FFmpeg Command Builder

Translate a described media operation into a correct, efficient FFmpeg command.

Read the matching reference — every time

Before writing any command, identify the matching reference file(s) and read them with the Read tool. The recipes and gotchas in this file are summaries for quick recall. The references hold the parameter ranges, alternatives, edge cases, and tribal knowledge that separate a working command from a plausible-looking broken one.

This is non-negotiable — even when a recipe below seems to fit. Recipes show shape; references show why and what breaks. Skipping the read step is how broken commands get shipped.