Video Codecs
Video codecs are algorithms that compress and decompress digital video data, enabling practical storage and transmission of large video files. A codec analyzes consecutive frames to identify and remove redundant information—both visible repetition across frames and imperceptible details beyond human perception—then reconstructs the video during playback. This compression is essential for applications ranging from streaming services to archiving, where uncompressed video would require prohibitive bandwidth and storage capacity.
Codecs are generally categorized into lossy and lossless formats. Lossy codecs discard data that is less critical to human perception to achieve higher compression ratios, making them suitable for streaming and general distribution. Lossless codecs preserve all original data, allowing for perfect reconstruction during decompression, which is preferred for professional editing and archival purposes despite larger file sizes.
The choice of codec impacts both the quality of the video and the efficiency of its delivery. Common standards include H.264 and H.265 for widespread compatibility and high efficiency, while newer formats like AV1 aim to provide royalty-free alternatives with improved compression performance. The selection of a specific codec depends on the intended use case, balancing factors such as computational resources, network bandwidth, and required visual fidelity.
Source Notes
- 2026-04-14: Compressing Video