ffprobe

FFprobe is a command-line tool that analyzes multimedia streams and outputs information about them. It is part of the FFmpeg project, a widely used suite of libraries and programs for handling multimedia data. FFprobe can extract detailed metadata from various audio, video, and container formats, including codecs, bitrates, frame rates, resolutions, and more.

The primary function of FFprobe is to provide comprehensive information about media files. Users can specify which information they want to display, such as stream details, format-specific metadata, or even probing duration. This makes it an invaluable tool for developers debugging multimedia applications, content creators verifying file properties, and system administrators monitoring media servers.

FFprobe's output can be formatted in various ways, including human-readable text, JSON, XML, and CSV, allowing for easy integration into scripts and other programs. It supports a vast array of multimedia formats, making it a versatile choice for analyzing almost any type of media file. Common use cases include checking for corrupted files, understanding media encoding parameters, and automating media processing workflows.