lv2

Plugin standard for audio systems

LV2 is a portable plugin standard for audio systems, similar in scope to LADSPA, VST, AU, and others. It defines a C API for code and a format for data files which collectively describe a plugin. LV2 consists of a simple core (roughly equivalent in power to LADSPA) which can be extended to support more advanced functionality. This allows the interface to be "grown" to accommodate the needs of real software as they arise. LV2 is both a stable interface and a forward-moving project: there is a stable set of "official" extensions in use while new functionality is actively developed. Anyone can extend LV2, which allows developers to try out new ideas and ensure they work in practice. Good extensions are vetted by the community and included in the official distribution so they can be relied on to be widely supported. This open development model means developers can always scratch their itch without a central authority getting in the way. The current stable release includes most functionality required by modern plugins, including: * Audio, control, "control voltage" (audio-rate control), and event (e.g. MIDI) input and output * Expressive open-ended port metadata, including: - "Meaningful" controls (e.g. gain or envelope attack) allowing intelligent host control or UI generation - Control units (e.g. Hz, octaves, dB) - Multi-channel port groups (e.g. stereo, 5.1 surround, ambisonics * Embeddable GUIs in any toolkit, with support for a full plugin/UI split (including network transparency in capable hosts) * Ability to bundle any files (e.g. samples or impulses) with plugins * Presets (bundled and/or user saved) * Plugin state saving and restoring * Host-managed logging * Non-realtime plugin worker methods (simple and portable host-managed threading) * Message-based plugin communication, allowing plugins/UIs to have advanced interfaces without host support or specifications getting in the way * Transport awareness, both real time and tempo time (bars, beats, etc-.) LV2 has graceful compatibility "baked in": for example, a simple amplifier plugin might have audio in/out with a gain control, and function in any host. The same plugin could have a fancy GUI and transport awareness which optionally work in hosts that support these features. Conversely, hosts know not to load plugins that require features it does not support. See the specification index for complete documentation. If you are a host or plugin author and need missing functionality, please file a ticket or let us know your requirements on the mailing list. LV2 is a community project that depends on your feedback to improve - unknown requirements are unmet requirements!