I think the FFmpeg vs libav debate is succinctly described by this quote from <a href="https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/wiki/FFmpeg-versus-Libav" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/wiki/FFmpeg-versus-Libav</a><p>> Although we don't agree with everything FFmpeg does, and we like some of Libav's general goals and development directions, FFmpeg is just better from a practical point of view.<p>> It shouldn't be forgotten that Libav is doing significant and important development, but since everything they do ends up in FFmpeg anyway, there is barely any reason to prefer Libav over FFmpeg from the user point of view.<p>> It's also possible that FFmpeg agrees faster to gross hacks to paint over bugs and issues than Libav, however, in the user's perception FFmpeg will perform better because of that.<p>Basically libav is doing things in the proper way but slowly, so they will die because FFmpeg ships more features although less polished. "The ones that win are the ones that ship", isn't it?