macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install ffmpeg@2.8local Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install ffmpegMacPorts ports tree · multimedia/ffmpeg/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install ffmpeg@2.8 with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper
Play, record, convert, and stream audio and video. Version 2.8.22 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-16.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add ffmpegAlpine Linux edge package indexes · ffmpeg · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install ffmpegDebian stable package indexes · ffmpeg · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install ffmpeg-freeFedora Rawhide package metadata · ffmpeg-free · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S ffmpegArch Linux sync databases · ffmpeg · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install ffmpeg-4openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · ffmpeg-4 · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install ffmpegChocolatey community package catalog · ffmpeg · source: community.chocolatey.org
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/ffmpegScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/ffmpeg.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id Gyan.FFmpeg -eWindows Package Manager source index · Gyan.FFmpeg · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Play, record, convert, and stream audio and video
Project links
Commands and aliases
- ffserver
history
Project history and usage
ffmpeg@2.8 is a pinned Homebrew formula for FFmpeg's 2.8 `Feynman` release branch, useful when older software needs the FFmpeg 2.x library/CLI behavior rather than unpinned FFmpeg.
Project history
FFmpeg 2.8 `Feynman` was presented by the upstream project about three months after FFmpeg 2.7. The official old download page identifies 2.8.22 as the final stable release from the 2.8 branch, cut from master on 2015-09-05 and released as 2.8.22 on 2023-10-29.
The branch is significant because upstream notes it includes changes from ffmpeg-mt and Libav snapshots from August 2015. That places it in the long post-fork reconciliation period when distribution packages and application build scripts often cared about exact FFmpeg/Libav API and ABI behavior.
Adoption history
As a formula, ffmpeg@2.8 serves compatibility rather than new-feature adoption. Homebrew's formula API marks it deprecated but not disabled and builds from the official 2.8.22 tarball, showing it survives as an older release-line package for consumers that still need it.
The official 2.8 changelog is dominated by maintenance and security-style fixes in later point releases, including bounds checks, overflow fixes, parser hardening, and demuxer/decoder corrections. That is typical of an old multimedia branch kept alive for downstream stability.
How it is used
Users install a versioned FFmpeg formula when an application, script, or build dependency expects 2.8-era command behavior or library versions. The package still provides the familiar FFmpeg tools such as `ffmpeg`, `ffprobe`, `ffplay`, and, in this line, `ffserver`.
For direct media conversion, the command-line model is the same as FFmpeg generally: read inputs, choose streams and options, then write outputs. The difference is the release line and linked dependency set, not a separate interface.
Why package nerds care
Versioned FFmpeg formulas matter because multimedia stacks are sensitive to codec availability, library ABI versions, and behavior changes. `ffmpeg@2.8` is a compatibility anchor for the Feynman branch rather than the recommended path for new users.
The branch tells package historians where old consumers froze: FFmpeg 2.x libraries, 2015 branch point, long-tail point releases, and a Homebrew package kept available even after deprecation.
Timeline
- 2015: FFmpeg 2.8 branch cut from master on 2015-09-05.
- 2015: FFmpeg 2.8 `Feynman` announced about three months after 2.7.
- 2023: FFmpeg 2.8.22 released on 2023-10-29 as the final stable 2.8 branch release listed by upstream.
- 2026: Homebrew formula API lists ffmpeg@2.8 as deprecated but not disabled, sourced from ffmpeg-2.8.22.tar.xz.
Related projects
- FFmpeg is the upstream project.
- ffmpeg-full and ffmpeg are related Homebrew FFmpeg packaging variants.
- Libav and ffmpeg-mt are historically relevant because upstream 2.8 release notes mention imported changes from both.
Sources
- https://ffmpeg.org/olddownload.html
- https://git.ffmpeg.org/gitweb/ffmpeg.git/blob/refs/heads/release/2.8:/RELEASE_NOTES
- https://git.ffmpeg.org/gitweb/ffmpeg.git/blob/refs/heads/release/2.8:/Changelog
- https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula/ffmpeg@2.8.json
- https://ffmpeg.org/about.html
- https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for ffmpeg@2.8. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 21 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
ffserver | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version2.8.22
manager updated2026-05-16
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://ffmpeg.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:ffmpeg@2.8 |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.8.22 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ffmpeg@2.8 |
| Homepage | https://ffmpeg.org/ |
| Repository | https://git.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.git |
| Upstream docs | https://ffmpeg.org/documentation.html |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ffmpeg.org/releases/ffmpeg-2.8.22.tar.xz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-16T16:39:39-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | fontconfig, freetype, frei0r, lame, libass, libogg, libvo-aacenc, libvorbis, libvpx, opencore-amr, openssl@3, opus, rtmpdump, sdl12-compat, snappy, speex, theora, x264, x265, xvid, xz |
| Build dependencies | pkgconf, texi2html, yasm |
| Uses from macOS | bzip2 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | ffmpeg@2.8 |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 8 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | yes |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | yes |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt88%
ffmpeg 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
Tools for transcoding, streaming and playing of multimedia files
sudo apt install ffmpeg- Section: video
- Architecture: amd64
- 11 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
ffmpeg-doc 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
Documentation of the FFmpeg multimedia framework
sudo apt install ffmpeg-doc- Section: doc
- Architecture: all
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 2 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavcodec-dev 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with de/encoders for audio/video codecs - development files
sudo apt install libavcodec-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 3 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavcodec-extra 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with extra codecs (metapackage)
sudo apt install libavcodec-extra- Section: metapackages
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 1 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavcodec-extra61 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with additional de/encoders for audio/video codecs
sudo apt install libavcodec-extra61- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 32 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 3 optional deps
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavcodec61 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with de/encoders for audio/video codecs - runtime files
sudo apt install libavcodec61- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 32 dependencies
- 3 optional deps
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavdevice-dev 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library for handling input and output devices - development files
sudo apt install libavdevice-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 8 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavdevice61 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library for handling input and output devices - runtime files
sudo apt install libavdevice61- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 27 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavfilter-dev 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library containing media filters - development files
sudo apt install libavfilter-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 7 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavfilter-extra 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with extra filters (metapackage)
sudo apt install libavfilter-extra- Section: metapackages
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 1 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavfilter-extra10 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with extra media filters - runtime files
sudo apt install libavfilter-extra10- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 31 dependencies
- 1 provides
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavfilter10 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library containing media filters - runtime files
sudo apt install libavfilter10- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 30 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavformat-dev 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with (de)muxers for multimedia containers - development files
sudo apt install libavformat-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 4 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavformat-extra 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with extra (de)muxers (metapackage)
sudo apt install libavformat-extra- Section: metapackages
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 1 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavformat-extra61 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with additional (de)muxers for multimedia containers
sudo apt install libavformat-extra61- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 19 dependencies
- 1 provides
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
Debian apt88%
libavformat61 7:7.1.3-0+deb13u1
FFmpeg library with (de)muxers for multimedia containers - runtime files
sudo apt install libavformat61- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: ffmpeg
- 18 dependencies
- versioned package alias match
- Matched by: Ffmpeg
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Nucleus package database
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment