# markus-perl/ffmpeg-build-script

The FFmpeg build script provides an easy way to build a static FFmpeg on OSX and Linux with non-free codecs included.

Repository: https://github.com/markus-perl/ffmpeg-build-script
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/ffmpeg-build-script
Language: Shell
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Topics: ffmpeg, osx, fdk-aac, debian, webm, av1, h265, x264, h264, webm-conversion, mp3, ffmpeg-installer, ffmpeg-mac, ffmpeg-linux, ogg, theora, cuda, silicon, hevc
Last push: 2026-08-25T05:54:43+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 99/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 99, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4334, "days_push": 8, "days_rel": 8, "gap_med": 12, "n_releases_24m": 16}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1215, forks 366 (observed 2026-08-28T04:04:00.982296+00:00)

## What it is
A shell script that builds a static FFmpeg binary from source on macOS and Linux, with optional GPL and non-free codecs. It supports Apple Silicon, CUDA hardware acceleration, and Docker-based builds.

## Use cases
- build a static ffmpeg binary on macos
- compile ffmpeg with non-free codecs like fdk-aac
- install ffmpeg on ubuntu without package manager
- build ffmpeg with cuda gpu acceleration
- get ffmpeg with av1 and hevc encoding support
- build ffmpeg on apple silicon m1
- run a self-contained ffmpeg in docker

## When to choose
- you need a fully static ffmpeg binary with specific codecs enabled
- your distro's ffmpeg package lacks codecs like fdk-aac or libx265
- you want GPU-accelerated encoding via CUDA or VideoToolbox
- you need ffmpeg on macOS including Apple Silicon without Homebrew

## When to avoid
- you are on Windows natively (use Docker or WSL2 instead)
- you just need a standard ffmpeg install from your package manager
- you cannot accept non-redistributable binaries due to GPL/non-free licensing
- you need guaranteed support for distros other than Debian and macOS

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: build-tool, video-processing, audio-processing
- domain: media, developer-tools
- platform: -
- tags: ffmpeg, static-binary, codecs, shell-script, gpu-acceleration, apple-silicon, command-line, macos, linux, docker

## Member repositories
- markus-perl/ffmpeg-build-script (main) score 99

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:00.982296+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T06:17:16.894710+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/markus-perl/ffmpeg-build-script (fetched 2026-08-28T04:04:00.982296+00:00, sha 9fe10edfdc2d)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.