What Is Codec?
Software or hardware that compresses and decompresses video data. Common codecs include H.264, HEVC, VP9, and AV1.
A codec (coder-decoder) is an algorithm that compresses raw video into a smaller format for storage or transmission, and decompresses it for playback. Different codecs offer different tradeoffs between compression efficiency, encoding speed, and compatibility. H.264 is the most widely supported codec for streaming, while newer codecs like HEVC and AV1 offer 40-50% better compression at the cost of higher encoding complexity.
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Related Terms
Bitrate
The amount of data processed per second in a video or audio stream, measured in Kbps or Mbps.
Encoding
The process of compressing raw video data into a smaller format using a codec like H.264, HEVC, or AV1.
Transcoding
Converting a video from one codec, resolution, or bitrate to another. Streaming platforms transcode your stream to offer multiple quality options.
Container Format
A file format that holds video, audio, and metadata together. Common containers include MP4, MKV, MOV, and FLV.