LibRaw

The LibRaw library provides a simple and unified interface for extracting out of RAW files generated by digital photo cameras the following:

• RAW data (pixel values)
• Metadata necessary for processing RAW (geometry, CFA / Bayer pattern, black level, white balance, etc.)
• Embedded preview / thumbnail.

The library is intended for use with programs that work with RAW files, such as:

• RAW viewers
• RAW converters
• RAW data analyzers
• Software for stitching and compositing multi-frame aggregates like panoramas and image stacks.

Using the LibRaw library allows one to focus on the substantive part of processing the data contained in RAW files, without getting distracted by the wide variety of RAW file and metadata formats, compression algorithms, etc.

The library’s development is focused on:

• Support for new cameras and formats
• Improving extraction of metadata necessary for RAW processing
• Providing an interface for reading other types of metadata.

Additionally, the LibRaw library offers some basic RAW conversion, intended for cases when such conversion is not the main function of the LibRaw-using application (for example: a viewer for 500+ graphic file formats, including RAW). These methods are inherited from the Dave Coffin’s dcraw.c utility (see below the “Project history” section); their further development is not currently planned, because we do not consider production-quality rendering to be in the scope of LibRaw’s functionality (the methods are retained for compatibility with prior versions and for rapid-fire testing of RAW support and other aspects).