraunhofer AAC library, FAAC and OpenSSL are under licenses incompatible
+with all (L)GPL versions. Thus, unfortunately, since both licenses cannot be
+satisfied simultaneously, binaries resulting from the combination of Libav
+with these libraries are nonfree und unredistributable. If you wish to enable
+any of these libraries nonetheless, pass --enable-nonfree to configure.
projects / ffmpeg / blobdiff