Knowra Container format Container format A container format packages encoded media streams and related data into one file, organizing their timing and relationships without necessarily specifying how the streams are encoded.
Codec : Software or hardware that encodes or decodes a digital data stream, often for audio or video. A container can carry streams encoded by different codecs without defining those codecs.
RIFF : A chunk-based file structure used by formats including WAV and AVI. RIFF illustrates how a container can organize data into typed, nested chunks.
MP4 : A multimedia container format standardized as part of the MPEG-4 family. MP4 commonly packages video, audio, subtitles, and timed metadata in one file.
Audio codec : A codec that encodes or decodes digital audio, often using compression. An audio codec determines how a container's audio data is represented.
Multiplexing : The process of combining multiple data streams into one stream or file. Containers interleave audio, video, and other streams into a coordinated package.
EBML : A binary markup format that stores data as nested elements with identifiers and lengths. Matroska uses EBML to represent its container structure.
Matroska : An open multimedia container format designed to hold many kinds of audio, video, subtitle, and metadata tracks. Matroska demonstrates flexible track packaging and support for diverse codecs.
Video codec : A codec that encodes or decodes digital video, often using compression. A video codec determines how a container's video stream is represented.
Demultiplexing : The process of separating a combined data stream into its constituent streams. Playback software extracts each stream from the container before decoding it.
File extension : A filename suffix that commonly indicates a file's format or intended application. Extensions such as .mp4 hint at a container but do not guarantee its contents.
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