Cheat Sheet
The commands you keep forgetting, with a one-line description and a real example you can copy - 629 across 38 tools. Pick a tool in the sidebar, or search across all of them.
ffmpeg
Convert, trim, resize, and compress audio and video from the terminal.| Command | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
convert format | Convert between formats - the extension decides. | ffmpeg -i input.mov output.mp4 |
trim (no re-encode) | Cut a clip by timestamps, instantly. | ffmpeg -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:02:45 -i talk.mp4 -c copy clip.mp4 |
compress video | Shrink a file; higher CRF = smaller (18-28 is sane). | ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 28 smaller.mp4 |
resize | Scale video; -1 keeps the aspect ratio. | ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1280:-1 720p.mp4 |
extract audio | Pull the audio track out of a video. | ffmpeg -i talk.mp4 -vn audio.m4a |
make a gif | Turn a clip into a GIF (cap fps and width). | ffmpeg -i demo.mp4 -vf "fps=12,scale=480:-1" demo.gif |
thumbnail | Grab one frame as an image. | ffmpeg -ss 00:00:05 -i input.mp4 -frames:v 1 thumb.jpg |
remove audio | Strip the audio track. | ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -an muted.mp4 |
change container | Repackage without re-encoding (fast, lossless). | ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c copy output.mp4 |
convert audio | Convert between audio formats. | ffmpeg -i song.wav song.mp3 |
concat clips | Join files listed in a text file (file 'a.mp4' per line). | ffmpeg -f concat -i list.txt -c copy joined.mp4 |
speed up | Double the video speed (0.5*PTS = 2x). | ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -filter:v "setpts=0.5*PTS" fast.mp4 |
rotate | Rotate 90 degrees clockwise. | ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "transpose=1" rotated.mp4 |
ffprobe | Inspect codecs, duration, and streams. | ffprobe -i input.mp4 |
images to video | Stitch numbered frames into a timelapse. | ffmpeg -framerate 24 -i frame_%03d.png timelapse.mp4 |
web-friendly mp4 | Encode for browsers - plays everywhere, streams fast. | ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -movflags +faststart web.mp4 |