BildDecoder

BildDecoder is a cross-platform image decoding library that converts compressed image data into raw pixel buffers. It provides a unified API for decoding multiple image formats and is intended for use in multimedia applications, image editors, web clients, and game engines. The library emphasizes portability, predictable performance, and robust error handling.

Supported formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, and TIFF, with optional backends for HEIF/AVIF and DDS. It supports progressive and interlaced decoding, multiple color spaces (sRGB, Adobe RGB, linear RGB), alpha channels, and 16-bit-per-channel data where available. Metadata such as EXIF and XMP can be read and, depending on backend, written.

Architecture and API: BildDecoder uses a modular architecture where per-format decoders plug into a common pipeline. The core handles memory management, color conversion, and optional hardware acceleration via SIMD. The public API returns decoded bitmaps in a specified pixel format and provides image properties such as width, height, and color type.

Usage and ecosystem: Developers integrate BildDecoder by linking against the library and invoking decode operations. The library is designed to be thread-safe and suitable for asynchronous decoding in modern runtimes. It is used in several open-source projects and can be extended with additional backends for new formats.

Licensing and history: BildDecoder originated as an open-source project aimed at providing a lightweight, portable decoding layer. Since its early releases, multiple forks and distributions have appeared under permissive licenses, reflecting ongoing community interest in image decoding.