Kdenlive

• Multi-track timeline editing. Arrange video and audio clips across unlimited tracks in a standard NLE timeline layout. Clips can be trimmed, split, grouped, locked, and moved with snapping controls for frame-accurate placement.
• FFmpeg format support. Import and export virtually any audio or video codec and container supported by FFmpeg. This includes HDV, DNxHD, AVCHD, ProRes, and high-bit-depth formats without external transcoding.
• Proxy editing workflow. Generate low-resolution proxy clips for 4K, 6K, or high-frame-rate source material. Editing performance improves on modest hardware while final rendering automatically uses original full-resolution footage.
• Keyframeable effects and transitions. Apply built-in audio and video effects with full keyframe control over time. Parameters such as position, opacity, volume, color balance, and blur can be animated across any clip.
• Audio and video scopes. Monitor signal quality using waveform, vectorscope, RGB parade, and histogram displays. These scopes provide objective data for correcting exposure and color casts during grading.
• Color correction tools. Adjust lift, gamma, gain, saturation, hue, and contrast through dedicated color wheels and curves. White balance pickers and LUT support enable consistent looks across shots.
• 2D title creation. Build static or animated titles directly inside the project using the integrated title editor. Font, alignment, letter spacing, outline, shadow, and background options are available.
• Configurable workspaces. Switch between preset layouts designed for logging, editing, audio mixing, effects, and color grading. Interface panels and shortcuts can be rearranged and saved per workflow.
• Automatic project backup. Enable timed backup files to prevent data loss during long sessions. Backup versions are stored separately and can be restored if the main project file becomes corrupted.
• Timeline preview and rendering. Preview edits in real time using GPU or CPU processing depending on hardware. Render presets cover common delivery targets including web, broadcast, and archival formats.
• Resource management online. Download render profiles, wipes, and title templates from community repositories through an interface panel. Custom assets can be added locally or synced across devices.
• JogShuttle and hardware control. Connect external JogShuttle devices for frame-by-frame timeline navigation and playback control. Button mapping and shuttle speed are adjustable in configuration menus.

Kdenlive development began in 2002 by Jason Wood as a project for the KDE desktop environment. The initial releases focused on basic DV editing for Linux. In 2008 the codebase was rewritten around the MLT media framework, created by Dan Dennedy, which added real-time processing and broader format support. Since 2015 the maintainer team has included Jean-Baptiste Mardelle, Vincent Pinon, and a group of volunteer contributors. The application is written primarily in C++ with Qt for the interface and uses MLT, FFmpeg, frei0r, LADSPA, and SoX as backend libraries.