PortAudio

PortAudio

PortAudio is a free, cross-platform, open-source audio I/O library. It allows developers to easily write audio software that works on many platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX without needing platform-specific code.
Audio & Music Audio Libraries
PortAudio image
crossplatform opensource audio-io library
PortAudio alternatives ➤

PortAudio: Cross-Platform Open-Source Audio I/O Library

PortAudio is a free, cross-platform, open-source audio I/O library. It allows developers to easily write audio software that works on many platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX without needing platform-specific code.

What is PortAudio?

PortAudio is an open-source cross-platform audio I/O library designed for audio software developers. It provides a simple, common API that works on many platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX without requiring the developer to write any platform-specific code.

Some key features of PortAudio:

  • Works seamlessly across all supported platforms.
  • Low latency suitable for audio processing applications.
  • Supports many native audio APIs like WASAPI, DirectSound, ASIO, ALSA, Core Audio.
  • Compatible with a wide range of languages including C, C++, Python, .NET and more.
  • Permits access to both input and output audio devices like microphones, speakers, sound cards, etc.
  • Available as source code or pre-built binary packages.
  • Free and open source (MIT license).

PortAudio is commonly used for developing audio plug-ins, software synthesizers, effects processors, streaming audio engines and cross-platform audio utilities. Its platform-independent design makes it easy to write reusable audio code without needing special per-platform implementations.

PortAudio Features

Features

  1. Cross-platform audio I/O
  2. Supports many APIs like DirectSound, CoreAudio, WASAPI, ASIO, ALSA
  3. Blocking and callback data transfer mechanisms
  4. Supports multiple audio backends
  5. Low latency audio
  6. Sample rate conversion

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Cross-platform support

Open source and free

Low latency

Wide language support like C, C++, Python, .NET

Active development and maintenance

Cons

Limited to audio I/O only

Requires programming knowledge to use

Documentation could be improved

No built-in audio effects or processing

Official Links

Official Website
https://www.portaudio.com/

The Best PortAudio Alternatives

Top Audio & Music and Audio Libraries and other similar apps like PortAudio

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SoLoud
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Elements C++ GUI
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