flac ☆

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Description:
Free lossless audio codec

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | @xiphorg | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Multimedia

Tags: audio lossless codec multimedia compression

Install: brew install flac

About:
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open-source audio format that provides lossless compression, reducing file size by 40-60% without sacrificing audio quality. Unlike lossy formats like MP3, FLAC preserves the original audio data bit-for-bit, making it ideal for archiving and high-fidelity playback. It also features fast decoding, hardware support, and embedded metadata via the Vorbis comment system.

Key Features:

Lossless compression (bit-perfect audio reproduction)
Fast encoding and decoding with low CPU usage
Hardware and software compatibility across platforms
Built-in error handling and seeking capabilities
Open-source and royalty-free

Use Cases:

Archiving high-quality audio collections without quality loss
Music production and professional audio workflows
Streaming high-fidelity audio to compatible devices
Converting CDs to a space-efficient digital library

Alternatives:

ALAC – Apple's lossless format; similar quality but less open and cross-platform
WAV – Uncompressed format; larger files but no encoding overhead
Monkey's Audio (APE) – Higher compression ratio but slower and less widely supported

Version History

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