The ffmpeg npm package is a powerful tool for handling multimedia data. It allows you to convert, stream, and manipulate audio and video files with ease. This package is a Node.js wrapper for the FFmpeg command-line tool, providing a programmatic way to access its functionalities.
Video Conversion
This feature allows you to convert video files from one format to another. The code sample demonstrates converting an MP4 file to an AVI file.
const ffmpeg = require('fluent-ffmpeg');
ffmpeg('input.mp4')
.output('output.avi')
.on('end', function() {
console.log('Conversion finished');
})
.run();Audio Extraction
This feature allows you to extract audio from a video file. The code sample shows how to extract the audio from an MP4 file and save it as an MP3 file.
const ffmpeg = require('fluent-ffmpeg');
ffmpeg('input.mp4')
.output('output.mp3')
.on('end', function() {
console.log('Audio extraction finished');
})
.run();Video Streaming
This feature allows you to stream video data. The code sample demonstrates setting up a streaming pipeline using Node.js streams.
const ffmpeg = require('fluent-ffmpeg');
const stream = require('stream');
const inputStream = new stream.PassThrough();
const outputStream = new stream.PassThrough();
ffmpeg(inputStream)
.output(outputStream)
.on('end', function() {
console.log('Streaming finished');
})
.run();
// Write data to inputStream and read from outputStreamVideo Editing
This feature allows you to edit video files, such as trimming or cutting. The code sample shows how to trim a video to start at 10 seconds and last for 10 seconds.
const ffmpeg = require('fluent-ffmpeg');
ffmpeg('input.mp4')
.setStartTime('00:00:10')
.setDuration('10')
.output('output.mp4')
.on('end', function() {
console.log('Editing finished');
})
.run();Sharp is a high-performance image processing library for Node.js. It is primarily used for image resizing, conversion, and manipulation. While it focuses on images rather than video or audio, it offers a subset of functionalities similar to ffmpeg for image files.
Jimp is an image processing library for Node.js that allows for image manipulation, including resizing, cropping, and color adjustments. Like sharp, it is focused on images and does not handle video or audio, but it provides similar capabilities for image processing.
Node-lame is a Node.js wrapper for the LAME MP3 encoder. It is used for encoding and decoding MP3 files. While it is limited to audio processing, it offers functionalities similar to ffmpeg's audio handling capabilities.
FFmpeg module for Node. This library provides a set of functions and utilities to abstract commands-line usage of ffmpeg. To use this library requires that ffmpeg is already installed (including all necessary encoding libraries like libmp3lame or libx264)
You can install this module using npm:
npm install ffmpeg
To start using this library, you must include it in your project and then you can either use the callback function or through the promise library:
var ffmpeg = require('ffmpeg');
Use the callback function
try {
new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi', function (err, video) {
if (!err) {
console.log('The video is ready to be processed');
} else {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
}
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
Use the approach with the library promise
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
console.log('The video is ready to be processed');
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
Each time you create a new instance, this library provides a new object to retrieve the information of the video, the ffmpeg configuration and all methods to make the necessary conversions:
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
// Video metadata
console.log(video.metadata);
// FFmpeg configuration
console.log(video.info_configuration);
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
The video object contains a set of functions that allow you to perform specific operations independent of the settings for the conversion. In all the functions you can use the approach with the callback function or with the promise object
This function extracts the audio stream of a video into an mp3 file
Params:
destionationFileName: Full path of the new file:
/path/to/your_audio_file.mp3
callback: (optional) If specified at the end of the process it will return the path of the new audio file:
function (error, file)
Example:
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
// Callback mode
video.fnExtractSoundToMP3('/path/to/your_audio_file.mp3', function (error, file) {
if (!error)
console.log('Audio file: ' + file);
});
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
This function takes care of extracting one or more frames from the video that is being developed. At the end of the operation will return an array containing the list of extracted images
Params:
destinationFolder: Destination folder for the frames generated:
/path/to/save_your_frames
settings: (optional) Settings to change the default settings:
{
start_time : null // Start time to recording
, duration_time : null // Duration of recording
, frame_rate : null // Number of the frames to capture in one second
, size : null // Dimension each frame
, number : null // Total frame to capture
, every_n_frames : null // Frame to capture every N frames
, every_n_seconds : null // Frame to capture every N seconds
, every_n_percentage : null // Frame to capture every N percentage range
, keep_pixel_aspect_ratio : true // Mantain the original pixel video aspect ratio
, keep_aspect_ratio : true // Mantain the original aspect ratio
, padding_color : 'black' // Padding color
, file_name : null // File name
}
callback: (optional) If specified at the end of the process will be returned list of paths of frames created:
function (error, files)
Example:
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
// Callback mode
video.fnExtractFrameToJPG('/path/to/save_your_frames', {
frame_rate : 1,
number : 5,
file_name : 'my_frame_%t_%s'
}, function (error, files) {
if (!error)
console.log('Frames: ' + files);
});
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
This function takes care of adding a watermark to the video that is being developed. You can specify the exact position in which position the image
Params:
watermarkPath: The full path where the image is stored to add as watermark:
/path/to/retrieve/watermark_file.png
newFilepath: (optional) Name of the new video. If not specified will be created by the function:
/path/to/save/your_file_video.mp4
settings: (optional) Settings to change the default settings:
{
position : "SW" // Position: NE NC NW SE SC SW C CE CW
, margin_nord : null // Margin nord
, margin_sud : null // Margin sud
, margin_east : null // Margin east
, margin_west : null // Margin west
};
callback: (optional) If specified at the end of the process it will return the path of the new video containing the watermark:
function (error, files)
Example:
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
// Callback mode
video.fnAddWatermark('/path/to/retrieve/watermark_file.png', '/path/to/save/your_file_video.mp4', {
position : 'SE'
}, function (error, file) {
if (!error)
console.log('New video file: ' + file);
});
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
In addition to the possibility of using the preset, this library provides a variety of settings with which you can modify to your liking settings for converting video
video.setDisableAudio(): Disables audio encoding
video.setDisableVideo(): Disables video encoding
video.setVideoFormat(format): Sets the new video format. Example:
video.setVideoFormat('avi')
video.setVideoCodec(codec): Sets the new audio codec. Example:
video.setVideoCodec('mpeg4')
video.setVideoBitRate(bitrate): Sets the video bitrate in kb. Example:
video.setVideoBitRate(1024)
video.setVideoFrameRate(framerate): Sets the framerate of the video. Example:
video.setVideoFrameRate(25)
video.setVideoStartTime(time): Sets the start time. You can specify the value in seconds or in date time format. Example:
// Seconds
video.setVideoStartTime(13)
// Date time format
video.setVideoStartTime('00:00:13')
video.setVideoDuration(duration): Sets the duration. You can specify the value in seconds or in date time format. Example:
// Seconds
video.setVideoDuration(100)
// Date time format
video.setVideoDuration('00:01:40')
video.setVideoAspectRatio(aspect): Sets the new aspetc ratio. You can specify the value with a number or with a string in the format 'xx:xx'. Example:
// Value
video.setVideoAspectRatio(1.77)
// Format xx:xx
video.setVideoAspectRatio('16:9')
video.setVideoSize(size, keepPixelAspectRatio, keepAspectRatio, paddingColor): Set the size of the video. This library can handle automatic resizing of the video. You can also apply a padding automatically keeping the original aspect ratio
The following size formats are allowed to be passed to size:
640x480 Fixed size (plain ffmpeg way)
50% Percental resizing
?x480 Fixed height, calculate width
640x? Fixed width, calculate height
Example:
// In this example, the video will be automatically resized to 640 pixels wide and will apply a padding white
video.setVideoSize('640x?', true, true, '#fff')
// In this example, the video will be resized to 640x480 pixel, and if the aspect ratio is different the video will be stretched
video.setVideoSize('640x480', true, false)
video.setAudioCodec(codec): Sets the new audio codec. Example:
video.setAudioCodec('libfaac')
video.setAudioFrequency(frequency): Sets the audio sample frequency for audio outputs in kb. Example:
video.setAudioFrequency(48)
video.setAudioChannels(channel): Sets the number of audio channels. Example:
video.setAudioChannels(2)
video.setAudioBitRate(bitrate): Sets the audio bitrate in kb. Example:
video.setAudioBitRate(128)
video.setAudioQuality(quality): Sets the audio quality. Example:
video.setAudioQuality(128)
video.setWatermark(watermarkPath, settings): Sets the watermark. You must specify the path where the image is stored to be inserted as watermark
The possible settings (the values shown are the default):
position : "SW"
Position: NE NC NW SE SC SW C CE CW
margin_nord : null
Margin nord (specify in pixel)
margin_sud : null
Margin sud (specify in pixel)
margin_east : null
Margin east (specify in pixel)
margin_west : null
Margin west (specify in pixel)
Example:
// In this example will be added the watermark at the bottom right of the video
video.setWatermark('/path/to/retrieve/watermark_file.png')
If the ffmpeg parameters are not present in the list of available function you can add it manually through the following function
video.addCommand(command, argument)
Example:
// In this example will be changed the output to avi format
video.addCommand('-f', 'avi');
After setting the desired parameters have to start the conversion process. To do this you must call the function 'save'. This method takes as input the final destination of the file and optionally a callback function. If the function callback is not specified it's possible use the promise object.
video.save(destionationFileName, callback)
Example:
try {
var process = new ffmpeg('/path/to/your_movie.avi');
process.then(function (video) {
video
.setVideoSize('640x?', true, true, '#fff')
.setAudioCodec('libfaac')
.setAudioChannels(2)
.save('/path/to/save/your_movie.avi', function (error, file) {
if (!error)
console.log('Video file: ' + file);
});
}, function (err) {
console.log('Error: ' + err);
});
} catch (e) {
console.log(e.code);
console.log(e.msg);
}
FAQs
Utility for managing video streams using ffmpeg
The npm package ffmpeg receives a total of 57,339 weekly downloads. As such, ffmpeg popularity was classified as popular.
We found that ffmpeg demonstrated a not healthy version release cadence and project activity because the last version was released a year ago. It has 1 open source maintainer collaborating on the project.
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