How to Build FFmpeg from Source on Linux

Building FFmpeg from source can be a complex process, but with the right instructions, it's definitely achievable. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps of building FFmpeg for Linux.

First, let's talk about the benefits of building FFmpeg from source. One of the main advantages is that you have complete control over the build process and can customize it to your needs. Additionally, building from source allows you to use the latest version of FFmpeg, which may not be available in your package manager.

To get started, you'll need a few dependencies installed on your system. These include the Android NDK, the Android SDK, and a C compiler such as GCC. You can install these packages using your distribution's package manager or by downloading them manually from the Android website.

Once you have the necessary dependencies installed, you'll need to set up your environment variables. This involves setting the ANDROID_SDK and ANDROID_NDK variables to their respective paths. On Archlinux, this is as simple as running the following commands:

```

export ANDROID_SDK=/path/to/android-sdk

export ANDROID_NDK=/path/to/android-ndk

```

Next, you'll need to download the FFmpeg source code. You can do this by cloning the repository from GitHub using Git:

```

git clone https://github.com/FFmpeg/FFmpeg.git

```

Once you have the source code downloaded, you'll need to configure it for building on Android. This involves running the following command in the FFmpeg directory:

```

./configure --prefix=/path/to/your/build/directory --extra-libs=-lpthread --arch=arm --target-os=android

```

This will generate a configuration file that you can use to build FFmpeg.

Now, let's talk about the changes we made to adapt FFmpeg for Android. We replaced av_log() calls with Android's LogCat, which allows us to log messages from FFmpeg in a more convenient way. We also removed every exit() call and adapted FFmpeg's main() function to be a simple function that can be called from JNI.

Finally, we're ready to build FFmpeg! Run the following command:

```

make

```

This will take some time, but eventually, you'll have a working build of FFmpeg. You can test it by running one of the executables in the bin directory, such as ffmpeg.

In conclusion, building FFmpeg from source on Linux is a complex process that requires careful attention to detail. However, with the right instructions and dependencies installed, it's definitely achievable. By following these steps, you should be able to get FFmpeg up and running on your Android device in no time.

Ffmpeg linux build from source