robbert-vdh/nih-plug
Nih Plug
nih-plug is an audio plugin SDK and development framework providing a set of tools and traits for processing audio and MIDI data in a real-time safe environment. It functions as a cross-format plugin wrapper, allowing a single implementation to be exported into multiple industry-standard audio plugin formats, including VST, CLAP, and LV2.
The project includes a retained-mode GUI framework for creating interactive user interfaces and parameter controls for audio processors. It also provides a real-time audio library that utilizes hardware acceleration and asynchronous task management to maintain low-latency performance.
The SDK covers a broad range of capabilities, including declarative parameter management with value smoothing, host-agnostic state persistence, and dynamic audio port configuration. It further supports standalone binary generation and macOS binary signing for distribution.
Features
- Audio Plugin Architectures - Provides a comprehensive framework and set of traits for building host-agnostic audio plugins.
- SDKs - Provides a comprehensive SDK and framework for developing real-time safe audio and MIDI plugins.
- Real-Time Processing Libraries - Provides a real-time audio library with hardware acceleration and asynchronous task management.
- Digital Signal Processing - Implements digital signal processing for musical instrument digital interface signals within the audio chain.
- Multi-Format Development Frameworks - Provides a framework to target VST, CLAP, and LV2 formats from a single codebase.
- Real-Time Audio Threading - Implements high-priority threading and communication channels to ensure real-time audio processing remains glitch-free.
- SIMD Optimizations - Utilizes hardware-level vector instructions (SIMD) to accelerate audio buffer processing and reduce latency.
- Real-Time Audio Processing - Provides low-latency audio buffer and MIDI event processing with hardware acceleration for glitch-free playback.
- MIDI Processing Engines - Provides engines for routing and processing polyphonic MIDI note expressions and system messages.
- Audio Acceleration - Employs hardware acceleration to optimize iteration over audio samples and blocks for lower latency.
- Multi-Format Binary Generation - Generates multiple industry-standard plugin binaries from a single codebase using platform-specific entry point macros.
- Multi-Format Plugin Export - Compiles a single plugin implementation into multiple industry-standard formats using declarative macros.
- Host-Agnostic Plugin Interfaces - Defines a unified set of methods that audio processors must implement to remain agnostic of specific host applications.
- Multi-Format Wrappers - Allows a single codebase to be exported into multiple standard audio plugin formats.
- State Persistence - Provides a system for serializing plugin parameters and internal data to ensure session state can be saved and restored.
- Audio Plugin GUI Implementation - Enables the creation of interactive user interfaces and visual parameter controls for audio software using retained-mode graphics.
- Audio Plugin - Implements a retained-mode GUI framework for creating interactive plugin interfaces and parameter controls.
- Retained Mode Graphics Engines - Implements a retained-mode graphics system for real-time visualization and control of audio parameters.
- Standalone Binary Generators - Generates standalone executable versions of plugins with built-in audio and MIDI support.
- Plugin Packaging - Provides tools for compiling and packaging plugins into distributable formats compatible with host applications.
- Parameter Mapping Macros - Uses declarative macros to automatically generate boilerplate code for mapping data structures to plugin parameters.
- Host-Agnostic Implementations - Implements audio processing logic through unified traits and structures to ensure host independence.
- Audio Port Configuration - Provides configuration of flexible input and output buffer settings to support a variable number of audio ports.
- Parameter Smoothing - Applies linear interpolation to parameter changes to prevent audible clicks during rapid value updates.
- Plug-in Parameter Management - Provides declarative management of numeric and boolean parameters with built-in value smoothing.
- Standalone Executables - Enables the creation of executable plugin versions that run independently of a digital audio workstation.
- Macro-Based Parameter Registration - Uses declarative macros to automatically map data structures to plugin parameters.
- Parameter System Adapters - Connects a persistent graphics state to the plugin parameter system for real-time visual updates.
