Complete Guide to FFMPEG API: Video Processing Made Simple

In today's digital landscape, video processing has become essential for businesses and developers alike. Whether you're building a video editing platform, content management system, or social media application, you need reliable video processing capabilities. That's where FFMPEG API comes in - a powerful REST API that makes video manipulation simple and accessible.

What is FFMPEG API?

FFMPEG API is a cloud-based video processing service that provides easy-to-use REST API endpoints for common video operations. Built on top of the industry-standard FFMPEG library, it eliminates the complexity of managing video processing infrastructure while delivering professional-grade results.

Core API Endpoints

FFMPEG API provides seven powerful endpoints for comprehensive video and audio processing:

1. Video Merger API - /api/merge_videos

Combine multiple videos into a single seamless output. Perfect for creating compilations, joining video segments, or building automated video editing workflows.

# Example: Merge two videos with custom audio
curl -X POST https://ffmpegapi.net/api/merge_videos \
  -H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "video_urls": [
      "https://example.com/video1.mp4",
      "https://example.com/video2.mp4"
    ],
    "audio_url": "https://example.com/background-music.mp3"
  }'

2. Image & Audio Merger - /api/merge_image_audio

Create videos from static images and audio files. Ideal for podcasts, audio visualizations, or creating social media content from audio tracks.

# Python Example
import requests

response = requests.post(
    'https://ffmpegapi.net/api/merge_image_audio',
    headers={'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here'},
    json={
        'image': 'https://example.com/cover.jpg',
        'audio': 'https://example.com/podcast.mp3'
    }
)
result = response.json()
print(f"Video URL: {result['download_url']}")

3. Picture-in-Picture API - /api/picture_in_picture

Overlay one video on top of another with customizable positioning and scaling. Perfect for reaction videos, tutorials, or multi-stream content.

4. Add Subtitles API - /api/add_subtitles

Burn ASS/SSA subtitle files directly into videos with full styling support. Makes your videos more accessible and improves engagement.

// JavaScript Example
const response = await fetch('https://ffmpegapi.net/api/add_subtitles', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    video_url: 'https://example.com/video.mp4',
    subtitle_url: 'https://example.com/subtitles.ass'
  })
});
const result = await response.json();
console.log('Subtitled video:', result.download_url);

5. Split Audio API - /api/split_audio

Divide audio files into equal segments. Useful for creating podcast chapters, splitting long recordings, or processing audio in chunks.

6. Trim Audio API - /api/trim_audio

Cut audio files to exact durations with optional fade-out effects for professional-sounding results.

7. Convert to Vertical - /api/convert_to_vertical

Transform horizontal videos into vertical format (9:16 or 3:4) optimized for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Performance Optimizations

FFMPEG API is built for speed without compromising quality:

• Veryfast Encoding Preset - 2-3x faster processing while maintaining excellent visual quality (CRF 23)
• Intelligent Normalization - Automatically detects identical video properties and skips re-encoding for up to 5x faster merging
• Smart Video Analysis - Uses ffprobe to analyze dimensions, framerate, codec, and audio properties
• Async Processing - Long-running jobs are processed in the background with status tracking

Authentication & Pricing

Getting started with FFMPEG API is simple:

1. Sign Up - Create a free account at ffmpegapi.net
2. Get API Key - Generate your API key from the dashboard
3. Start Processing - Include your API key in the X-API-Key header

Documentation & Support

Our comprehensive API documentation includes:

• Interactive code examples in cURL, Python, and JavaScript
• Detailed endpoint specifications
• Error handling guides
• Best practices and optimization tips
• Rate limiting and usage information

Use Cases

FFMPEG API powers a wide range of applications:

Security & Reliability

Your data security is our priority:

• API Key Authentication - Secure access control for all endpoints
• File Validation - Automatic verification of file types and sizes
• Temporary Storage - Processed files are automatically cleaned up
• Database Resilience - Automatic retry mechanisms for long-running operations
• HTTPS Encryption - All API communications are encrypted in transit

Getting Started Today

Ready to simplify your video processing workflow? Here's how to get started in 3 simple steps:

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