# andrewrk/libsoundio

C library for cross-platform real-time audio input and output

Repository: https://github.com/andrewrk/libsoundio
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/libsoundio
Homepage: http://libsound.io/
Language: C
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2025-01-13T00:38:33+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 33/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 1, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4082, "days_push": 598, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2099, forks 254 (observed 2026-08-28T04:06:13.475683+00:00)

## What it is
libsoundio is a lightweight C library providing cross-platform real-time audio input and output, abstracting over backends like JACK, PulseAudio, ALSA, CoreAudio, and WASAPI. It prioritizes performance and low-level control, exposing backend-specific features while offering a consistent API for real-time and consumer audio software.

## Use cases
- play audio in a cross-platform C application
- capture microphone input in real time
- build a digital audio workstation audio engine
- write a music player with low-latency output
- abstract over ALSA, PulseAudio, JACK, CoreAudio, and WASAPI with one API
- monitor audio device plug/unplug events
- open raw devices for exclusive low-latency access

## When to choose
- you need a small C library with no C++ runtime dependency
- you need real-time, low-latency audio I/O across Windows, macOS, and Linux
- you want direct control over buffering and backend-specific capabilities
- you need to connect to multiple audio backends simultaneously

## When to avoid
- you want built-in buffering, mixing, or audio processing
- you need a high-level audio engine with effects and codecs
- you target mobile or web platforms
- you prefer a C++ or managed-language API

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: maintenance
- function: audio-processing
- domain: cross-platform, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp
- tags: real-time-audio, c-library, jack, pulseaudio, alsa, coreaudio, wasapi, sound-backends, audio, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- andrewrk/libsoundio (main) score 33

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:13.475683+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 2026-08-30T02:54:22.367813+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/andrewrk/libsoundio (fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:13.475683+00:00, sha e117092421ba)
  - homepage: http://libsound.io/ (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.027821+00:00, sha d1fe86acef88)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-1.1.0 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.039469+00:00, sha ce0f88102c27)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-2.0.0 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.037411+00:00, sha 785cb9670f8b)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-1.0.3 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.041252+00:00, sha 1f429f7f9685)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-1.0.2 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.042871+00:00, sha 9c1a491d32fe)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-1.0.1 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.044460+00:00, sha 8ac579a774ba)
  - site_page: http://libsound.io/doc-1.0.0 (fetched 2026-08-29T10:34:45.046070+00:00, sha 7f539e1c8267)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.