ffmpeg

name	ffmpeg
description	Use when working with ffmpeg CLI argument lexing or completion — the stream-oriented command structure, option syntax, stream specifiers, filter graph DSL, value types, option scopes, and stream mapping. Triggers on: "ffmpeg", "ffmpeg cli", "ffmpeg arguments", "ffmpeg options", "ffmpeg flags", "stream specifier", "filter_complex", "ffmpeg filter", "ffmpeg map", "ffmpeg lexer", "ffmpeg completion", "ffmpeg value types", "ffmpeg syntax", "ffplay", "ffprobe", "ffmpeg stream", "ffmpeg pipeline", "ffmpeg transcoding", "-filter_complex", "stream_specifier", "-map", "ffmpeg quoting".
user-invocable	true

ffmpeg CLI In-Depth Reference

ffmpeg's command-line is a stream-oriented pipeline, not a traditional flag tree. Arguments form a linear sequence of inputs, per-file/per-stream options, and outputs — where options apply to the next file and "flags" are more like transformers bound to a preceding input. This skill provides the reference material needed to write a lexer for ffmpeg CLI arguments.

Data Flow

global_options
  → [input_file_options -i input_url]...
  → [filter_complex_options]?
  → [output_file_options output_url]...

Options are positional: each option applies to the next -i (input) or the next output URL. Global options must come first. Do not mix input and output options — all inputs precede all outputs.

Sub-Resources

Load the reference that matches your task. When in doubt, load multiple references.

Keywords	Reference
stream model, pipeline, demuxer, decoder, filter, encoder, muxer, elementary stream, transcoding, streamcopy, flow, data flow	references/stream-model.md
option syntax, flag, dash, double dash, boolean flag, positional option, stream specifier suffix, colon syntax, option argument, quoting, escaping	references/option-syntax.md
option scope, global, per-file, per-stream, input-only, output-only, option application order, positional	references/option-scopes.md
stream specifier, stream_spec, stream type, :v, :a, :s, :d, :t, program, group, metadata, disposition, usable	references/stream-specifier.md
filter graph, filtergraph, simple filter, complex filter, -vf, -af, -filter_complex, link label, pad, filter chain, filter option, lavfi	references/filtergraph.md
-map, stream mapping, negative map, optional map, view specifier, linklabel mapping, loopback decoder	references/mapping.md
value types, time duration, video size, video rate, ratio, pixel format, sample format, channel layout, color, codec, format, boolean, integer, float, string, expression	references/value-types.md
ffplay, player, display, fullscreen, show mode, sync, vulkan renderer, playback control	references/ffplay.md
ffprobe, probe, inspector, show streams, show format, output format, print format, select streams, read intervals, sections	references/ffprobe.md

Quick Guide

• How does the ffmpeg pipeline work end-to-end? → references/stream-model.md
• How do I parse an option name and its stream specifier suffix? → references/option-syntax.md and references/stream-specifier.md
• Which options apply to which scope (global, per-file, per-stream)? → references/option-scopes.md
• How do I lex a stream specifier like :a:1 or :m:language:eng? → references/stream-specifier.md
• How do I parse a filter graph string? → references/filtergraph.md
• How does -map select streams and what are its sub-formats? → references/mapping.md
• What value types does ffmpeg use for option arguments? → references/value-types.md
• How does quoting/escaping work in ffmpeg option values? → references/option-syntax.md
• How do complex filtergraphs connect inputs and outputs? → references/filtergraph.md and references/mapping.md
• How does ffplay's CLI model differ from ffmpeg? → references/ffplay.md
• How does ffprobe's CLI model differ from ffmpeg? → references/ffprobe.md

Cross-Project References

• For shell quoting rules (bash/zsh/fish escaping that wraps ffmpeg arguments), see the bash, zsh, or fish skills.
• For carapace completion framework internals, see the carapace skill.