FFmpeg unveils multithreaded CLI for optimized CPU and GPU load after two-year development

FFmpeg, the comprehensive cross-platform tool for recording, converting, and streaming audio and video, has unveiled its first functional version of multithreaded FFmpeg CLI, after approximately two years of work and over 700 preparatory commits. This significant development allows codecs and filters, which do not support multithreading or internal async, to optimize CPU or GPU load, rather than being dependent on single-threaded performance.

The run-time overhead of threading appears to be “negligible in typical cases”, making this update to FFmpeg's multi-threading a noteworthy advancement, given its widespread use across the multimedia industry. The timing of this release is particularly crucial considering the prevalent use of high core count servers in the industry. This update to FFmpeg is expected to improve efficiency and performance across a multitude of applications and platforms.