Get a complete options list from ffmpeg -h full

[lucemia]

Current option is parse from c code, check if it is doable to get the options list from ffmpeg -h full instead.
the ffmpeg -h full should also include codec options

[lucemia]

You posted a full dump of all AVOptions printed by your FFmpeg — it looks huge because FFmpeg has hundreds of codecs, muxers, demuxers, filters, devices, and bitstream filters — and each of them has its own set of AVOptions(configurable options).

Let me explain how to read and understand these categories so you won’t get lost:

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🗂 Categories Breakdown

1️⃣ Global options

• Advanced global options

• Apply to entire ffmpeg run.

• Example:

  • -loglevel

  • -stats

  • -hide_banner

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2️⃣ Per-file options

• Per-file main options

• Advanced per-file options

• These apply per input/output file:

  • -i input.mp4 → input options

  • output.mp4 → output options

Examples:

• -ss → seek start time

• -t → duration

• -copyts → copy timestamps

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3️⃣ Video options

• Video options

• Advanced video options

• Apply when encoding/decoding video.

  Examples:

• -b:v → video bitrate

• -c:v → video codec

• -vf → video filters

• -g → GOP size

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4️⃣ Audio options

• Audio options

• Advanced audio options

• Apply when encoding/decoding audio.

  Examples:

• -b:a → audio bitrate

• -c:a → audio codec

• -af → audio filters

• -ar → audio sample rate

---

5️⃣ Subtitle options

• Apply when processing subtitles:

  • -scodec

  • -sfilter

  • -smap

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🏗 Component-Specific Options

Each of these blocks you see:

<something> AVOptions:

refers to a specific component type, and the options that apply only to that component:

6️⃣ Codec options

Video encoders (example):

libx264 AVOptions:
libsvtav1 AVOptions:
h264_nvenc AVOptions:
mpeg2video encoder AVOptions:

Typical options:

• preset

• crf

• profile

• level

• qp

Audio encoders:

aac encoder AVOptions:
libmp3lame encoder AVOptions:
opus encoder AVOptions:

Typical options:

• bit_rate

• compression_level

• application

Video decoders, Audio decoders:

libdav1d decoder AVOptions:
flac decoder AVOptions:

Fewer options — usually:

• threads

• skip_frame

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7️⃣ Muxer options

mp4 muxer AVOptions:
matroska/webm muxer AVOptions:
mov muxer AVOptions:

Control how the output file is packaged:

• faststart

• movflags

• frag_duration

• segment_time

---

8️⃣ Demuxer options

mp4 demuxer AVOptions:
hls demuxer AVOptions:
mpegts demuxer AVOptions:

Control how input files are read:

• probesize

• analyzeduration

• allowed_extensions

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9️⃣ AVFilter AVOptions

drawtext AVOptions:
scale AVOptions:
lut3d AVOptions:

Every video/audio filter in FFmpeg is represented as an AVFilter — with its own AVOptions.

Examples:

• fontfile, fontsize, fontcolor → for drawtext

• width, height → for scale

• lut → for lut3d

---

10️⃣ Device AVOptions (in/out)

v4l2 indev AVOptions:
alsa indev AVOptions:
sdl2 outdev AVOptions:

For input/output devices, such as:

• capture card

• webcam

• sound card

• screen grabber

---

11️⃣ Bitstream filters AVOptions

h264_metadata_bsf AVOptions:
vp9_metadata_bsf AVOptions:
remove_extradata AVOptions:

Bitstream filters (bsf) can modify raw compressed streams:

• strip metadata

• adjust headers

• inject timestamps

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🚀 How you use these options

Syntax:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset slow -vf "drawtext=text='Hello'" -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4

• Options starting with - → Global or per-stream options

• Filter options → Passed via -vf or -af

• Muxer options → passed as -movflags or -muxdelay etc.

👉 The AVOptions lists are what is available to configure for each codec, muxer, filter, etc.

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In short — how to read your dump:

Section name | Means -- | -- Advanced global options: | Affect entire ffmpeg command Per-file options: | Affect specific input or output file Video options: | General video encoding/decoding options Audio options: | General audio encoding/decoding options AVCodecContext AVOptions: | Options for all codecs libx264 AVOptions: | Options for libx264 encoder mp4 muxer AVOptions: | Options for mp4 output packaging hls demuxer AVOptions: | Options for reading HLS streams drawtext AVOptions: | Options for drawtext filter h264_metadata_bsf AVOptions: | Options for h264_metadata bitstream filter

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Practical tip

If you want to see what options are available for a particular codec or filter, run:

ffmpeg -h encoder=libx264
ffmpeg -h encoder=libsvtav1
ffmpeg -h filter=drawtext
ffmpeg -h muxer=mp4

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Summary:

• Your dump = complete list of configurable options in your FFmpeg build.

• FFmpeg is very modular → each component (codec, filter, muxer, device) has its own AVOptions.

• The command-line -h encoder=XXX is the easiest way to explore options.

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If you want, I can give you an example walk-through of how to:

1️⃣ Pick an encoder

2️⃣ List its options

3️⃣ Use them in a real ffmpeg command

Would you like to? (it will make this more concrete and easy to apply 🚀)

[lucemia]

Excellent question — this is exactly the kind of confusion people get when reading ffmpeg -h full — because FFmpeg prints everything flat, but each type of option belongs to a different “layer” of the processing graph.

Here’s a clear way to categorize your list:

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1️⃣ Global options → affect the entire ffmpeg process

(usually set at the very start of command)

👉 Category: Global

Examples:

• Advanced global options

• -loglevel, -stats, -y, -hide_banner

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2️⃣ Per-file main options / Advanced per-file options

(apply to a single input or output file)

👉 Category: Input or Output (Per-file)

Examples:

• -ss, -t, -stream_loop, -copyts, -accurate_seek

• -f format → for forcing format of input/output

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3️⃣ Video options / Advanced Video options

(apply to video stream)

👉 Category: Output video stream

Examples:

• -c:v, -b:v, -r, -g, -pix_fmt, -profile:v

---

4️⃣ Audio options / Advanced Audio options

(apply to audio stream)

👉 Category: Output audio stream

Examples:

• -c:a, -b:a, -ar, -ac, -profile:a

---

5️⃣ Subtitle options

(apply to subtitle stream)

👉 Category: Output subtitle stream

Examples:

• -scodec, -smap, -sfilter

---

6️⃣ AVCodecContext AVOptions

(common options for all codecs)

👉 Category: Output codec stream (Video / Audio / Subtitle)

Examples:

• Applies when you do -c:v X or -c:a Y.

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7️⃣ Encoder AVOptions

(e.g. libx264 AVOptions, libsvtav1 AVOptions, aac encoder AVOptions)

👉 Category: Output codec stream (specific encoder)

These are extra options only valid if using that encoder:

• -preset, -crf, -profile, -qp → video

• -compression_level, -bit_rate, -application → audio

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8️⃣ Decoder AVOptions

(e.g. libdav1d decoder AVOptions, flac decoder AVOptions)

👉 Category: Input codec stream (specific decoder)

Mostly:

• threads

• skip_frame

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9️⃣ AVFormatContext AVOptions / AVIOContext AVOptions / URLContext AVOptions

👉 Category: Input or Output (File/Stream level)

Used internally when opening files / streams.

Examples:

• probesize, analyzeduration, buffer_size

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10️⃣ Muxer AVOptions

(e.g. mp4 muxer AVOptions, matroska/webm muxer AVOptions)

👉 Category: Output file format

When writing output file:

• faststart, frag_duration, movflags, write_bom

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11️⃣ Demuxer AVOptions

(e.g. hls demuxer AVOptions, mpegts demuxer AVOptions)

👉 Category: Input file format

When reading input file:

• probesize, analyzeduration, allowed_extensions

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12️⃣ AVFilter AVOptions

(e.g. drawtext AVOptions, scale AVOptions, lut3d AVOptions)

👉 Category: Filter (video or audio)

Applies only when used inside -vf, -af, or filter_complex.

---

13️⃣ Device AVOptions

(e.g. v4l2 indev AVOptions, alsa indev AVOptions, sdl2 outdev AVOptions)

👉 Category: Input device / Output device

Examples:

• Screen capture

• Webcam

• Sound card

---

14️⃣ Bitstream filter AVOptions (bsf)

(e.g. h264_metadata_bsf AVOptions, remove_extradata AVOptions)

👉 Category: Per-stream post-processing (bsf)

Used with:

-map 0:v -c:v copy -bsf:v h264_metadata=xxx

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Summary Table

Section | Category -- | -- Advanced global options | Global Per-file options | Input / Output Video / Advanced Video options | Output video stream Audio / Advanced Audio options | Output audio stream Subtitle options | Output subtitle stream AVCodecContext AVOptions | Output codec stream (all codecs) Encoder AVOptions | Output codec stream (specific) Decoder AVOptions | Input codec stream (specific) AVFormatContext / AVIOContext | Input or Output file/stream Muxer AVOptions | Output file format Demuxer AVOptions | Input file format AVFilter AVOptions | Filter Device AVOptions (in/out dev) | Input / Output device Bitstream filter AVOptions | Per-stream post-processing

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Practical example

ffmpeg -loglevel info \
  -i input.mp4 \                      # Demuxer AVOptions apply here
  -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset slow \  # Encoder AVOptions apply here
  -vf "drawtext=text='Hello'" \       # AVFilter AVOptions apply here
  -c:a aac -b:a 128k \                 # Encoder AVOptions apply here
  -movflags +faststart \              # Muxer AVOptions apply here
  output.mp4                          # Output file

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Conclusion

👉 The reason your full dump looks messy is because ffmpeg -h full lists:

• All options for all codecs (even if you are not using them)

• All muxers/demuxers/devices/filters

👉 When you build your command:

• Global → one time

• Per-file → per input or output

• Per-stream → each -c:v / -c:a

• Filter → -vf/-af

• Muxer/Demuxer → depends on format

• Devices → when using input/output devices

• Bitstream filter → when applying bsf

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If you want, I can give you a real-world template, showing:

👉 What goes where → visually formatted ffmpeg command template — very useful for understanding how to build commands clearly.

Would you like to see that? It will make this super practical. 🚀

[lucemia]

Very good question — and the answer is: No, not always!

👉 Just because an option is “Per-file” or in AVFormatContext or AVOptions doesn’t mean it applies to both input and output.

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Think of this principle:

👉 Some options only make sense on input

👉 Some options only make sense on output

👉 Some work on both

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1️⃣ Clear categories

Option Type | Typically applies to -- | -- Global options | Entire command Per-file options | Depends on placement! → if before -i → Input; if after -i → Output Video options | Output only Audio options | Output only Subtitle options | Output only AVCodecContext AVOptions | Output stream only Encoder AVOptions | Output stream only Decoder AVOptions | Input stream only AVFormatContext AVOptions | Input or Output — depends how ffmpeg uses it internally Muxer AVOptions | Output file only Demuxer AVOptions | Input file only AVFilter AVOptions | In filters (in middle of graph) — not input/output per se Device AVOptions | Input or Output depending on device type Bitstream filter AVOptions | Post-processing per-stream → output phase (even if stream is copied)

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4️⃣ Rule of thumb

👉 99% of codec options (AVCodecContext, Encoder AVOptions) → OUTPUT

👉 99% of Demuxer AVOptions → INPUT

👉 Filters → always inside -vf or -af → do not think in input/output, think “pipeline step”

👉 Per-file options → position-sensitive → put before -i for input behavior; after -i for output behavior.

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5️⃣ Example command annotated:

ffmpeg \
  -hide_banner                    # Global option
  -probesize 32M                  # Input (demuxer option)
  -analyzeduration 16M            # Input (demuxer option)
  -ss 10                          # Input seek (per-file before -i) → affects input read
  -i input.mp4                    # Input file
  -vf "drawtext=..."              # AVFilter AVOptions → filter stage
  -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset slow  # Encoder AVOptions → output stream
  -c:a aac -b:a 128k               # Encoder AVOptions → output stream
  -movflags +faststart             # Muxer AVOptions → output file
  -y                              # Global option
  output.mp4                      # Output file

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Summary Answer to Your Question:

👉 Not all options that appear in “Input/Output” categories can be used on both:

• Many options are clearly input-only (demuxer, decoder)

• Many are clearly output-only (encoder, muxer)

• Some (per-file options) depend on where in the command line they are placed

• Some (global) apply to everything

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If you want, I can also generate a cheat sheet grid of:

✅ common options → Input / Output / Both / Filters

✅ examples where mistakes are common (ex: -ss, -vf placement)

Want me to? (Very useful if you want to master FFmpeg scripting 🚀)

[lucemia]

-formats show available formats
-muxers show available muxers
-demuxers show available demuxers
-devices show available devices
-codecs show available codecs
-decoders show available decoders
-encoders show available encoders
-bsfs show available bit stream filters
-protocols show available protocols
-filters show available filters
-pix_fmts show available pixel formats
-layouts show standard channel layouts
-sample_fmts show available audio sample formats
-dispositions show available stream dispositions
-colors show available color names
-sources device list sources of the input device
-sinks device list sinks of the output device
-hwaccels show available HW acceleration methods

[lucemia]

Great — you’re listing a set of useful ffmpeg info query options.

Let me explain each one clearly, with typical usage and meaning:

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Format/codec/filter/device queries

Option | What it does | Example usage -- | -- | -- -formats | Lists all formats (both input + output), with flags D (demux) and E (mux). | ffmpeg -formats -muxers | Lists all muxers (output formats only). | ffmpeg -muxers -demuxers | Lists all demuxers (input formats only). | ffmpeg -demuxers -devices | Lists all supported input/output devices (camera, screen, etc.). | ffmpeg -devices -codecs | Lists all codecs (audio, video, subtitle). Flags: D (decoder), E (encoder). | ffmpeg -codecs -decoders | Lists only decoders (input codecs). | ffmpeg -decoders -encoders | Lists only encoders (output codecs). | ffmpeg -encoders -bsfs | Lists available bitstream filters (for modifying compressed streams). | ffmpeg -bsfs -protocols | Lists supported I/O protocols (file, http, rtmp, tcp, udp…). | ffmpeg -protocols -filters | Lists available filters (-vf, -af, etc.). | ffmpeg -filters

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Notes:

✅ You can run these options without an input/output file — just ffmpeg -encoders, ffmpeg -hwaccels, etc.

✅ Very useful for dynamic UIs or auto-completion (for tools like typed-ffmpeg).

✅ -filters, -encoders, -decoders, and -hwaccels are especially useful when testing if hardware acceleration is available.

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If you want, I can also show:

✅ How to programmatically parse the output of these commands (for JSON generation, autocomplete, etc.).

✅ How to correlate filters, codecs, formats → e.g. which encoders can output to which muxers.

Want me to? It’s super useful if you’re building automation. 🚀